Playing tennis is something he has done all his life. Of Armenian ancestry, Agassi was not born to a tennis family, but to tennis.
He was handed a racquet in the crib by his overzealous father, Mike, who though wasn't a professional player himself, was hell-bent on making his son one. Mike Agassi learnt the intricacies of the game to give the young Andre an upbringing in tennis.
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At the age of five, Agassi had already developed a high hand-and-eye coordination, pounding the ball across the net, back to the bowling machine that relentlessly spit out ball after ball. His skill was further honed under the experienced eye of Nick Bollettieri.
The two-handed backhand, the smacking return and the unique technique of meeting the ball well inside the baseline saw Agassi climb up the professional rankings in a hurry. He was ranked number three in the world at 18.
America had finally found a successor to Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe, and the hype surrounding him was fitting for a rock star. Agassi was turned into an advertising phenomenon and everything from his looks to hair to snazzy outfits was being discussed.
Though he went on with the 'Image is everything' portrayal, Agassi stayed true to his love for tennis. It was this passion that didn't let him turn away from the game.
'There were a lot of years spent resenting everything, from being away from home, to the resentment of traveling, to the resentment of growing up in the spotlight, making mistakes in the public eye and having to learn to live with them,' he said of the turbulent phase of his life.
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