Open - An Autobiography

Author: Andre Agassi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Price: $59.99 (hardback)

Life at the net

In a game of tennis, love equals zero but when considering the life of tennis great Andre Agassi life does not imitate art. In Agassi’s life tennis provided the gateway to great love but not a love of the game itself. The fact that Agassi has spent his life playing a game he hates is the most shocking revelation to come out of his autobiography Open which aptly titled provides an honest and articulate account of his life so far.

From the age of six, Agassi was force-fed a diet of tennis by his dominant and at times violent father. He endured intensive training sessions, months away from home at tennis camp, and heartbreak all for a game he despised but was unfortunately very good at. It was during this time as a teenager that Agassi’s rebellion began. He started pushing the boundaries doing whatever he could to shock resulting in the signature 80’s look – mullet, denim shorts and earrings. He created a caricature of himself another personality.

For an avid tennis fan, watching Agassi work his magic on a tennis court is a religious experience. Many sitting in the stands make sweeping assumptions about his life and how marvellous it must be - a life of wealth, being at the top of your game, rubbing shoulders with icons and celebrities. From the outside it looks wonderful but on the inside he is plagued with the same fears and doubts as all of the commoners consumed with worry about what people will think of him, whether people like him.

Agassi discusses his relationships with his family, his friends, his trainers, his famous girlfriends and his competitors with terrific candour. He provides his readers with an access all areas backstage pass giving them the scoop on what it is like before and after a match, his preparation, what some of the other blokes on tour are really like, and importantly closes the gap between our assumptions and the reality of his life. He admits to using drugs as a means of escape from the mental and physical pain. It is a fairly insignificant part of his story and it is disappointing that the remarkable story this man has to tell has been somewhat eclipsed by this admission. Yes he lied to the ATP about taking drugs, yes he got away with it but in the end he stepped up. It would have been easy to leave this out of the book. He didn’t.

Open is a must for all Agassi fans. After three years out of the tennis circuit it is a luxury to spend some time with him again. To remember the wins and the losses, the showmanship of his 80’s game, and the grace of his 90’s game with his signature end of match thank you. To remember all of the things you promised yourself as a devoted fan you would never forget. This book is difficult to put down and as you approach the end there is a certain sadness in saying goodbye again but happiness in knowing he is finally in a place he wants to be; a place ironically he would not have found without tennis.