OPEN

by Andre Agassi

The hair. The fashion. The bad boy attitude. Andre Agassi has always been my kind of man. I’ve been a life long tennis fan especially during the intense rivalry of Agassi/Sampras. However, you don’t need to be a fan of tennis to enjoy the heart-tugging drama of Agassi’s life. You’ve heard about the crystal meth usage, failed drug test and the hair piece but his story contains much more framed by the beautiful words of J.R. Moehringer, the man who helped write the book.


Andre's fragile childhood was dominated by a man so ferocious that he pulled out his own nose hairs. His father tortured Andre with hours of practice against the “monster” in the backyard as well as organized matches with other young boys around Las Vegas until he could beat all of them. The relationship between father and son shaped the rebellious attitude of the intense minded Agassi throughout his life.  Their relationship is a focal point of the book and the influence of one man’s passion on his young son was thought provoking and sad.  

Thrown into the mix is a great deal of dirt about Andre’s first wife, the malevolent Brooke Shields. Her portrayal is shrill, annoying, shallow, egotistical, materialistic and dense whose only concern is the rejuvenation of her career (hell hath no fury like a man scorned). She is oblivious to her husband’s drug usage and his laziness. Clearly, she was the wrong woman for him.  After Andre has moved on to the leggy Steffi Graf, Brooke tries to rekindle the relationship to no avail.

A lot of time is devoted to tennis matches. The book opens and closes with the retelling of two important tennis matches retold with a clarity of both Agassi’s fragile psyche and herculean bravado.  You don't have to be a tennis fan to enjoy the suspense fo each match and the behind the scenes locker room tales.  During one match Andre forgets to wear his underwear and wins the match. He vows never to wear underwear while playing again.  I have never been a fan of Pete Sampras, too boring, too doltish. Andre says, “I envy Pete’s dullness.” He then adds, “I wish I could emulate his spectacular lack of inspiration, and his peculiar lack of need for inspiration.” According to Andre, Pete is a cheap tipper, like a dollar cheap for the valet. CHEAP is a deal breaker. 

As for Steffi Graf, Andre’s beguiling wife, the romantic flair of the prose leads leads to a fairy-tale finale. His enchantment and fascination with her is evident from his earliest days as a professional. He sends flowers to her hotel room despite her serious boyfriend sharing the room with her.  He chases her until finally she relents and goes on a date with him.  You have to admire Andre for never taking No for an answer.  Two kids, a home in Vegas, the book ends with a love match as the two play a pick-up match at the local court for fun.