The Classic Matches of Andre Agassi: From a Boy to a King

Nov. 11, 2010 - PRLog -- In Roland Garros, 1990, the twenty-year-old media sensation Andre Agassi defeated the defending Champion Michael Chang and the Swiss Jonas B. Svensson in quarter and semi-final, but fell to Andres Gomez from Ecuador in his first Grand Slam final. Later in the year Agassi had another shot to be crowned at a major in US Open, but was eventually turned away by Pete Sampras. His third opportunity arrived when he advanced into 1991 French Open, but the championship was again deferred by his fellow American Jim Courier.

The three defeats had devastated Agassi, because he wanted them so badly to prove that he is a worthy champion and not just a boy who attracts limelight with funky hair-style.

In 1992, Agassi encountered genuine contest in the quarter-final of Wimbledon, but prevailed in a five set thriller against the three-time champion Boris Becker from German. In the semi-final, he advanced one step closer to the title by defeating the tennis legend John McEnroe, who was also crowned three times at the Wimbledon, in three straight sets.

Agassi was only one match away from his first career major title. However, what stands between him and his dream was Goran Ivanisevic, the “Ace King,” from Croatia. Prior to this contest, Agassi was 0-2 against Ivanisevic and had never taken a set from him. In the first set of the Wimbledon final, his ferocious serves were giving Agassi huge pressure as usual, and Ivanisevic took the first set with a tiebreak. But Agassi came back and took the second and the third set, and was now only one set away from realizing his dream.

In the deciding fourth set, the “Ace King” bounced back and forced the match into a fifth set. When Agassi was leading 5-4 in the fifth set, his opportunity came when he had a championship point in Ivanisevic’s service game. Agassi told himself to “You control what you can control” (Open, p.164). He was finally crowned as 1992 Wimbledon champion.

It was Agassi’s first Wimbledon title, as well as his first major title. Inundated by joy, he held the trophy up high and strolled around the court, basking in the cheers and applause of the crowd. This American boy, who had been dubbed by media as someone who overturned the traditions of tennis, had conquered the prestigious Wimbledon. After this historical triumph, Agassi’s public image began to turn and he continued to contend for other major titles.

In the summer of 1994, Agassi entered US Open unseeded with world ranking of 20, and was not considered as a serious contender since no unseeded player had ever won the US Open since the 60’s. But Agassi kept on winning, and a tightly contested five set win in the round of 16 against Michael Chang gave him such a tremendous confidence boost that he won the next three matches to be crowned in New York.

Few months after the US Open title, Agassi clenched his third career major title at the 1995 Australian Open. Winning two majors in succession propelled him to reach world number one for the first time, and proved to all that he was a true champion.

But his bright and shining career took a sharp turn in 1997, and his ranking fell to a record low of 141 due to wrist injury and troubled marriage. Just as people started to think that he was fading out of the scene, he reemerged in 1999, and stormed into French Open final as the 13th seed - he was only one French Open away from achieving career Grand Slam.

Andrei Medvedev from Ukraine was the one standing in Agassi’s way in the final. Medvedev took a two sets lead with 6:1 and 6:2, and it seemed that the French Open trophy would escape from him for the third time. But from two sets down, Agassi persevered and forced the match into a five-setter, finally prevailed and completed his career Grand Slam with an epic comeback.

Among Agassi’s eight majors titles including four Australian Open (1995, 2000, 2001, 2003), a French Open (1999), a Wimbledon (1992), and two US Open (1994, 1999). Agassi claimed his last major title in 2003 Australian Open, dropping only one set along the way. In the final, he defeated the German Rainer Schuettler in straight sets and blew kisses to the mesmerized fans as usual.

Looking back to his four Australian Open titles, the first was in 1995 with the momentum from previous year’s victory in US Open, and trounced six opponents to advance to the final facing fellow American Pete Sampras. Agassi eventually came out victorious dropping only one set.

It was only the second time they faced each other in a Grand Slam final. However, this match was a mere prelude to what was later considered the greatest rivalry in tennis history.

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