I was forced to make a decision inside my own heart and mind as to what I’m going to do.”Am I going to get back and continue to play, or am I going to stop? Because I can’t possibly come out on the court with everything that I’ve experienced and feel the way I was feeling It wouldn’t be right for me. It is not something I’m proud of, but I can’t deny it.”I got to one point where I was quite embarrassed just to be on the court, because I couldn’t compete nearly on the same level. “I had other things going on in my life that were very important to me, and I wasn’t putting the same focus and intensity and work into my tennis. Or maybe that had something to do with injuries, complacency, or a lack of self-esteem.”I wasn’t confused as to why I was going down the charts,” Agassi said. “It’s almost like it was just sheer destiny.”Destiny, perhaps, was also responsible for dragging the bald eagle down to No 141 in the world rankings 18 months ago. Agassi, being Agassi, had recovered a two-set deficit to overcome a devastated Medvedev and place his name alongside Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver and Roy Emerson.”It almost feels like it had nothing to do with me,” Agassi said, still choking back tears of joy.

“I played like a schmuck; I am a schmuck,” he said.Those were not Agassi’s sentiments on Sunday. So much for his build-up to the French Open, the one major title to have eluded him, denying him the prestige of becoming only the fifth man in the history of the sport to win each of the four Grand Slam singles titles.A month later, after losing to Australia’s Pat Rafter in straight sets in the third round of the Italian Open, Agassi cut a pathetic figure in the interview room, his naked torso partly covered by a towel draped over his left shoulder and tape strapped across his chest and dodgy right shoulder. Seasoned observers shook their heads.Agassi, it seemed, was being Agassi again. Next day, the 29-year-old from Las Vegas withdrew from the tournament without playing a match, saying that an injury to his right shoulder had flared up again. That distinction fell to Prince Albert, of Monaco, who participated in a hit-and-giggle doubles on Court No 7 at the Monte Carlo Open on 19 April to publicise Agassi’s signing of an extended deal to use a titanium racket made by Head.
It was not one of Agassi’s greatest hits. The Ukrainian Andrei Medvedev was not the first balding fellow to play with Agassi during the European clay court season. How ironic that Agassi, almost a decade later, should win the first slaphead Grand Slam singles final of the open era

We must be more respectful.

DURING THE 1990 French Open, Andre Agassi, then of the long peroxide tresses, referred to the president of the International Tennis Federation as a “bozo” after the administrator objected to his black, blue, white and “hot lava” pink shirts and denim shorts over pink cycling tights. We offered him a wild card months ago,” the tournament organiser, Ralf Weber, said.Results, Digest, page 23. “It’s great for us to have Agassi, who doesn’t play in Germany that often. Kiefer will face next either Switzerland’s Marc Rosset or the American Richey Reneberg.The French Open champion, Andre Agassi, plays the Dutchman, John van Lottum in his first match tomorrow. The court was a bit slippery and I could have served better but I played quite well.” In the next round, Rafter will meet Jan Siemerink, who beat Paul Haarhuis 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Nicolas Kiefer, the seventh seed, delighted his home fans by crushing his fellow German, Rainer Schuettler, 6-4, 6-1. “He’s unpredictable and sometimes he comes up with a great shot.