“In full form, Steffi Graf was a horse that wasn’t going to be caught” – When Andre Agassi said he couldn’t ‘steamroll’ opponents like his wife
Andre Agassi with his wife Steffi
“In full form, Steffi Graf was a horse that wasn’t going to be caught” – When Andre Agassi said he couldn’t ‘steamroll’ opponents like his wife
Andre Agassi once opened up about how the competitive skills of his wife and fellow tennis legend Steffi Graf differed from his own. Agassi said he couldn’t match the German’s unparalleled athleticism, which he believes gave her a significant edge over her opponents.
Both Agassi and Graf are considered among the greatest players in tennis history. While the American clinched eight Major titles, accomplished the career Grand Slam and won an Olympic singles gold medal, Graf claimed 22 Grand Slam titles and secured the rare Golden Calendar Slam, making her the only player to achieve the historic feat.Although both players were enormously successful in their own right, Andre Agassi feels there were certain aspects of the German’s game that he couldn’t replicate. Speaking to the Harvard Business Review in 2015, the American said Graf had the “luxury” of possessing unmatched athleticism, which made her practically unbeatable at her peak.
Agassi also conceded that he couldn’t “steamroll” past his opponents in the same way because he lacked the same level of talent.
“She had an athleticism over her peers that was quite a luxury. When she was in full form, she was just a horse that wasn’t going to be caught. For me, it wasn’t like that. I couldn’t just steamroll past people because I was such an athlete or talented in all these different ways,” Agassi said.
Andre Agassi acknowledged his own strengths but emphasized that he had to employ the more “exhausting” method of approaching his matches like a puzzle and “out-thinking” his opponents.
“I had a couple of strengths, but I had to out-think everybody and implement my strategies one piece at a time, like a puzzle. That’s more exhausting, and you don’t get the results as consistently,” he added.
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“Certainly a loss for tennis, Steffi Graf is the best lady that has ever played” – Andre Agassi once addressed his ‘mixed emotions’ about German’s retirement
Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi (Source: Getty)
Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi (Source: Getty)
Andre Agassi has always been open about his immense admiration for his wife Steffi Graf’s skills on the court. After Graf retired from professional tennis in 1999, Agassi opened up about his “mixed emotions” regarding the German’s decision to hang up her racket.
During a press conference at the ATP Championships that same year, the American described Graf’s retirement as a “great loss” for tennis, declaring her the greatest female player in the history of the sport.
“Real strong mixed emotions. It is certainly a loss for tennis because in my opinion she is the best lady that has ever played, dominated on every surface and on the other side of it is a sense of happiness for the next chapter in her life which I am sure she is looking forward to,” Agassi said.
After retirement Steffi Graf focused on her family life, tying the knot with Andre Agassi in 2001. The couple welcomed their first child, son Jaden, later that same year, followed by the birth of their daughter Jaz in 2003.
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