Image Is Everything

The transformation of life unfolded on the television today as Andre Agassi retired from professional tennis today. Appropriately, as the fading star of the tennis great rested in its place in tennis glory, it was set there by qualifier B. Becker, an up and coming German player.

In the early years when Andre first arrived on the tennis scene in the early 1990s, he was not my favorite at all. He was all about making commercials. I just couldn’t understand what all the hype was about him when he hadn’t even won a single professional tournament. His Canon EOS Rebel commercial, “Image Is Everything” said it all. He had long, golden hair, but had not achieved anything on the court as a professional.

Over the last 21 years of his professional career, I warmed up to Agassi’s career. He had gone through some tough times, a huge slump, and then remarkably made an incredible comeback to certainly be considered as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Most notably, he is in a group of a select few who have a “Career Grand Slam”, winning all of the four major tournaments at some time in his career. It’s hard to believe that his career is over. Last year, he was a finalist at the US Open.

At age 35, Agassi was the 2005 US Open Runner Up
Photo by Timothy A.Clary/Getty Images

And today when Agassi lost in the 3rd round to the unknown Becker, I marveled at how much this young brat from the neon city has changed from glitz and plastic into a classy, hard-working, professional and a human being of substance.

Image Is Everything: The Lasting Impression of a Classy Champion
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the scoreboard doesn’t say is what it is I have found.

And over the last 21 years I have found loyalty. You have pulled for me on the court and also in life. I’ve found inspiration. You have willed me to succeed, sometmes even in my lowest moments. And I have found generosity. You have given me your shoulders to stand on to reach for my dreams, dreams I could have never reached without you.

Over the last 21 years, I have found you. I will take you, and the memory of you with me for the rest of my life. Thank you.

Andre Agassi

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 3rd, 2006 at 11:08 pm and is filed under Sports, Television and Tennis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.