“Much Clearer And Stronger Than Me”: Andre Agassi Once Shared How Steffi Graf Helped Him Face His Life And Tennis Struggles
Agassi once revealed the deep bond he shares with his wife, Steffi Graf. The eight-time Grand Slam champion opened up in 2009, during an interview with Spiegel International, about how both of them understood each other’s struggles without saying much. Agassi, who admitted in his book Open that he “hated tennis,” said Steffi Graf simply replied, “Don’t we all?” when he told her about his feelings. The couple started dating in 1999 and got married in 2001.
Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf connected over their sufferings in tennis
Andre Agassi explained in the 2009 interview that both he and Graf grew up with fathers who pushed them hard in tennis.
This gave them a silent understanding of each other’s pain. “I was the better talker; she was the better listener. But we did not have to explain everything,” Agassi said.
The American revealed that Graf chose tennis on her own, while he was forced into it by his father. He described it as being pushed into the “wrong life.”
Andre Agassi was sent away at just 13 to Nick Bollettieri’s academy in Florida, which he once called a “glorified prison camp.” Graf, on the other hand, never had to leave her family behind.
Andre Agassi pointed out the difference by saying, “Stefanie wanted to play tennis, it was her decision; and I did not, but I had to. For me it was the wrong life; it was not mine.”
Steffi Graf gave Andre Agassi strength through her way of living
While speaking to Spiegel International, Andre Agassi admitted he admired the way Graf lived her life. He said, “Stefanie is much more secure, much clearer and stronger than me.” He described how she faced her fears, stood firm, and lived on her own terms.
