ATP legend Andre Agassi recently recalled the 1999 French Open final, saying how the conditions favored him. He also remembered his then-coach Brad Gilbert’s pre-match ‘lecturing’ that boosted his confidence, leading him to complete a career Grand Slam.
Andre Agassi overcame a two-set deficit to defeat Andrei Medvedev 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, clinching his first Roland Garros title. The victory made him the fifth man in history and second in the Open Era (after Rod Laver) to win all four Majors and complete a career Grand Slam. It also marked the first time a male player achieved the Career Grand Slam on three different surfaces: clay, grass, and hard.
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After almost 26 years of achieving the feat, Andre Agassi recently traveled down memory lane to recount the glorious experience. In a recent conversation with the Tennis Channel, the American former player recalled how things moved exactly in his favor and helped in his overall performance. This included a significant change in weather conditions.
"The skies opened up at the right time in my favor, and at that moment, I got a good lecturing from my coach, Brad Gilbert, in the locker room. I somehow turned a match where I was a deer in the headlights into, probably, one of the few times I can actually say I managed to go from that to being 'in the zone,' so to speak," he said (via Tennis Channel's X handle).
The 55-year-old added that he had no regrets during the match and that he knew it was one of the last opportunities for him to clinch the title and complete the historic feat.
"That was a day, in between the lines on the tennis court, when I had no regrets. I mean, it was the last one of the four for me to win. It was one I never thought I’d have a chance at again. I was old enough for nerves to be so relevant — to know I’d never really have a chance after this," he added.
Completing the career Grand Slam wasn't enough for Andre Agassi. The ATP legend continued his dominance on hard courts, winning four more Majors before ending his professional career in 2006. He won the US Open the same year, followed by three Australian Open wins in 2000, 2001, and 2003.
Andre Agassi is impressed by Jannik Sinner's high-strength comeback
Andre Agassi recently expressed his surprise over Jannik Sinner's restored strength amid his comeback after three months. According to the eight-time Grand Slam champion, the Italian player has already picked up pace in the ongoing Masters 1000 event in Rome, and there's no looking back for him.
"The thing that surprises me the most about three months away was always the movement stuff. For me, it was always the return, it was always the reaction to the ball," Agassi said (via Tennis.com).
"It looked like he spent a few matches not really stressing, not pressing, watching the ball, tracking it and using his legs. Then, once he got comfortable that he could take some big blows, he started letting his game fly. And yeah, there’s no looking back for him. He’s where he’s at because he belongs there," he added.
Returning from a three-month-long doping ban, Jannik Sinner showcased no signs of lacking. The Italian player swiftly managed to defeat tough rivals, including Francisco Cerundolo (7-6, 6-3) of Argentina and the Norwegian player Casper Ruud (6-0, 6-1), to secure a position in the semifinals. He is set to face America's Tommy Paul on Friday, May 16, for a spot in the final.
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