by Andre AgassiBefore the book gives us an opportunity to judge the content or its author, it strikes us with the nearly perfect quality of writing. In the acknowledgments, Agassi credits J.R. Moehringer, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who declined to be listed as co-author to what he felt was Agassi’s story, with helping to compose Open. The prose is striking, vivid, and full of humor and wisdom, creating just the right balance between the narrative and the reflective. Agassi manages to carry several themes throughout the book, without it feeling repetitive, overcrowded, or forced. This is partly due to the fascinating anecdotes, told with brutal honesty, and partly to the pace and tone created by the writing style, which is reminiscent of the work of Augusten Burroughs.
In fact, Open is so well-written that I questioned whether Agassi’s life, full of contradictions and strange coincidences is extraordinarily such, or if this is all just a clever ploy of narrating and if we all could construct a story as interesting and as human (perhaps minus Brooke Shields and a Golden Slam). At times, Agassi seems to be playing Hamlet, troubled by the question of, “To be or not to be” a tennis player, bothered by everything and everyone around him when the issues he faces are the same we all face daily. He presents his case so artfully, however, that I was eager to see him through the journey. Even those who have no knowledge of tennis will be anxious to read on.
For tennis fans, though, this book is nearly priceless. Not only does Agassi provide emotional and mostly unexpected insights into his career but he shares endless stories, giving his opinions on fellow players, their games, and their actions copiously and without regard for politeness or euphemisms. At times, I was repelled by his openness, yet I could not help but feel excited at having Agassi’s unfiltered view of the tennis world.
While the unfavorable descriptions of some tennis personalities (particularly Jimmy Connors, Jeff Tarango, Boris Becker and, to some extent, Nick Bollettieri) seem more than justified, others don’t. Agassi’s account of Pete Sampras was especially striking. His general opinion of Sampras appears to be favorable and he describes their relationship as highly competitive but mutually amicable, telling of several instances when they had spent time together off-court. But, in his descriptions of Sampras’ personality, seeming indeed to have been as different from his own as the press always portrayed, Agassi uses words that are nothing short of insulting, like “robotic” and “dullness” and judges Sampras’ other character flaws. Yet, despite his obvious resentment of Pete’s superior career, Agassi notes his admiration of Sampras and the loneliness he felt at his rival’s retirement. Sampras was always there across the net (“As always, Pete,” is a phrase much repeated throughout the book), thwarting Agassi’s progress, but also helping to define his career, and Agassi seems thankful for that. Interestingly, he mentions when discussing Roger Federer that he feels sorry for whomever is “to play Agassi to his Sampras.”
The parts of the book not directly related to tennis tournaments – from Agassi’s family history to his incredibly close relationship with fitness coach Gil Reyes to the work of his Foundation – are equally fascinating. Beyond the interesting factoids, like coach Brad Gilbert’s role in pushing Andre to court longtime crush Steffi Graf, or the way his relationship with first wife Brooke Shields began as a long fax exchange, almost nothing in the book seems trivial or unnecessary (except his description of the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy near the end, which reads much like a grant proposal). Whether he tells an anecdote about Gil Reyes flying out to pay personal visits to Brooke Shields’ stalkers or about hustling amateur players for money as a child, everything is interconnected: it relates to his past, reappears in another area of Agassi’s life, or inspires his future decisions.
Agassi’s detractors will see justification for considering the man self-righteous, self-important and, at times, undisciplined and a hypocrite. The now universally known admission to his use of crystal meth and lying to the ATP also prove him dishonest (I can find little explanation why the shocking details of the violent nature of Agassi's father or the behavior he was allowed as a teen at the Bollettieri Academy have not received the same media attention). He further accepts his fraudulence with the admission that for many years he publicly lied about liking the sport of tennis, spouting off formulaic fabrications when asked about his attitude by the media. Although it is clear that Agassi found respect for the game later in his career, some can argue tennis is not well-served when one of its legends makes headlines with his hate of it.
Whether inspired or annoyed by Agassi’s attitude, readers will be at times amused, at others horrified, sometimes uncomfortable, and sometimes moved to tears, but never bored while learning the untold details of Andre’s life.
As in the superbly chosen photograph that stares at us from the book’s front cover, Agassi's account presents a man full of contradictions. He is vulnerable and invincible, brutal and damaged, confident and self-loathing, lost and on a mission, in-control and defenseless against himself and those around him, in-form and imprisoned by his body, proud and ashamed. As tennis fans, we have watched Andre Agassi oscillate between each of the above personalities throughout his long career. But this book, in beautiful, dynamic prose, helps explain the psyche and experiences that formed this multifaceted tennis champion. No matter how you feel about Agassi as a player and a person, Open will show you the man behind the image, and the fascinating story behind the man.
Photo by Martin Schoeller/Corbis Outline/Caroline Devine Carson
