BookBabble #32: "Open: An Autobiography" by Andre Agassi

Here we have a classic auto-bio from one of the top tennis players of a generation!

Not only did he excel at his sport, he was a true personality, had his fair share of disputes and issues, and went on to marry arguably the greatest female tennis player of all time, Steffi Graf.

Of course, we’re talking about none other than Mr Andre Agassi. A real character of the sport and a memorable face for many of us growing up in the 90s. This remarkable book tells his story and it has to be one of the best out there in the genre.

If you like him (or are curious about him) then it’s a must-read. If you enjoy tennis, again worth a look. Even without those 2 things, just as a purely interesting story and journey it will rank up there with the majority of other books.

For me, he was an icon. Not just his tennis playing but what he represented. A bit of a rogue, a wild talent, played by his own rules. Me being from England, the main televised tournament is Wimbledon. Also at Wimbledon, they have the most protocols in doing things a certain way.

Like wearing white for example. Some people love all that royal pompery but others take exception… Agassi showing up in long hair and jeans wasn't a great start in that respect.

He does seem like a lovely chap, with his heart in the right place. Wears his emotions on his sleeve as it were. And despite early challenges, made a successful career (which perhaps could have been even better - a second Wimbledon win would have cemented his legend although he did better in other tournaments).

Let’s see what he has to say!

Source

Some highlighted quotes from the book followed by my additional thoughts…

Control what you can control

Controlling the controllable is something we always come back to in these BookBabbles. Any decent ideological system does that too. It's identifying what can be controlled or influenced, acting on those things and forgetting everything that we have no control over, and learning to live with it.

You want to be aggressive enough to control a point, not so aggressive that you sacrifice control and expose yourself to unnecessary risk

Balance. Dominating a rally in tennis but not pushing the boundaries too far. So just on the edge but remaining in control. Being aggressive but in control is a good metaphor for life too. Aggressive meaning dominant, confident, powerful, forward… not randomly angry.

craftsman

We talked about the concept of a craftsman in the So Good They Can't Ignore You article (possibly others too). This can apply to sports, making wood figurines or anything else. Becoming a master at a chosen endeavour by going deep and owning that craftsmanship.

Disorder is distraction, and every distraction on the court is a potential turning point

As in life. Distractions should be eliminated or minimised, and everything put in order for the best chance of success.

I hate tennis

This is an interesting one. I'm not sure if this is 100% true or a defence mechanism kind of deal. When you have talented people they often minimise that talent or the importance of what they're doing. It makes it easier to handle.

Take Ronnie O'Sullivan as an example - if you've seen him play and in interviews over the years, you'll know what I mean. The guy's a genius with a cue and that can be hard to handle with all the expectation.

Chris Eubank used to say he hated boxing and that it's barbaric… he was just in it for the payday. Which is probably true, as it is literally fighting for a living, but good coin for the top guys.

Having said all that, sometimes you can't control the direction and the attributes bestowed upon you. You have to run with it but really would rather not. An interesting situation with deep psychology I expect, outside the scope of this article.

When you know that you just took the other guy’s best punch, and you’re still standing, and the other guy knows it, you will rip the heart right out of him

This was from Andre's father. He was a former boxer, and also Andre's biggest push towards tennis (which could be another reason for the resentment of the sport, especially considering his freedom loving personality).

His father said that he always wanted to take a guy's best punch and that the same applies in tennis. Really attack the other guy's strength and it will tear him down. That aspect of the game he relies upon has been dismantled by you, what else as he got? Demoralising for an opponent.

Agassi senior called it putting a blister on the other guy’s brain.

It was a lot of this style of teaching that turned Agassi into the type of player he was. Many pride themselves and get through matches on their serve. Agassi became a returner, and one of the best that ever lived.

There’s a difference between a plow horse and a racehorse. You don’t treat them the same. You hear all this talk about treating people equally, and I’m not sure equal means the same

This was from Agassi's trainer, Gil Reyes. He went on a bit of a speech one day, and this was in amongst it.

Everyone's different and should be treated accordingly. You can't change someone like Andre (or anyone for that matter) so you have to work within those parameters.

In a wider sense, you hear all about the need for 'equality'. I don't believe in that per se, but rather fairness. Not everyone should be paid equally (gender, race etc irrelevant) for example as they may contribute differently, but they should be paid fairly in relation to that contribution.

Barbra Streisand. She was a tortured perfectionist who hated doing something at which she excelled

Agassi dated Barbra for a while and there are some commonalities with how they were and how they viewed the world. Barbra was another one of those with a huge talent but troubled in the process.

Brad Gilbert

Gilbert coached Agassi for a long time and won most of his Grand Slams under his tutelage. They'd had a few encounters themselves as Brad had only just retired when he started working with Agassi.

perfectionism / Quit going for the knockout, he says

A point here on perfectionism, that can be a real progress stifler. Usually we won't be able to hit that height but we need to be ok with doing something very well.

And you don't have to always go for the big shots and win the point there and then… work your opponent over and win over the course of a rally.

Greek poem: The minds of the everlasting gods are not changed suddenly

There's always some residual momentum from past antics. This was a friend of Andre's quote.

This is why we’re here. To fight through the pain and, when possible, to relieve the pain of others. So simple. So hard to see

A little wisdom he learnt from helping out Gil's sick daughter Kacey.

After all these years I’ve got what I’ve always wanted, something to play for that’s larger than myself and yet still closely connected to me

Some chat about his charity work and initiatives post tennis career.

It’s easier to be free and loose, to be yourself, after laughing with the ones you love. The right attachments

This was following shaving his head and having a good laugh with his family. He had just beaten a chap by the name of Roger Federer - a new hot shot on the scene - and was at a different stage in life and place mentally.

The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the scoreboard doesn’t say is what it is I have found. Over the last twenty-one years I have found loyalty: You have pulled for me on the court, and also in life. I have found inspiration: You have willed me to succeed, sometimes 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 twenty-one years I have found you, and I will take you and the memory of you with me for the rest of my life

This was his speech following his last match at the US Open, He got beaten by Boris Becker who he really didn't like (Jimmy Connors was another one called out in the book), and now was the time to step away.

Life is a tennis match between polar opposites. Winning and losing, love and hate, open and closed. It helps to recognize that painful fact early. Then recognize the polar opposites within yourself, and if you can’t embrace them, or reconcile them, at least accept them and move on. The only thing you cannot do is ignore them

The metaphor of tennis for life. Discover who you are, and be it to the best of your ability.

More, I hope it will be one of many books that give them comfort, guidance, pleasure. I was late in discovering the magic of books. Of all my many mistakes that I want my children to avoid, I put that one near the top of the list.

Talking at the end about his legacy to his kids through this book and any other works. Giving them the gift of reading, plus a documented tale of their father's life.

Thanks Andre! Anything Else?

There was a whole lot more depth to this book than what was in the quotes. Memorable stories and moments that make a thoroughly interesting and enjoyable read. It delves into some of the tennis action; the night before, the shots in the match and aftermath.

It talks about his relationship with Graf and others. When he won Wimbledon it was Steffi who won the women’s tournament that same year. Ideal, as he had a bit of a thing for her and got to dance with her at the ball. That wouldn’t be the last dance, so to speak, and years later they finally got together and have been happily married since, with kids.

It's interesting how he insists he hates tennis. As discussed in the quotes section, we often see these types of tortured professional… many with this love/hate relationship with their sport (and themselves quite frankly). He mentions he's 'a thinker' - this will always toy with your emotions.

He also mentions a fella by the name of Pete Sampras who was making some waves, and his marriage to Brooke Shields.

This is one of the best books I’ve ever read, and it has all the components that make a good read. Intriguing central character, other interesting people, all manner of relationships, sporting prowess, a hero’s journey etc.

Give it a look. And if you already have, what did you think?

First image my own, second linked to source

Check out the others in the series…