Before you start reading the book review, my favourite lines from the book:
"Our best intentions are often thwarted by external forces-forces that we ourselves set in motion long ago. Decisions especially bad ones, create their own kind of momentum, and momentum can be a bitch to stop. Momentum says: Hold on, not so fast, I'm still running things here. As a friend likes to say, quoting an old Greek poem: The minds of ever-lasting gods are not changed suddenly."
"I think, that tennis uses the language of life. Points becomes games becomes sets becomes tournaments, and it's all so tightly connected that any point can become the turning point. It reminds of me the way seconds becomes minutes becomes hours, and any hour can be our finest. Or darkest. It's your choice."
I still remember the my first match of tennis that I watched on Television. The only thing that I remember from that match was the magic chant 'An-dre An-dre'. Andre Agassi perfectly describes in his autobiography 'OPEN', the charm of his which made him one of the most beloved player in the history of tennis. But very few people know that the most gifted player ever to step on a tennis court hated tennis from childhood. He gives the perfect reason, " Tennis is the sport in which you talk to yourself conducting Lincoln-Douglas debates with your alter-ego. In tennis you are on an island, you stand face-to-face with the enemy but never touch him or talk to him, or anyone else."
Forced to play tennis by his father at the age of seven, Andre went to win 8 grand slams and became the first male player in the world to win career golden slam ( all 4 slams and olympic gold medal). He also won 17 ATP Masters Series titles and was part of the winning Davis Cup teams in 1990, 1992 and 1995. Andre reached the World No. 1 ranking for the first time in 1995. Later, he retired in 2006.
He starts the book by his second last match against Marcos Baghdatis in the 2006 US Open, an epic five setter. His way of describing the match along with what is going on in his mind generates an unusual interest in the match. It feels like reliving the match sitting in the box of Andre Agassi in the stadium itself. Then he goes back in time to narrate all the journey which led him to that match from his childhood.
Agassi describes how his father modified a ball machine which he calls 'dragon' to fire balls at him
at 110 miles an hour, his meeting with Bjorn Borg when he was just eight and his hostility for losses even when he hated tennis. He was sent to Nick Bollettieri's Tennis Academy when he was 13. The place became like a prison for Andre and he started to rebel by piercing earrings, getting a mohawk look and pink hairs.
Agassi turned professional at the age of 16. But despite his gifted talent, he struggles early on. He went till the finals of three Grand Slams but lost them all. This made him vulnerable to easy targeting by the media houses. Its only after Wimbledon win of 1992, he became favorite.
He provides details of every important match in his career as he says he remember every single match. Along with his rivalry with Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and others he accepts that Federer is the Everest of next generation. As Agassi puts it "It's really simple. Most people have weaknesses. Federer has none."
He gives account of his relationship with Brooke Shields (Erika-the stalker in Friends Season 2 Episode 12) and the reason that it failed and led to divorce. Later, he fell in love with Stefanie Graf which was the result of destiny as per Andre. They both won 1999 French Open and obviously it all started with Agassi calling her and say "I think you are beautiful".
Agassi used 'Open' to confess about a lie that he told to ATP when he tested positive for meth to avoid a three month suspension. After that, as we all know, he bounces back , wins more Slams, marries Steffi Graf, has kids and sets up an entirely admirable Andre Agassi college Preparation Academy in his home town, Las Vegas.He says, "Life will throw everything but the kitchen sink in your path, and then it will throw the kitchen sink. It's your job to avoid the obstacles. If you let them stop you or distract you, you are not doing your job, and failing to do your job will cause regrets that paralyze you."
All in all, 'Open' is a complete package. It is hard to find a sports autobiography with this much of details. Agassi kept it engaging, sensational and at the same time humorous. It feels like reading the book in one go. Like his game, it is written with grace, uniqueness and smoothness giving a awesome treat to fans.Hopefully, something like this will come out from the Federer pen in the future.
"Our best intentions are often thwarted by external forces-forces that we ourselves set in motion long ago. Decisions especially bad ones, create their own kind of momentum, and momentum can be a bitch to stop. Momentum says: Hold on, not so fast, I'm still running things here. As a friend likes to say, quoting an old Greek poem: The minds of ever-lasting gods are not changed suddenly."
"I think, that tennis uses the language of life. Points becomes games becomes sets becomes tournaments, and it's all so tightly connected that any point can become the turning point. It reminds of me the way seconds becomes minutes becomes hours, and any hour can be our finest. Or darkest. It's your choice."
I still remember the my first match of tennis that I watched on Television. The only thing that I remember from that match was the magic chant 'An-dre An-dre'. Andre Agassi perfectly describes in his autobiography 'OPEN', the charm of his which made him one of the most beloved player in the history of tennis. But very few people know that the most gifted player ever to step on a tennis court hated tennis from childhood. He gives the perfect reason, " Tennis is the sport in which you talk to yourself conducting Lincoln-Douglas debates with your alter-ego. In tennis you are on an island, you stand face-to-face with the enemy but never touch him or talk to him, or anyone else."
Forced to play tennis by his father at the age of seven, Andre went to win 8 grand slams and became the first male player in the world to win career golden slam ( all 4 slams and olympic gold medal). He also won 17 ATP Masters Series titles and was part of the winning Davis Cup teams in 1990, 1992 and 1995. Andre reached the World No. 1 ranking for the first time in 1995. Later, he retired in 2006.
He starts the book by his second last match against Marcos Baghdatis in the 2006 US Open, an epic five setter. His way of describing the match along with what is going on in his mind generates an unusual interest in the match. It feels like reliving the match sitting in the box of Andre Agassi in the stadium itself. Then he goes back in time to narrate all the journey which led him to that match from his childhood.
Agassi describes how his father modified a ball machine which he calls 'dragon' to fire balls at him
at 110 miles an hour, his meeting with Bjorn Borg when he was just eight and his hostility for losses even when he hated tennis. He was sent to Nick Bollettieri's Tennis Academy when he was 13. The place became like a prison for Andre and he started to rebel by piercing earrings, getting a mohawk look and pink hairs.
Agassi turned professional at the age of 16. But despite his gifted talent, he struggles early on. He went till the finals of three Grand Slams but lost them all. This made him vulnerable to easy targeting by the media houses. Its only after Wimbledon win of 1992, he became favorite.
He provides details of every important match in his career as he says he remember every single match. Along with his rivalry with Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and others he accepts that Federer is the Everest of next generation. As Agassi puts it "It's really simple. Most people have weaknesses. Federer has none."
He gives account of his relationship with Brooke Shields (Erika-the stalker in Friends Season 2 Episode 12) and the reason that it failed and led to divorce. Later, he fell in love with Stefanie Graf which was the result of destiny as per Andre. They both won 1999 French Open and obviously it all started with Agassi calling her and say "I think you are beautiful".
Agassi used 'Open' to confess about a lie that he told to ATP when he tested positive for meth to avoid a three month suspension. After that, as we all know, he bounces back , wins more Slams, marries Steffi Graf, has kids and sets up an entirely admirable Andre Agassi college Preparation Academy in his home town, Las Vegas.He says, "Life will throw everything but the kitchen sink in your path, and then it will throw the kitchen sink. It's your job to avoid the obstacles. If you let them stop you or distract you, you are not doing your job, and failing to do your job will cause regrets that paralyze you."
All in all, 'Open' is a complete package. It is hard to find a sports autobiography with this much of details. Agassi kept it engaging, sensational and at the same time humorous. It feels like reading the book in one go. Like his game, it is written with grace, uniqueness and smoothness giving a awesome treat to fans.Hopefully, something like this will come out from the Federer pen in the future.
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