Open

I just finished reading Andre Agassi’s autobiography, “Open,” and absolutely loved it. My mom is a huge tennis fan so I grew up with the sport and Andre was always one of my favorites, after Pete Sampras that is. It was interesting to hear all the crazy stories from his life and career. He admits to actually hating tennis, but played because as a ninth grade dropout he had no other options. He is incredibly open about his failed marriage with Brooke Shields, his successful marriage with tennis legend Steffi Graf, his depression and desire to quit as well as his drug use.

My favorite parts of the book, however, were when he described some of the major tennis matches throughout his career. So many of these matches I can remember watching and it was fascinating to read about what was going through his mind and what was happening in his life during those major match moments. I especially loved when he recapped the infamous Sampras vs. Agassi matches. I remember just praying for a Sampras/Agassi Grand Slam Final and when it happened I would always cheer for Pete but be happy if Andre won. They had such a great rivalry and I loved reading about how Andre felt about it and how he felt about Pete.

The book was well written, intense yet lighthearted and completely honest. If you’re a tennis fan who watched Agassi play, this is a must read. Even if you’re not a tennis fan, I highly recommend this book. It is so interesting to me to hear about the physical, mental and emotional stress and pain a professional athlete has to put himself through in order to be the best.

Next up…"Picasso. The Real Family Story"