Andre Agassi – författare

"Levande, personlig, rolig och uppslagsrik." Dagens Nyheter

"Agassi kan ha skrivit en av de bästa sportbiografierna någonsin. Hans bok är lika hänförande som hans spel." Time

Jag försörjer mig som tennisspelare, trots att jag hatar tennis. Hatar det med en mörk och hemlig passion, det har jag alltid gjort. När jag till slut inser även detta faller jag ner på knä och viskar för mig själv: Snälla, låt detta få ett slut. Samtidigt: Jag är inte redo att sluta ännu.

Andre Agassi ligger på golvet i sin hotellsvit i New York paralyserad av ryggsmärtor inför sin sista final i US Open. Plågad av de motstridiga krafter som följt honom i hans trettioåriga tennisliv - att vilja, och att inte vilja - ser han tillbaka på sin bana.

Resultatet är självbiografin Öppen, en osedvanligt uppriktig och känslig skildring av det ambivalenta livet som en av världens bästa tennisspelare. Agassi är rebellen som slog sig in i den strikta sporten, vann åtta Grand Slam-titlar och rankades etta i världen i över hundra veckor. Som liten pojke tvingades han ut på tennisbanan av sin lynniga och krävande pappa, drillades att bli en vinnare och kom att förakta sporten han nådde ikonstatus inom.

Det är långt ifrån en självförhärligande berättelse, snarare beskriver Agassi hinder, tvivel och sökandet efter mening. Vi möter en reflekterande människa som rör sig bort från kändislivet och efter sin karriär engagerar sig för att skapa möjligheter för fattiga barn i hemstaden Las Vegas.

Boken utkom 2009 och har berört många läsare även utanför tennisvärlden.

He is one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court – but from early childhood Andre Agassi hated the game. ‘engaging, thrilling…a superbly written book’ Michael Atherton, The Times ‘Honest in a way that such books seldom are … An uncommonly well-written sports memoir’ New York Times ‘stunningly good’ Lynne Truss, The Times Coaxed to swing a racket while still in the crib, forced to hit hundreds of balls a day while still in grade school, Agassi resented the constant pressure even as he drove himself to become a prodigy, an inner conflict that would define him. Now, in his beautiful, haunting autobiography, Agassi tells the story of a life framed by such conflicts.Agassi makes us feel his panic as an undersized seven-year-old in Las Vegas, practicing all day under the obsessive gaze of his violent father. We see him at thirteen, banished to a Florida tennis camp. Lonely, scared, a ninth-grade dropout, he rebels in ways that will soon make him a 1980s icon. By the time he turns pro at sixteen, his new look promises to change tennis forever, as does his lightning fast return.And yet, despite his raw talent, he struggles early on. We feel his confusion as he loses to the world's best, his greater confusion as he starts to win. After stumbling in three Grand Slam finals, Agassi shocks the world, and himself, by capturing the 1992 Wimbledon. Overnight he becomes a fan favorite and a media target.Agassi brings a near-photographic memory to every pivotal match, and every public relationship. Alongside vivid portraits of rivals, Agassi gives unstinting accounts of his brief time with Barbra Streisand and his doomed marriage to Brooke Shields. He reveals the depression that shatters his confidence, and the mistake that nearly costs him everything. Finally, he recounts his spectacular resurrection and his march to become the oldest man ever ranked number one.In clear, taut prose, Agassi evokes his loyal brother, his wise coach, his gentle trainer, all the people who help him regain his balance and find love at last with Stefanie Graf.With its breakneck tempo and raw candor, Open will be read and cherished for years. A treat for ardent fans, it will also captivate readers who know nothing about tennis. Like Agassi's game, it sets a new standard for grace, style, speed and power.

He is one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court – but from early childhood Andre Agassi hated the game.Coaxed to swing a racket while still in the crib, forced to hit hundreds of balls a day while still in grade school, Agassi resented the constant pressure even as he drove himself to become a prodigy, an inner conflict that would define him. Now, in his beautiful, haunting autobiography, Agassi tells the story of a life framed by such conflicts.Agassi makes us feel his panic as an undersized seven-year-old in Las Vegas, practicing all day under the obsessive gaze of his violent father. We see him at thirteen, banished to a Florida tennis camp. Lonely, scared, a ninth-grade dropout, he rebels in ways that will soon make him a 1980s icon. By the time he turns pro at sixteen, his new look promises to change tennis forever, as does his lightning fast return.And yet, despite his raw talent, he struggles early on. We feel his confusion as he loses to the world''s best, his greater confusion as he starts to win. After stumbling in three Grand Slam finals, Agassi shocks the world, and himself, by capturing the 1992 Wimbledon. Overnight he becomes a fan favorite and a media target.Agassi brings a near-photographic memory to every pivotal match, and every public relationship. Alongside vivid portraits of rivals, Agassi gives unstinting accounts of his brief time with Barbra Streisand and his doomed marriage to Brooke Shields. He reveals the depression that shatters his confidence, and the mistake that nearly costs him everything. Finally, he recounts his spectacular resurrection and his march to become the oldest man ever ranked number one.In clear, taut prose, Agassi evokes his loyal brother, his wise coach, his gentle trainer, all the people who help him regain his balance and find love at last with Stefanie Graf.With its breakneck tempo and raw candor, Open will be read and cherished for years. A treat for ardent fans, it will also captivate readers who know nothing about tennis. Like Agassi''s game, it sets a new standard for grace, style, speed and power.

He is one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court – but from early childhood Andre Agassi hated the game.Coaxed to swing a racket while still in the crib, forced to hit hundreds of balls a day while still in grade school, Agassi resented the constant pressure even as he drove himself, an inner conflict that would define him. In his beautiful, haunting autobiography, Agassi tells the story of a life framed by conflict.Agassi makes us feel his panic as an undersized seven-year-old, practicing all day under the obsessive gaze of his violent father. We see him at thirteen, banished to a tennis camp. A lonely, scared, ninth-grade dropout, he rebels in ways that will soon make him a 1980s icon. By the time he turns pro at sixteen, his new look promises to change tennis forever, as does his lightning fast return.Yet, despite raw talent, he struggles. We feel his confusion as he loses to the world's best, his greater confusion as he starts to win. After stumbling in three Grand Slam finals, Agassi shocks the world, and himself, by capturing the 1992 Wimbledon title. Overnight he becomes a fan favourite and a media target.Agassi brings a near-photographic memory to every pivotal match, and every public relationship. Alongside vivid portraits of tennis rivals, Agassi gives unstinting accounts of his relationships. He reveals the depression that shatters his confidence, and the mistake that nearly costs him everything. Finally, he recounts his spectacular resurrection and his march to become the oldest man ever ranked number one.In clear, taut prose, Agassi evokes his loyal brother, his wise coach, his gentle trainer, all the people who help him regain his balance and find love at last with Stefanie Graf.With its breakneck tempo and raw candor, Open will be read and cherished for years. A treat for ardent fans, it will also captivate readers who know nothing about tennis. Like Agassi's game, it sets a new standard for grace, style, speed and power.Note that this ebook edition does not include illustrations that first appeared in the print version.

He is one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court - but from early childhood Andre Agassi hated the game. Coaxed to swing a racket while still in the crib, forced to hit hundreds of balls a day while still in grade school, Agassi resented the constant pressure even as he drove himself to become a prodigy, an inner conflict that would define him. Now, in his beautiful, haunting autobiography, Agassi tells the story of a life framed by such conflicts. Agassi makes us feel his panic as an undersized seven-year-old in Las Vegas, practicing all day under the obsessive gaze of his violent father. We see him at thirteen, banished to a Florida tennis camp. Lonely, scared, a ninth-grade dropout, he rebels in ways that will soon make him a 1980s icon. By the time he turns pro at sixteen, his new look promises to change tennis forever, as does his lightning fast return. And yet, despite his raw talent, he struggles early on. We feel his confusion as he loses to the world's best, his greater confusion as he starts to win. After stumbling in three Grand Slam finals, Agassi shocks the world, and himself, by capturing the 1992 Wimbledon. Overnight he becomes a fan favorite and a media target. Agassi brings a near-photographic memory to every pivotal match, and every public relationship. Alongside vivid portraits of rivals, Agassi gives unstinting accounts of his brief time with Barbra Streisand and his doomed marriage to Brooke Shields. He reveals the depression that shatters his confidence, and the mistake that nearly costs him everything. Finally, he recounts his spectacular resurrection and his march to become the oldest man ever ranked number one. In clear, taut prose, Agassi evokes his loyal brother, his wise coach, his gentle trainer, all the people who help him regain his balance and find love at last with Stefanie Graf. With its breakneck tempo and raw candor, Open will be read and cherished for years. A treat for ardent fans, it will also captivate readers who know nothing about tennis. Like Agassi's game, it sets a new standard for grace, style, speed and power.

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER

Far more than a superb memoir about the highest levels of professional tennis, Open is the engrossing story of a remarkable life. Andre Agassi had his life mapped out for him before he left the crib. Groomed to be a tennis champion by his moody and demanding father, by the age of twenty-two Agassi had won the first of his eight grand slams and achieved wealth, celebrity, and the game’s highest honors. But as he reveals in this searching autobiography, off the court he was often unhappy and confused, unfulfilled by his great achievements in a sport he had come to resent. Agassi writes candidly about his early success and his uncomfortable relationship with fame, his marriage to Brooke Shields, his growing interest in philanthropy, and—described in haunting, point-by-point detail—the highs and lows of his celebrated career.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

What’s heaven to seven-year-old Andre Agassi? To never play tennis again. Yet his father has other plans. Mike Agassi was born in Iran, where Allied soldiers gave him a racket after the war and introduced him to the game. He shaves without soap or cream, boxed in the Olympics, and speaks five languages. The sixth is tennis. And his greatest dream is for his son to become number one in the world. A selection from the acclaimed autobiography Open, this is the tumultuous first confrontation between father and son, between the lines of the court: a searching portrait of Agassi before fame and success.

Zum Wunderkind erkoren, zum Tennis getrieben, wurde aus Andre Agassi der rebellische Superstar auf dem Centre Court, eine Pop-Ikone der Achtziger. Kaum stand er ganz oben auf der Weltrangliste, stürzte er ab – und fiel tief. Sein spektakuläres Comeback und seine Liebe zu Steffi Graf machten ihn zu der überragenden Persönlichkeit, die er heute ist. – Das sensationelle Selbstporträt eines begnadeten Tennisspielers, der über sich selbst hinausgewachsen ist.Andre Agassi ist einer der talentiertesten Spieler, die je einen Tennisplatz betreten haben – doch von klein auf hasste er das Spiel. Bereits dem Kind drückte der Vater einen Schläger in die Hand, und als Schüler musste er täglich Tausende von Bällen schlagen. Auch wenn er den unerbittlichen Erfolgsdruck verabscheute, wollte er doch dem Ruf des Wunderkinds gerecht werden. In seiner zutiefst bewegenden Autobiographie erzählt Andre Agassi nun die Geschichte seines Lebens im Widerstreit zwischen Selbstzerfleischung und Perfektionsdrang.Agassi lässt uns die Angst des siebenjährigen Jungen spüren, der unter dem obsessiven Blick seines autoritären Vaters den ganzen Tag trainieren muss. Als Elfjähriger wird er in eine Tennis-Akademie geschickt, die für ihn eher einem Gefängnis gleichkommt. Einsam und verängstigt begehrt der Schulversager auf: Agassi färbt sich die Haare, er trägt Ohrringe und kleidet sich wie ein Punk. Als er mit sechzehn Profi wird, verändert sein Erscheinungsbild die Tenniswelt ebenso nachhaltig wie sein blitzschneller Return.Trotz seines Naturtalents muss er kämpfen. Seine anfänglichen Niederlagen gegen die Weltbesten bestürzen ihn. Doch viel größer noch ist seine Verwirrung, als er die ersten großen Siege erringt. Nach drei verlorenen Endspielen bei Grand-Slam-Turnieren beeindruckt er 1992 die Welt mit seinem grandiosen Triumph in Wimbledon. Über Nacht wird Andre Agassi der Liebling der Tennisfans und eine Zielscheibe für die Medien.Agassi hat ein fotografisches Gedächtnis, mit dem er uns entscheidende Matchs miterleben lässt. Nie zuvor wurden die innere Dynamik des Tennisspiels und die äußere Dramatik des Ruhms so eindringlich beschrieben. Beeindruckend sind die scharfen Porträts seiner größten Kontrahenten – Pete Sampras, Jim Courier, Boris Becker, Roger Federer – und seines großen Vorbilds Björn Borg. Und wir erhalten ungeschminkte Einblicke in die kurze Beziehung mit Barbra Streisand und seine gescheiterte Ehe mit Brooke Shields. Agassi offenbart die Depression, die sein Selbstvertrauen zutiefst erschüttert, und den schweren Fehler, der ihn fast alles kostete. Er schildert seine schmerzhafte Wiederauferstehung – sein Comeback, das in dem legendären Sieg bei den French Open 1999 und dem Durchmarsch zur Nummer eins der Weltrangliste gipfelt.Voller Dankbarkeit würdigt Andre Agassi seinen loyalen Bruder und seinen klugen Trainer. Sie helfen ihm, sein Leben wieder ins Gleichgewicht zu bringen und die Liebe seines Lebens zu finden: Stefanie Graf. Ihre ruhige Entschlossenheit gibt ihm die Kraft, gegen seine bestialischen Rückenschmerzen anzukämpfen, und die Energie, um auch nach zwanzig Jahren auf dem Centre Court ein kaum zu schlagender Gegner zu sein. Agassi hat sich grundlegend verändert: vom Nonkonformisten zum engagierten Prominenten, vom Schulabbrecher zum Bildungsförderer. Nach seinem letzten Match bei den US Open 2006 hält er eine ergreifende Abschiedsrede, wie sie in einer Sportarena wohl nie zuvor gehört wurde.Open ist eine unerhört aufrichtige Lebensschau – sehr emotional und umwerfend gut geschrieben. Für Tennisfans ist dieses Buch ein absolutes Muss – es wird aber auch alle Leser begeistern, die bisher nichts über den weißen Sport wissen. Wie Agassis Spielweise setzt dieses sensationelle Selbstporträt einen neuen Maßstab für Ausdrucksstärke, Anmut, Schnelligkeit und Kraft.

"Levande, personlig, rolig och uppslagsrik." Dagens Nyheter

"Agassi kan ha skrivit en av de bästa sportbiografierna någonsin. Hans bok är lika hänförande som hans spel." Time

Jag försörjer mig som tennisspelare, trots att jag hatar tennis. Hatar det med en mörk och hemlig passion, det har jag alltid gjort. När jag till slut inser även detta faller jag ner på knä och viskar för mig själv: Snälla, låt detta få ett slut. Samtidigt: Jag är inte redo att sluta ännu.

Andre Agassi ligger på golvet i sin hotellsvit i New York paralyserad av ryggsmärtor inför sin sista final i US Open. Plågad av de motstridiga krafter som följt honom i hans trettioåriga tennisliv - att vilja, och att inte vilja - ser han tillbaka på sin bana.

Resultatet är självbiografin Öppen, en osedvanligt uppriktig och känslig skildring av det ambivalenta livet som en av världens bästa tennisspelare. Agassi är rebellen som slog sig in i den strikta sporten, vann åtta Grand Slam-titlar och rankades etta i världen i över hundra veckor. Som liten pojke tvingades han ut på tennisbanan av sin lynniga och krävande pappa, drillades att bli en vinnare och kom att förakta sporten han nådde ikonstatus inom.

Det är långt ifrån en självförhärligande berättelse, snarare beskriver Agassi hinder, tvivel och sökandet efter mening. Vi möter en reflekterande människa som rör sig bort från kändislivet och efter sin karriär engagerar sig för att skapa möjligheter för fattiga barn i hemstaden Las Vegas.

Boken utkom 2009 och har berört många läsare även utanför tennisvärlden.