Agassi hated tennis 'with a dark and secret passion' and also admitted to taking crystal meth in open and honest autobiography
Tennis NewsFriday, 14 July 2023 at 19:30
Andre
Agassi stated that he had hated tennis and admitted to using methamphetamine in
his honest autobiography.
Agassi is
indeed one of the great legends of tennis. He won eight Grand Slam titles and
held the world No. 1 ranking in 1995 and for the last time in 2003, totaling
101 weeks at the top of the ATP rankings.
In the list
of Grand Slam winners, he is tied for seventh place with Jimmy Connors and Ivan
Lendl, only surpassed by the Big Three - Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and
Roger Federer - as well as Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg, and Ivan Lendl.
"I hate tennis with a dark and secret passion"
While he
was one of the dominant tennis players in the mid-90s to the early 2000s,
Agassi admitted in his candid autobiography that he had hated tennis at one
point and even confessed to using methamphetamine during his career when he was
at the top of the ATP tour.
“I play tennis for a living, even though I hate
tennis, hate it with a dark and secret passion, and always have,” he
said in his 2009 book “Open: An Autobiography”.
“As if
they’re coming out of someone else’s mouth, I hear these words: You know what?
F*** it. Yeah. Let’s get high,” he said in his book.
“Slim dumps
a small pile of powder on the coffee table. He cuts it, snorts it. He cuts it
again. I snort some. I ease back on the couch and consider the Rubicon I’ve
just crossed.”
In addition
to his Grand Slam victories, the success at the ATP World Tour Championship in
1990 and the Olympic gold in 1996 means that he has achieved a Career Super
Slam.
Agassi is
the only male singles player to have accomplished this in the history of the
sport, with Serena Williams and Steffi Graf as the two champions in the women's
game.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
COLUMN - The WTA: No Time to Die? Maybe It’s Time
Sep 10, 20:40
1
Latest Comments
- I love WTA matches. Seek them out as much as possible on youtube and other platforms I already subscribe to. With that in mind, I do not wish to pay $$$ to a notoriously slippery subscription conglomerate sports broadcaster (like SkySports) just for the privilege to watch it and the tnt/eurosport/discovery subscription went from $$ to $$$+ annually in a blink of an eye. With ATP I have been begrudgingly paying xyz tennis only channel and try to catch up on slams elsewhere (pubs, youtube with USO later on games are just as enjoyable to watch and a smart move to upload on their official channel) but they don't cover WTA. I tried another Tennis dedicated channel that advertised originally as broadcasting where I live, but turned out, they took the money, but didn't cover the matches (only fluff/filler value documentaries). I don't understand why it is so hard to not lock the live matches to one broadcaster only refusing so many people who are happy to pay for the privilege just not through that one entry point. WTA is so exciting for the last few years and they really should capitalise on it as much as possible. And I know it is somewhat naive talking without knowing the inner works, but not being able to find any WTA other than youtube (and then only highlights mostly) is just so frustrating.JayJay11-09-2026
- Clearly not AI :-)
AceOfBase11-09-2026 - Oh my God!! Does anyone proofread these pages??? Case in point: However, the question mark over the 32-years-old head......???? No! No! No! However, the question mark over the 32-year-old's head...good grief man, hire a proofreader. This article is rife with errors making some sentences very difficult to read. I had to stop. I am a proofreader hence my disgust.Rapunzel10-09-2026
- Iga needs to make a decision whether she wants to continue the sport of tennis or pursue whatever she has going on in her personal life. One can tell that tennis is no longer an interest of hers. She should retire while she is on top, not when she slides to the bottom of the rankings. She has too much talent to look how she does on the court these days. She looks more like a wild card than a champion.crissy09-09-2026
- Looks like tennis has become a part of the American Oligarchy. As usual, Pegula is given a cupcake draw. With all her money, they have to fixed the draws in her favor in order to raised the trophy.crissy09-09-2026
- Huge win for Ben! He needed this. Amazing that Alcaraz took over four months off and still was able to make the QF’s and take Ben to a fifth set tie break! Insane tennis. Tiafoe vs. Shelton should be a good one too. Americans might finally get their US Open Champion after 23 years!DaveyWavey09-09-2026
- No one else would get away with this but these AMERCANS! It’s the US Open!! In America!! But sure, go off American ;)DaveyWavey08-09-2026
- WOW !!! Her comebacks have been intense. She's Baaaaack!
mandoist08-09-2026 - Don't lay this shitshow on "Americans". It is a long-running Ego trip with WTA allowing these two Elitists 'in need of a Camera' illicit Wildcards. If these two clowns want to "perform" -- then play the qualies.mandoist08-09-2026
- Here we go again…. Different rules for Americans! Especially THESE Americans. Yuck!DaveyWavey07-09-2026
Loading
