"Comfortable in your own identity inside of that - not what people say": Andre Agassi issues fresh advice as Emma Raducanu heeds his from 17 years ago

Wednesday, 23 September 2026 at 09:00

Emma Raducanu has been issued fresh advice from Andre Agassi after the American icon was cited an inspiration from his 2009 autobiography.

Five years have passed since Raducanu's remarkable US Open triumph. At the age of 18, she became the first qualifier in the Open era to win a Grand Slam. Agassi did similar winning a major in 1992 aged 22 as a teenage prodigy. But he also suffered a downturn when he went four years without a major and dropped to 141st in the world rankings.

"I was especially intrigued by the passage where he got out of his slump in the late 1990s by creating his own training regimen and finding his way back to the top," Raducanu told Uniqlo in her first words since her injury decline again.

"It speaks in depth about his early successes and the lows he reached, perhaps as a result of them. A lot of it was so relatable."

Bringing his words back 17 years later

Speaking ahead of the Laver Cup, he said that he was glad his words still had an impact that long on and what he hoped to achieve by giving those words. "It's wonderful to hear that anybody can relate," Agassi told BBC Breakfast.

"It was literally the hope that if one person read it and it gave them hope, some tools to understand that they're not alone, they can figure it out and get to a healthier place without having to direct their frustrations at the game of tennis, then it was a success for me.

"So, hearing that 17 years later it can still impact somebody, especially in this game, it does make me feel good."

Asked what he would do if he was her, he gave his encouragement and said she needs to be comfortable in her own identity not what people say. "I would encourage her to focus on being the best of herself on a daily basis, but don't judge that by results or thinking that somehow you have to be 100%.

"You have to learn to be 100% of whatever percent you're at [and] be comfortable in your own identity inside of that - not what people say.

Emma Raducanu reacts as the match is interrupted by rain during day four of the HSBC Championships at The Queen's Club

"Back in my day, I could just put down the paper and not read it. Now it seems like it's harder for these youngsters to avoid."

"I had more success from that point forward than I did playing out of fear.

"The first thing I would advise a parent to think about is that it's not their life, it's their child. You raise a child in their way and they'll never depart from it. You just have to find out what their way is."

He also touched upon the Laver Cup as he captains Team World and said no matter what, he will give the prediction of 'spectacular tennis' as his team look to defend the title albeit against the might of Alcaraz and Zverev.

"Tennis is a hamster wheel of sorts - the fact that these guys make room in their schedule to play this incredible event tells you how great this event is," Agassi added.

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"We're obviously playing Team Europe, in Europe, so I don't know where the crowd is going to have their heart. But I know one thing - they're going to see some spectacular tennis."

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

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