"I'm moving up in the household" - When Andre Agassi sent sweet message to wife Steffi Graf after equalling her Miami Open record
Andre Agassi once joked about finally catching up to his wife, tennis legend Steffi Graf, in the Miami Open titles. His playful remark came in 2002 after he defeated Roger Federer to claim the trophy.
Agassi entered the Miami Open, then known as the NASDAQ-100 Open, after a disappointing first-round exit at Indian Wells, where his title defense came to an abrupt end. However, he quickly found his rhythm in Miami, defeating Greg Rusedski, Agustin Calleri, Thomas Johansson, Nicolas Lapentti, and Marcelo Rios to secure a spot in the final.
The defending champion at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament faced a rising star, Roger Federer, in the final and defeated the Swiss in four sets to claim the title. With this victory, he matched Graf’s record of five Miami Open titles.
"Yeah. And then, you know, the way things are going, I have a shot at passing her because I know she's not... (laughter)...she's not gonna win another one. So... You know, I'm moving up in the household," Andre Agassi told the press after his victory.
When asked if there was a "fun rivalry" between him and Graf at home, Agassi responded:
“I suppose in my own mind there is, you know? I think we take separate approaches towards it. She certainly wants the best for me and she doesn't really think much about any of her stats over the years. I kind of know more about them than she does. But, yeah, I know mine pretty well. I'm relatively quick to remind her of it. But I don't get very far, you know. She takes it with a lot of humility."
Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf began dating in 1999 and tied the knot two years later. They are proud parents of two children—23-year-old Jaden, who plays baseball, and 21-year-old Jaz, a talented dancer and fitness coach.
Andre Agassi surpassed wife Steffi Graf's Miami Open title count in 2003
A year after matching Steffi Graf’s Miami Open title count, Andre Agassi went a step further by winning his sixth trophy, surpassing his wife. With this victory, he became the male player with the most Miami Open titles, a record he now shares with Novak Djokovic.
However, when it comes to Grand Slam titles, Graf is far ahead of Agassi. She won an impressive 22 Majors, the second-most in the Open Era of women's tennis behind Serena Williams. Agassi, on the other hand, claimed eight Grand Slam titles over his two-decade-long career.
The German retired from tennis in 1999 at the age of 30 while still at the top of her game, with her husband following suit seven years later. Now, they continue to share a happy life together, actively involved in charity events, tennis, and even pickleball.