"I wanted my son to know me... if something happened to me, he wouldn't": When Andre Agassi called his book a 'love letter' to wife Steffi Graf & kids
Andre Agassi once opened up about his motivation to lay bare his life story in his autobiography. The American also described the book as a heartfelt tribute to his wife, fellow tennis legend Steffi Graf, and their children.
During his illustrious 20-year career, Agassi won eight Major titles, completed the career Golden Slam, and attained the World No. 1 ranking before his retirement in 2006. The American tied the knot with Graf in 1999, and the couple welcomed their son Jaden that same year. Their daughter Jaz was born in 2003.
In 2009, Andre Agassi chronicled his personal and professional journey in his autobiography 'Open.' The eight-time Grand Slam champion was strikingly candid in his memoir, opening up about "hating" tennis, experimenting with crystal meth, and his first marriage to actress Brooke Shields.
Agassi initially began documenting his thoughts in a journal after the birth of his son, disclosing that he wanted Jaden to have a window into his life during his younger years, in case he wasn't around when he grew up. In a 2009 interview with SFGate, the American called his book a "love letter" to his wife Steffi Graf, and their children.
"I wanted my son to know me during the years when, if something happened to me, he wouldn't know me. But beyond that, I think this book is a love letter to the people in my life, especially my wife and my kids and those who have helped form who I am," Andre Agassi said.
Andre Agassi also emphasized that his book tour held a deeper relevance than his time on the tennis tour, as his memoir would have a more lasting legacy.
"No, not really (laughs). Because the thing that's different, as hard as it is to do both, I feel like this tour, unlike the other, has real, deep relevance. This book will live past me, this book will live for people I've never met," he said.
"Agassi is a tennis last name, the goal is to make it a baseball one" - Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf's son Jaden
While Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf's son Jaden has followed in his parent's footsteps by becoming an athlete, he has chosen to pursue a career in baseball rather than tennis. In a 2024 interview with WKBN, the 22-year-old shed light on his goal to make the Agassi name famous in the baseball world as well.
"I want to say right around middle school kind of just people asking me, and it just kind of became more of a reality. That’s kind of the goal. Agassi is a very tennis last name, of course. The goal is to try to make it a baseball one,” Agassi said.
Jaden Agassi also hailed his parents as a "great resource," expressing his gratitude for their invaluable support as he continues to work towards his goal of becoming a professional athlete.
"[My parents] help me out in so many ways I couldn’t even name, but they’re a great resource," he added.
The 22-year-old plays college baseball at the University of Southern California, representing the Trojans. During the 2024 summer, Agassi also played for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in the MLB Draft League.