"It's destiny that you end up together, destiny that you two be married" - When Andre Agassi's coach predicted his relationship with Steffi Graf
Andre Agassi said that his former coach Brad Gilbert predicted his marriage to Steffi Graf.
Agassi and Graf were both singles champions at the 1999 French Open, beating Andrei Medvedev and Martina Hingis in the respective finals.
The American wrote in his book "Open" that his coach at the time Brad Gilbert said that he was destined to end up with Steffi Graf and marry the German.
"On the Concorde back to New York, Brad tells me it’s destiny - destiny. He’s had a couple of beers. You won the 1999 French Open on the men’s side, he says. And who should happen to have won it on the women’s side? Who? Tell me. I smile," Agassi wrote.
"That’s right. Steffi Graf. 'It’s destiny that you end up together. Only two people in the history of the world have won all four slams and a gold medal—you and Steffi Graf. The Golden Slam. It’s destiny that you two should be married,'" he added.
Agassi said that Gilbert also predicted him and Graf to be married in 2001 and their first child to be born in 2002.
"'In fact, he says, here’s my prediction.' He takes the Concorde promotional literature from the seat pocket and scribbles on the upper right-hand corner: 2001—Steffi Agassi. What the hell does that mean? 'You guys will be married by 2001. And you’ll have your first kids together in 2002,'" Andre Agassi wrote.
Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf got married in 2001
Brad Gilbert's prediction turned out to be true as Andre Agassi went on to marry Steffi Graf in 2001, two years after they started dating. The couple welcomed their first child Jaden that year and their daughter Jaz Elle was born a couple of years later in 2003.
Steffi Graf retired from tennis in 1999 but Andre Agassi continued to play the sport in the 2000s. The American won three Grand Slams in the 21st century, all of them at the Australian Open.
He won the Melbourne Major in 2000 by beating Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the final and successfully defended his title in 2001 with a win over Arnaud Clement in the final.
His last Grand Slam victory came at the 2003 Australian Open where he triumphed over Rainer Schuettler in the title clash. Agassi retired from tennis in 2006 after that year's US Open where he reached the third round before losing to Benjamin Becker.