"Her concentration, as usual, puts mine to shame; she never wastes words" - When Andre Agassi praised the demeanor of wife Steffi Graf
Andre Agassi's love and respect for wife Steffi Graf is well-known. In his 2009 book titled 'Open: An Autobiography', Agassi wrote about his relationship with Steffi Graf, highlighting her power of concentration.
Shedding light on her focus and determination on the court and controlled demeanor off it, Agassi stated that watching Graf play tennis was "a privilege."
Agassi and Graf tied the knot in 2001, a couple of years after Graf retired from the professional circuit and five years before Agassi called it quits. Sharing an incident from a post-retirement practice session as they prepared for an exhibition event at Tokyo in 2007, Agassi expressed in his book how he was always in awe of Graf.
The American, one of the greats of the sport himself, wrote that even his ability to concentrate paled in comparison to Graf's. The German has never been someone to 'waste words', according to her husband.
"You and me, I say. We’ll announce it this week! Still no answer. Her concentration, as usual, puts mine to shame," Andre Agassi wrote of Steffi Graf in his autobiography. "In the same way that she wastes no movement on the court, she never wastes words."
Agassi also stated that the three most influential people in his life - Graf, his father Emmanuel, and his former fitness trainer Gil Reyes - often spoke louder with their actions than their words.
"J.P. points out that the three most influential people in my life - my father, Gil, Stefanie - aren’t native English speakers. And with all three, their most powerful mode of communication may be physical," Agassi wrote.
He went on to shower more praise on Steffi Graf the tennis player, explaining how she was intensely focused on each and every shot she played. Agassi felt a deep sense of privilege while watching Graf perform on the tennis court.
"She’s engrossed in each shot. Each shot is important. She never tires, never misses. It’s a joy to watch her, but also a privilege. People ask what it’s like, and I can never think of the perfect word, but that word comes close. A privilege," Agassi expressed.
Billie Jean King demands Steffi Graf be given the respect she deserves
Among Steffi Graf's many great achievements is her record for the most weeks spent atop the world rankings in tennis history. While Novak Djokovic is closing in on Graf's record of 377 weeks as No. 1, some already consider him the record holder.
But that is something that does not sit well with American tennis legend Billie Jean King.
King recognized that Djokovic will eventually claim the record, but claimed that neglecting Graf's place at the top of the list was disrespectful to her.
"Novak will soon claim the spot, but it's important to recognize Stefanie to give her the honor she deserves," King wrote in a post on Instagram.