"My hair was so connected to my image and to what people said about me" - When Andre Agassi revealed the peculiar reason for his 1990 French Open final loss
Not only did Andre Agassi establish his dominance on the men's roster during the 1990s and early 2000s, but he was also arguably the biggest crowd-puller at the time.
Known for his long hair, the American turned pro in 1986 and managed to reach a few Grand Slam semifinals by 1989. At the 1990 French Open, he beat the likes of Jim Courier, Michael Chang, and Jonas Svensson to reach his first Major title clash, where Ecuador's Andres Gomez awaited him. It was a maiden Grand Slam final for Gomez as well. Up until that point, the head-to-head record between Agassi and the Ecuadorian stood at 2-2.
Just a couple of months before the finals, Agassi had defeated Gomez at the Miami Open and, as the highest-seeded player at Roland Garros, he was confident of his chances. However, the American lost the match in four sets. In his 2009-released autobiography — Open — Agassi revealed that one of the reasons for the loss was his fear that the wig that he was wearing might fall off during the match.
Speaking on The Today Show in 2009, he stated that he suddenly lost 80% of his hair the night before the finals and used pins to tie his wig. The hair was important to him as he felt it was a part of his image.
"The night before the finals of the French Open, I used the wrong conditioner and my hair started to pull out and it was about 80% off," Agassi said.
"I watched my brother lose his hair. It was very emotional for him and that left an impression on me, plus it was so connected to my image. It was so connected to what people said about me and you know, I didn't know myself and when you don't know yourself, you're not comfortable in your own skin and losing my hair was something I struggled with," he added.
"When it turns, it's quite horrifying" - Andre Agassi on his drug consumption
While promoting Open, Andre Agassi appeared in an interview in 2009 and spoke about consuming a drug called 'crystal methamphetamine' in 1997. Earlier that year, he married actress Brooke Shields and things did not work between the two, resulting in Agassi's depression.
"I don't know if anybody really understands the power of drugs when they choose to do it," Andre Agassi said, adding, "It was at a time when I was depressed, I was at a low point. I was in a life I didn't choose, I was in a marriage I didn't want to be in. Somebody came along and offered me an escape and I took it."