"Went out for dinner with Andre Agassi" - Andy Murray fondly recalls meetings and practices with his "favorite player growing up"
Andy Murray has said that Andre Agassi was one of the players who were nicest to him when the former was a youngster.
Murray embarked on his journey as a professional tennis player in April 2005. 2006 marked the Brit's first full year competing on the ATP Tour coached by Brad Gilbert, who had previously coached Agassi and Andy Roddick. He also won his first ATP title that year at the SAP Open after defeating Roddick in the semis and Lleyton Hewitt in the final.
There was no looking back for Murray after his 2006 SAP Open title, as he cemented his place in the ATP Tour's top 10 in 2007. In the years ahead, the Brit would go on to win numerous titles, including three Grand Slams, 14 Masters 1000 events, and two Olympic gold medals.
Murray also went on to break Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic's stranglehold on the World No. 1 ranking as he ascended to the top of men's tennis in 2016.
Right now, the 36-year-old is participating at the Indian Wells Masters. After his dominant 6-3, 6-2 first-round win against David Goffin, he sat down for a chat with the Tennis Channel. At one point, he mentioned Agassi as he recalled the players who were nicest to him during his younger years.
"Agassi, who was my favorite player when I was growing up. I got to practice with him a few times," (7:24).
Murray also remembered going out to dinner with the 8-time Grand Slam winner and his ex-coach Brad Gilbert, who he had teamed up with in 2006.
"Brad Gilbert was coaching me at the beginning of my career. Went out for dinner with him [Andre Agassi] a couple of times, he was always really nice."
When Andre Agassi advised Andy Murray to avoid prolonging his career
Despite Andy Murray's resounding win over Goffin at Indian Wells, the Brit's season so far has mostly been disappointing. His abject loss against Benoit Paire at the Open Sud de France in Montpellier prompted BBC Scotland to write and publish an article that irked Murray.
The article suggested that the former World No. 1 should call time on his career to avoid tarnishing his legacy. Murray responded fiercely to the criticism, saying that he would only ever retire on his own terms.
In 2019, Andre Agassi had warned Murray not to prolong his playing career.
"He deserves to end his career on his own terms. I tell you what's terrible news, is watching him in pain. Nobody deserves to play in pain." Agassi said in an exclusive interview with Eurosport (via Daily Mail).