"When I look back at my tournaments at that age, he surpasses that easily" - When Steffi Graf shed light on son Jaden's 'intense' baseball schedule
Steffi Graf once shed light on the potential career paths her and fellow tennis legend Andre Agassi's two children had chosen to explore at a young age. The couple welcomed their son Jaden in October 2001, followed by their daughter Jaz, who was born in October 2003.
Both Graf and Agassi achieved exceptional success during their illustrious careers, etching their names in tennis history. The German won 22 Major titles, completed the calendar year Grand Slam and held the World No. 1 ranking for a record 377 weeks. The American, meanwhile, accomplished the career Golden Slam, winning eight Major titles.
Despite Graf and Agassi's tennis legacy, neither Jaden nor Jaz developed an interest in the sport, but they did inherit their parents' active lifestyle. In a 2013 interview with The Associated Press, Steffi Graf disclosed that her son was passionate about baseball and had begun competing at the club level.
The German shed light on Jaden's "intense" baseball schedule at just 11 years of age, admitting that he was competing in far more tournaments than she did at the same age.
"They're really active, I guess they've caught that from their parents. Jaden has been playing baseball for about five years, he plays club ball, loves it. He's got a really intense schedule. When I look back at my tournaments at that age, he surpasses that easily," Steffi Graf said.
Graf also shared that her daughter Jaz had chosen a different path, gravitating towards activities that she wasn't naturally inclined to like dance and hip-hop.
"Jaz, the last three years, she's really loving dance, hip-hop. It's been fun seeing her branch out into something that might not be as natural for her. But she's coming out of her shell and really enjoying it," she added.
"It's a weird sport, we don't see too many second-generation players" - Andre Agassi on why he and Steffi Graf didn't introduce their children to tennis
Speaking in a 2011 interview with Fox Sports, Andre Agassi opened up about his and Steffi Graf's approach to raising their children, explaining that they had avoided foisting tennis onto Jaden and Jaz.
Describing tennis as a "weird" sport, Agassi pointed out that second-generation players typically struggled to replicate the success of their parents. The American also expressed pride in seeing their children follow their own paths, with Jaden focusing on baseball and Jaz exploring her interests in the arts.
"Tennis? I just think we've had enough, quite honestly. It's a weird sport. We don't see too many second-generation players. For us, it's about raising our children in a way we can share in their life and not always worry about their life," Agassi said.
"We never really introduced tennis so much into their lives. They've chosen other things that we were surprised with ... they love their arts and music. Jaden tried different sports, soccer and things and ended up with baseball. We nurture their desires and interests," he added.
As Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf's son Jaden pursues his future in baseball, representing the USC Trojans at the University of Southern California, he has been open about his aim to make Agassi a household name in the world of baseball as well.