"When Jim Courier beat me, he went jogging because playing Agassi, you didn't sweat" - When Andre Agassi discussed compatriot's disrespect towards him
Andre Agassi once opened up about his equation with some of his biggest rivals, particularly his fellow Americans. He also shed light on Jim Courier's lack of respect for him during their early years at Nick Bollettieri's academy.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, Agassi won eight Grand Slam titles, clinched an Olympic singles gold medal, and held the World No. 1 ranking for over 100 weeks. Throughout his illustrious career, the former World No. 1 also developed several compelling rivalries with fellow Americans Pete Sampras, Michael Chang and Jim Courier.
In a 2009 interview with the German publication Spiegel, Andre Agassi highlighted the mutual respect in his rivalry with Sampras. He acknowledged that while he would've likely won more titles if Sampras was out of the picture, he wouldn't have learned as much on tour.
"There is a lot of respect. I believe that, without Pete, I would have won more and learned less," Andre Agassi said.
The eight-time Grand Slam champion also addressed his dislike for Michael Chang, disclosing that his annoyance stemmed from Chang's habit of thanking God after he won a point.
"Well, yes, I didn't like him. He thanked God for his points! As if God would not have better things to do," he said.
As for Jim Courier, Agassi revealed how the former lacked respect for him in their early years, recounting that the four-time Grand Slam champion would go for a run after beating him to send the message that the win didn't require much effort.
"We grew up side-by-side in Nick Bollettieri's tennis camp, and both of us wanted to reach the top. When he beat me, he put on his running shoes and went jogging -- because playing Agassi, you didn't even sweat. Respect? No," he said.
Andre Agassi trails in his head-to-head record against Jim Courier and Pete Sampras, dominates rivalry with Michael Chang
Andre Agassi and Jim Courier locked horns in 12 tour-level encounters, with Courier emerging victorious in seven. Agassi triumphed in four of their first five meetings before Courier flipped the switch, recording a six-match winning spree.
The eight-time Grand Slam champion then claimed a 6-7(7), 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win in their final clash in the quarterfinals of the 1996 Australian Open. However, Courier still held the edge in the Grand Slam meetings, enjoying a 4-2 winning record.
Agassi also trailed in his rivalry with Pete Sampras, with the 14-time Grand Slam champion holding a 20-14 advantage. Sampras also won six of their nine encounters at the Majors.
Meanwhile, Andre Agassi enjoyed a dominant 15-7 lead in his head-to-head record against Michael Chang, including a 3-2 winning record in their meetings at Grand Slam events.