Open - Andre Agassi (Book)

Book: 10/52.

Open - Andre Agassi.

My Rating: 5/5.

I bought this book for my office library as I became the official curator for the same., Knowing my love towards books, I took the position graciously. This was the first book from the batch that I personally picked up a few months back. It has been on my TBR for ages, and not sure why I haven’t read it yet. One of the most beautiful biographies or autobiographies, I must say, and it is written in such an amazing way that the reader feels as if Agassi is talking to us in person. Going back to my teenage while he was playing, we had our competition as to who was the bigger fan. My brother even grew his hair shoulder length, coloured it golden, got a pair of studs and used to hang out his pony tail out of the back of a golf cap, typically Agassi style. We even coaxed our dad to get us a tennis racket so we could play like pros in our own cemented SBI colony tennis court with a shoddy net. While my brother picked up the style, I picked up the game (but not for too long, as it required huge stamina to play). But we were both glued to the TV big time, as and when we could match the timings of his game. It was amazing to see him play in Denim Shorts, at times topless, multi-colored tops and even to witness him thrown out of the game for his abusive nature too. He hated Wimbledon because of the white uniforms, more or less, if his Autobiography is to be believed, he hated Tennis right from the moment his dad made him play. Yet, he goes on to become one of the most loved and admired tennis players in the world, and to top it all, he ends up marrying the best women’s tennis player too (Stephanie Graff). You’ve got to read this lovely 350-something-page book to know a heck of a lot more than what I have disclosed above, and I guarantee you a fun ride with so much to learn from the man himself and his story. His love life, marriage to Brooke Shields, the F.R.I.E.N.D.S connection, and so much more. His association with the greatest of greats from all fields, and who can forget the best sporting rivalry ever between him and Pete Sampras (they were my generation’s Fed and Rafa). 

Have you read Open? Do let me know if you loved it. I technically stopped watching Tennis after Steffi and Agassi’s retirement, but I have seen a few finals between Fed and Rafa to compensate. But the game has lost its charm for me after their retirement.