Review: Open by Andre Agassi

Tennis is a sport that I have always been interested in, especially when the World's best players come up against each other. My first memory of tennis was in 2001 (I was 10) when the best player I have ever watched, Pete Sampras, was humbled in the quarter-finals by a 17 year-old Roger Federer, the semi-finals were a joy to behold and both went the distance, with Pat Rafter edging out Andre Agassi and wildcard Croatia, Goran Ivanisevic broke British hearts when he defeated Tim Henman in an epic five set match. The final was immense and the sheer joy that spread across the big man's face as he became the first and only man to win Wimbledon as a wildcard, having previously losing in the final on three separate occasions. The way he reacted when he realised he won showed me what it meant to win a Grand Slam and his true love for tennis. I assumed this was the case for every tennis player, boy was I wrong.

A Sensational Read

I purchased a few sports books after recommendations and the one that came with the best one was 'Open by Andre Agassi' as recommended by Ewan McQueen. I ordered it online and as soon as I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. The back story to Agassi's success was so interesting I just had to read and read and read. Now, I don't want to ruin the book for anyone who hasn't read it yet but there are a few things that occur in the book that I would like to discuss, it won't ruin the book for you if you've yet to experience it but it will give you a small look into the world of one of Tennis' greatest ever players. 

To look at someone who is the best player in the world and think that they don't like what they're doing is unfathomable yet this is exactly the case when it comes to Agassi. He isn't shy about telling everyone he hates tennis with a passion, not just when he's losing or struggling with form, he hated it from when he first picked up a racket under the instruction of his father, right up until his last match against B.Becker, not Boris but Benjamin. Agassi always said things come round in circles, and playing his last match against another Becker was a prime example of this. 

The way the book is written is fantastic, he packs no punches at all, from accusing players of cheating against him when he came up through the ranks, to his run ins with drugs, his love for fast food and his very eventful love life. 

This book is quite simply on of the best books, not just sports books, out there and I implore you to get a copy and spend a couple of days engrossed in its content. There are a number of highs and lows in this book and you live each one with Agassi and his team as if it was happening right here, right now. 

A master of his trade through no choice of his own, Agassi tells it as it is, right down to the last game. I remember watching one or two of Agassi's matches live but before the days of the internet and satellite television (in my house anyway) it is a massive shame that I didn't get to see more of the great man in action. Coming through in the 'Golden Generation' of tennis only hampered Agassi slightly as he remains firmly in the top ten for Grand Slam wins in the Open Era of tennis with eight victories. The scary thing is the amount of Grand Slams he missed at the start and during his career, he could have been the best ever. 

Even if you don't like tennis or sport in general, have a read of this book as I promise it is easily one of the best books I have read ever, and I've read a lot of books. 

10/10