Agassi, Andre Kirk

Agassi, Andre Kirk (än`drā, ăg`əsē), 1970–, American tennis player, b. Las Vegas, Nev. Trained by his Armenian immigrant father, he turned professional in 1986. By 1988 he had won a half dozen major tournaments, but until 1992 at Wimbledon had not won a "grand slam" event, and had acquired a reputation for failing in crucial matches. The Wimbledon victory and those at the U.S. (1994) and Australian (1995) opens vaulted him to the front; he won the gold medal at the 1996 Olympics, and engaged in a much publicized competition with Pete Sampras for top world ranking. Using speed and agility more than power, Agassi became immensely popular, as much for his sometimes whimsical demeanor as for his winning record. He again won the French and U.S. opens in 1999 and Australian open in 2000, 2001, and 2003, and won 60 singles titles during his career. Agassi, who retired in 2006, is married to Steffi Graf.