Agassi feeds off emotion at Wimbledon
WIMBLEDON, England — Andre Agassi is trying not to let emotions get the better of him during his 14th and final Wimbledon.
"I don't need this championship to give me any more than it's given me," the 36-year-old former champion said after a four-set opening round victory on Centre Court. "It's already given me so much."
Agassi won the first of his eight Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon in 1992, surprising the established grass-court order by beating the serve-and-volleyers with his baseline game.
Troubled by chronic back problems, Agassi announced last weekend that he will retire from tennis after the U.S. Open in September.
Always a crowd favorite at the All England Club, he drew an even longer and louder ovation than usual before and after Tuesday's 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 win over Boris Pashanski. In a normal year, the first-round victory would barely have caused a ripple. However, this one took on special meaning for Agassi and the fans.
"You expect to be overwhelmed with the whole situation anyhow, regardless of just how warmly you're embraced," he said. "But then to feel that sort of support, it just meant the world to me. I just wanted to do 'em proud. So I got a little nervous about trying too hard early, overhit a lot. Took me a while to settle down."
Agassi appeared to have some trouble with his back late in the fourth set, but didn't want to talk about his health. Getting through several tough matches on grass won't be easy.
"I've had years where I have felt better," he said. "Sort of don't want to harp on any of the negatives. This is a challenge for me in more ways than I probably ever communicate about."
Agassi is looking forward to life in retirement with his wife Steffi Graf — a seven-time Wimbledon champion — and their two young children. Agassi wore a necklace Tuesday with the words "Daddy Rocks," made with the help of 4-year-old son, Jaden Gil.
"I wait with great anticipation to embrace that part of my life," Agassi said. "Certain parts of my heart and mind will feel a sense of freedom in my life. I'll feel good about being able to breathe a little deeper initially. But I won't do well bored."
Agassi gets Wednesday off, but others will come back for a second straight day of play — including the featured second-round match between three-time defending champion Roger Federer and Tim Henman.
Federer, bidding to become the third player in the Open era to win four straight titles, looked at the top of his game Tuesday when he swept France's Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
It was Federer's 42nd straight win on grass, surpassing the mark he shared with Bjorn Borg. The Swede won 41 straight from 1976-81.
Federer's streak includes three titles at Wimbledon and four at the warmup tournament in Halle, Germany. He said he considers Borg's achievement more impressive because all his wins came at Wimbledon. Borg won five straight Wimbledons before losing in the 1981 final.
"Wimbledon stays Wimbledon after all," Federer said. "The five Wimbledons and six finals is something almost beyond possibility for any player. For me, he (Borg) stays a hero."
