His conversation was more about the next generation than his own, about conserving energy to postpone the inevitable farewell tour.
Andre Agassi’s words are dotted with reminders that as he is nearing his 34th birthday without a retirement announcement–and can still summon sublime tennis–almost every one of his decisions to play is calculated against the cost to his longevity.
He is the defending champion of the Nasdaq-100 Open, but Agassi, the winner of 58 singles titles and eight Grand Slam events, has not won a tournament since last April. His last Grand Slam title was at the 2003 Australian Open, and while his determination to continue astounds some of his younger peers, his waves and blown kisses as he departs a court carry a bit more finality now because no one knows when he will join his contemporaries Pete Sampras, Jim Courier and Michael Chang in retirement.
Andy Roddick and Marat Safin each scoffed at the idea that they would still be playing when they are Agassi’s age, but Agassi’s game shows significant signs of life.
Last Saturday he lost a close match to the world’s No. 1 player, Roger Federer, in the semifinals of the Pacific Life Open.
It was the third semifinal Agassi has reached in three tournaments this year, an indication that his scaled-back schedule may extend the shelf life of a player who, after 18 years on the Tour, has eased into the role of elder statesman.
“It’s a bit of a Catch-22, because I need to make sure I don’t play too much so I stay fresh physically and mentally, but then you get into the close matches with the best players and that might be the difference in the match,” Agassi said.
After Agassi said at a news conference Thursday that he would do whatever he could to help the Davis Cup team, he quickly demurred when asked if that meant he would make himself available to play. He spoke wistfully of the closeness of the current crop of Davis Cup players–like Andy Roddick and James Blake–a bond Agassi said he and his peers did not enjoy because they were competing so intensely to be the No. 1 player in the world.
Still, Agassi said he believed that the energy that the Davis Cup matches require would sap him and shorten his career.
“I’m trying to give as much to the game that I can for as long as possible,” he said. “I just don’t want to burn the candle at both ends.”
Roddick said that when he is 34 he intends “to be eating Cheetos and watching football.”
“I have an insane amount of respect for him,” Roddick said of Agassi. “The way he competes–he treats every match like it’s Armageddon.”
Agassi remains passionately connected to the game. It would surprise no one if Agassi is still bowing to crowds for a few more years.
Safin said the number of players who love tennis as much as Agassi could be counted on one hand.
“His character is completely different than most of the people,” Safin said. “That’s why he’s one [in a] million.”
