Open

An Autobiography

By: Andre Agassi

Narrated by: Erik Davies

Length: 18 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

From Andre Agassi, one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court, a beautiful, haunting autobiography.

Agassi’s incredibly rigorous training begins when he is just a child. By the age of 13, he is banished to a Florida tennis camp that feels like a prison camp. Lonely, scared, a ninth-grade dropout, he rebels in ways that will soon make him a 1980s icon. He dyes his hair, pierces his ears, dresses like a punk rocker. By the time he turns pro at 16, his new look promises to change tennis forever, as does his lightning-fast return. And yet, despite his raw talent, he struggles early on. We feel his confusion as he loses to the world’s best, his greater confusion as he starts to win. After stumbling in three Grand Slam finals, Agassi shocks the world, and himself, by capturing the 1992 Wimbledon. Overnight he becomes a fan favorite and a media target.

Agassi brings a near-photographic memory to every pivotal match and every relationship. Never before has the inner game of tennis and the outer game of fame been so precisely limned. Alongside vivid portraits of rivals from several generations - Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer - Agassi gives unstinting accounts of his brief time with Barbra Streisand and his doomed marriage to Brooke Shields. He reveals a shattering loss of confidence. And he recounts his spectacular resurrection, a comeback climaxing with his epic run at the 1999 French Open and his march to become the oldest man ever ranked number one.

In clear, taut prose, Agassi evokes his loyal brother, his wise coach, his gentle trainer, all the people who help him regain his balance and find love at last with Stefanie Graf. Inspired by her quiet strength, he fights through crippling pain from a deteriorating spine to remain a dangerous opponent in the 21st and final year of his career. Entering his last tournament in 2006, he’s hailed for completing a stunning metamorphosis, from nonconformist to elder statesman, from dropout to education advocate. And still he’s not done. At a US Open for the ages, he makes a courageous last stand, then delivers one of the most stirring farewells ever heard in a sporting arena.

With its breakneck tempo and raw candor, Open will be listened to and cherished for years. A treat for ardent fans, it will also captivate listeners who know nothing about tennis. Like Agassi’s game, it sets a new standard for grace, style, speed, and power.

©2009 Andre Agassi (P)2009 Random House

Critic reviews

“Insightful [and] exceedingly well-written . . . [Open] has the cadence and plotting of a good novel . . . The raw energy and emotion throughout are pure Agassi.” (Newsday, Top 10 Books of 2009)

“Surprisingly candid . . . The baseline bad boy serves up his harrowing anecdotes with the same force he put behind every on-court ace.” (Entertainment Weekly 10 Best Nonfiction Books of 2009)

“Bracingly devoid of triumphalist homily, Agassi’s is one of the most passionately anti-sports books ever written by a superstar athlete.” (The New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2009)

An absolute treat inside the mind of a #1 world athlete

Everyone’s life is different for to go into the mind of someone who is number one in the world in their sport and how they actually take you point by point set by sat game by game year after year and how things affect your game and their life is an absolutely intriguing story. It could only have been better if he narrated himself (maybe)

Great listen...despite the narration

Loved the details regarding the iconic and misunderstood Andre Agassi. My primary frustration was with the narration, particularly the narrator’s decision to change his voice for female, child, and “tough guy” dialogue. Unnecessary. Despite this annoyance, it’s a very enjoyable read (or listen in this case!)

Honest and Motivational

One of the best autobiographies ever written. Candid insight into a lonely pro sport and one of the most colorful hall of fame players to endure and succeed in its trenches. Andre’s worth ethic (on and off the court) and life perspective can’t help but motivate the reader in whatever their own life contains.
Great read for any fan of tennis...or fan of honest self reflection and improvement.
Inspirational.

I clapped at the end of this

What book makes you clap at the end of it in appreciation for a brilliant, vibrant, touching and inspiring story. Best read of 2018 for me.

Eandearing contradiction

His life is full of contradictions and like so many lives are but as a deep deep thinker, he has articulated so well his journey trying to make sense of all of it. Whats admirable is his commitment to excellence, hard work and perseverance despite all his challenges and finding meaning and purpose in the process. Well written. I was a fan back in his tennis days but now even more.

felt like i know Andre so much better, loved it.

fantastic, would recommend to others. the story was unexpected and delightful. wish there was more pages.

wow.great listening to a legend

Andre was a tennis star I grew up watching..It was great to know why he was so different on the courts than most of his peers. Also Steffi was another of my favourite so was interesting to learn about their relationship....Very good read if you like and admire Andre Agassi....

Great autobiography - even for a non-sports fan

Any additional comments?

I heard a lot of good things about Open, Andre Agassi’s autobiography. And right from the opening pages I thought wow, this is great. Agassi is a really good writer, with interesting thoughts, and a fascinating life, which makes for a perfect autobiography; a fascinating insight into a someone’s life full of little nuggets of life lessons they’ve learned.

I have to admit, as someone with no interest in sport I did get a little bit bored with the tennis bits occasionally, and overall felt that it could have been shortened. Some of the tennis stuff got so repetitive, for me, that I didn’t even notice when I had accidentally skipped a huge chunk of the audiobook. I only noticed the great leap when he started talking about girlfriends again and he was suddenly with Stefi Graf, and not Brook Shields.

What also makes this a brilliantly essential autobiography are some startling revelations, not least of which, revealed from the very start, is that Agassi has despised tennis all his life and was driven to tennis stardom by a father who cared of nothing else but to have a tennis champ for a son.

Inspiring and interesting

Great insight into the world of tennis. Not a tennis fan or player myself but none the less very inspiring.

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING

What did you love best about Open?

The writing, the Story, and I REALLY identify with so much of this ...

What was one of the most memorable moments of Open?

After the AWESOME Story .. Theres a LOVE Story ...

Which scene was your favorite?

so many, Meeting Perry, Gil, just how he describes the people in his life. Brook, Steffi, the Kids ... he recall of the games, the pain of an athletes body .. so many things.

Any additional comments?

I was never REALLY a Tennis fan, but i am, and have been for a while, an Andre Agassi Fan! This is my top 3 book of the last year. Hands Down WORTH EVERY BIT OF THE 18 hrs. the WRITING and NARRATION are BOTH AWESOME! and I MEAN THAT!