Open

An Autobiography

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.

A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the Century

Agassi’s incredibly rigorous training begins when he is just a child. By the age of thirteen, 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 sixteen, 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 twenty-first 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 U.S. 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 read and cherished for years. A treat for ardent fans, it will also captivate readers who know nothing about tennis. Like Agassi’s game, it sets a new standard for grace, style, speed, and power.

Good hearing experience

It’s a sincere and genuine confession. Good to know the inside world and mind of a top class tennis player.

Incredible!

I was hooked from the first paragraph. This book is an eye opening journey through Agassi's life and is thought process through it all.

A fine listen !

it was just a really good ,honest and funny at times , true life story.......,,... and I'm sad it's over.

Any Sports Fan Will Love This Book

Amazing story about Andre's journey. For someone who says he really doesn't enjoy tennis he sure did accomplish a great deal during his career.

Inspiring. Captivating. Heartwarming. Funny.

This is a wonderfully well written - and I would add - designed book. For a 55 y/o daughter of tennis aficionados and players, this trip down memory lane was such a treat! The title says it all: Agassi opened up his heart and soul to his ghost writer who manages not only to understand profoundly but also to share with the reader this soulful, deep evolution of one human with so many of the intricacies that it inevitably entails. It his touching, inspiring, it is fun to listen to and has power. Power to humble, power to help heal or step up, power to impose self-examination... Wonderful read. Thank you M Agassi. From my heart.