Agassi wakes up to 'real' life after 21 years in tennis

By Bill Scott Sep 3, 2006, 23:58 GMT

Andre Agassi (L) the United States shakes hands with Benjamin Becker of Germany after losing the final match of his career in their third round match on the seventh day of the 2006 US Open tennis tournament in Flushing Meadows, New York on Sunday 03 September 2006. EPA/JUSTIN LANE

New York - If Andre Agassi wakes up Monday with an aching back, it will now be just a minor annoyance to one of the most iconic figures to ever play tennis.

'I'll wake not caring how I feel,' said the beloved veteran, who ended his 21-year-tennis journey Sunday in the third round of the US Open with an emotional loss to German qualifier Benjamin Becker, 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-5.

'It's going to feel great,' said Agassi, whose chronic bad back required three pain-killing injections this week to get him through his three matches.

'I've been imagining for a long time: anytime somebody asks me to do something, I'm going to go, 'Sure, why not.''

Agassi was seen out of the game by a cheering, chanting crowd of 23,000 at the Grand Slam venue where he won in 1994 and 1999.

The tearful goodbye was emotional all around. Agassi couldn't hold back his tears as he thanked the masses on court.

'I've prepared for that speech for 21 years,' said the winner of 60 career trophies. 'It's just one of those you think about what you want to say, what really touches the things that are important to you. There's a thousand things that were going through my mind.'

Upon his return to the locker room, another warm reception awaited the 36-year-old from his fellow players.

'They all were standing, applauding me. The greatest applause that any person will ever receive in their life is that which comes from their peers,' he said.

'It's not like we're a company who's working together to accomplish something. We're people that succeed, in some cases, at the demise of the other. To have them applaud you is the ultimate compliment.'

Agassi said that after leaving his guts on court in his second- round win Thursday night against Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis, he knew that even more medical magic would likely not help him to another miracle victory.

'It obviously wasn't to be. Nothing was very recognizable out there when it comes to the tennis side of it. I was struggling early on,' he said of his appearance against Becker, 25, the world number 112 who has never met fellow German Boris Becker, no relation.

'He came up with the goods. I've seen it maybe about 400 times,' said Agassi, who ended with a career record of 870 wins and 274 losses.

Agassi said that all was not hopeless as he went into battle against the underdog, who suffered through his own case of nerves on such a huge occasion.

'I went out there not feeling terrible pain, but still tight from everything that had transpired a few nights earlier. The pain came quickly. It can do that, and it did. I knew I was in trouble at that point,' Agassi said.

'You immediately start cutting corners that you know are going to come back to haunt you. Then you know it's going to gradually get worse, sometimes very quickly get worse.'

The new retiree said that the back problems is not necessarily a problem in regular life beyond professional tennis.

'But once the nerve gets irritated, it's impossible to recover, while at the same time you're putting yourself through that sort of (tennis) trauma. I do have the option of surgery and clearing out the space so the nerve is less affected - worst case scenario,' Agassi said.

'They've told me when the intensity of what I do drops, so will the ramifications. But, you know, if I can't be normal, if I can't have fun with the kids, do all the things that we all enjoy doing, then I'll have to assess it from there.'

His next focus will be his annual charity fundraiser October 7 for his Las Vegas school, into which he has poured time and money for a decade.

'If I could leverage anything I'm going through here to make more money for the children, to bring them more opportunities, I'm open to ideas,' he said.

'This will be the first event. It's a perfect example of what I look forward to. In years past, I've not played in Europe because I'm doing this for the foundation. I'm not training, I'm not playing, but I'm doing something I really care about. This year I'll get to just do what I care about without that sort of price tag with it. It will be great.'