A wonderful, yet sad, part of this year's phenomenal U.S Open was witnessing the end of Andre Agassi's 21-year tennis career.
Agassi's career was remarkable, but not just for his winning ways on the court: 60 titles, 8 Grand Slam Titles, one of only five men to win all four Grand Slams, the oldest man to be ranked #1, and the only man to be ranked at year's end in the top 10 in three different decades. (That's what I call longevity!)
For me, the most remarkable part of Andre's career was his transformation as a human being:
From being a talented young player with a wild mane of blond hair and an "image is everything" persona that made him a lot of money, to a man with a rock solid identity (without his hair) and a soul, who raises a lot of money for his charities.
From a player who felt burdened by the world's expectations and struggled with meeting them, to a man who lives his life on and off the court according to his beliefs, his dreams, his expectations, and his passions.
From a young player who gave the impression of being a self-centered soul who didn't care very much about others, to a man who was given standing ovations of appreciation by his fans, his fellow players, members of the media as well as his family and friends. He learned to connect with us, as one human being to another, and we felt it.
From a player who couldn't put himself fully into the game, who would often stop fighting after losing the first set, to a man who was determined to get the most out of himself and fought hard, even when injured, from the first point to the last.
Farewell, Andre. Thanks for becoming a great Champion. Thanks for sharing yourself with us and for giving us one hell of of a great ride.
