‘Definitely Not Roger, Definitely Not Rafa’- Andre Agassi Says He Would Definitely Not Play the Big Three

Andre Agassi is one of those players who lifted the expectations of fans. Sampras, Agassi and McEnroe were the stars who battled for the top honors on the tour in the 90s. Before the arrival of the big three, fans considered their records as the parameter for judging future players. However, if they had a chance, would they test their skills against Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic?

In an old interview, Agassi gave his views about facing the “Big Three” on the court and elaborated about his ideal opponent among the three champions. Here’s what Agassi had to say about having a face-off with them.

The dream rival of Andre Agassi

The eight-time Grand Slam champion, while in an interview, spoke about the players he wishes his prime self could meet on the tennis court. He said, “Definitely not Roger, definitely not Rafa, definitely not Novak. Because then I would be completely exposed for the nonathlete I am. So definitely not them.”

Thereafter, he added, “I would probably have to go historical because I grew up idolizing like Borg, for example. I always just appreciated the way he went about his work.”

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Björn Borg is a Swedish tennis professional and former World no.1 who retired in 1993 with 11 Grand Slam titles; six French Open titles, the slowest surface and five from Wimbledon, the fastest surface.

Agassi’s greatest rivalry during his peak years on the tour

Andre Agassi claimed his first Grand Slam title in Australian, outclassing his biggest rival, Pete Sampras. Both veterans had a different style of playing and on court decorum. While Agassi believed in expressing himself, the 14-time Grand Slam champion dominated his opponents with calm and composed demeanor.

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Speaking of playing style, Sampras had the greatest serve and Agassi was the greatest serve returner at the time. They were the biggest players of that decade and locked horns for a total of  34 times. At the end of their illustrious careers, Sampras ended up having a lead of 20-14. They first squared off in 1989 on the clay courts of Italy and their last encounter was on the hard courts of the US Open.