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NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 05: Former American tennis player, Andre Agassi waves to fans during the men’s singles quarter-final between Kei Nishikori of Japan and Marin Cilic of Croatia on Day Ten of the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 5, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1027230878.jpg?width=600)
via Getty
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 05: Former American tennis player, Andre Agassi waves to fans during the men’s singles quarter-final between Kei Nishikori of Japan and Marin Cilic of Croatia on Day Ten of the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 5, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Andre Agassi, ‘The Punisher’, shared some interesting details about his early years in tennis in his autobiography, Open. He shared how his strict father helped him become the player he was. His father was a famous Iranian Olympic boxer and coached him during his formative years in tennis.
Agassi wrote about his father’s influence on his professional and personal life in his autobiography. His father had immigrated to the United States from Iran, which heavily influenced his upbringing.
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Andre Agassi once shared intricate details about his adolescent days
His father had built a tennis court in their backyard and enrolled him in a boarding school run by Nick Bollettieri. Bollettieri later managed and coached Agassi’s during an important portion of his professional career. In his autobiography, he wrote, ” My father is my landlord and keeper. I no longer live full-time at the Bollettieri Academy, so once again I live under my father’s roof, and thus under his control. I’m traveling the world, making good money, winning a measure of fame, and yet my old man essentially keeps me on an allowance. It’s inappropriate, but hell, my whole life is inappropriate.”
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Andre Agassi presents inductee Brad Gilbert during the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame enshrinement banquet at Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, May 2, 2019. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Agassi further wrote in Open, “I’m only seventeen, not ready to live on my own, barely ready to stand alone on a tennis court, and yet I was just in Rio, holding a girl in a thong with one hand and a $90,000 check with the other.”
He further clarified in his book, “I’m an adolescent who’s seen too much, a man-child without checking account.”
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Despite having a rocky start to his career, Agassi established himself as one of the best players on the tour. He, along with Sampras, dominated the 90s. If not for his archrival, ‘The Punisher’ might have ended up with more than eight major titles. After his retirement, the BBC referred to him as possibly the biggest worldwide star in the sport’s history at the time.
Agassi and local officials recently collaborated to launch a tuition-free charter school
The 8-time Grand Slam champion recently opened the Rocketship Dream Community Prep and extended his help to local authorities and school officials in Antioch. Agassi wishes to assist children to obtain a better education.
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Watch this story: When Andre Agassi openly defended preferential treatment given to Serena Williams at Wimbledon
The Turner-Agassi Education Facilities Fund created a tuition-free institution for all children. Let us know what you think about Agassi in the comments below.