‘Impulsively Whip off My Shirt’- Andre Agassi Details Desperate Attempts to Grab ‘Goddess’ Wife Steffi Graf’s Attention During Their First-Ever Practice

The love story of Andre Agassi is well-known, however, how smitten Agassi was with Graf is something we will get to know through this anecdote. Agassi detailed her excitement about meeting and playing with Steffi Graf for the first time at the Key Biscayne tournament. At first, the meeting in itself was too difficult to arrange.

However, his coach Brad Gilbert was persistent and somehow, arranged a meeting between the two on the court. That one meeting decided the fate of their relationship and now the couple leads a beautiful life with two kids.

How did Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf begin their love story?

Well, Agassi was always a great fan of Steffi Graf. He admired and respected her for her contribution to the sport. His divorce from his ex-wife, Brooke Shields, who interestingly had stuck the picture of ‘perfect legs’ of Steffi Graf to prepare for a newly single life, was a rocky one. After moving on from his previous marriage, Agassi decided to woo Graf who really did not reciprocate with enthusiasm. In his book, ‘Open’, he detailed his first encounter with her on the court. At the Key Biscayne tournament, Agassi asked his coach Brad Gilbert to set up a practice session with her. The coach called Heinz Gunthardt, Graf’s then-coach.

He outrightly denied it because “She’s too regimented. Also, she’s shy. She’d be highly uncomfortable.” However, Gunthardt gave in and suggested that they book the court right after Graf’s session. According to the plan, Gilbert and Agassi reached the court forty minutes early. The eight-time grand slam champion was nervous. He stated, “I’ve never been so breathless.”

The first face-off between Agassi and Graf

When Graf was practicing, her coach called her and said something to her. Agassi stated, “He points to us. She looks. I smile. She doesn’t.” The meeting was sealed. He stated, “I tie my shoes quickly. I pull a racket out of the bag and walk onto the court—then impulsively whip off my shirt. It’s shameless, I realize, but I’m desperate. Steffi looks and does a barely detectable double-take.”

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Agassi had lost all his momentum and his grit on the court. He could not even send his ball over the net as he stood there all smitten. He stated, “I’ve never seen a woman so beautiful. Standing still, she’s a goddess; in motion, she’s poetry. I’m a suitor, but also a fan.”

Playing against her was one of Agassi’s biggest dreams and now when he was, he could not believe himself. He detailed the experience in his book and stated, “I’ve wondered for so long what Steffi Graf’s forehand feels like. Now, hitting with her, I feel her subtleties. It’s like touching her, though we’re forty feet apart.”

The ending of the match started a new beginning

After missing one of her shots, he yelled at her, “You’re not going to get away with that again!” To his loss, “She says nothing. She hits another slice. She nets the return. I yell: That shot pays a lot of bills for me!” Again she said nothing at all. People began to gather around the court and photographers clicked a few pictures. After their practice session, she came to the net and said, “Thank you very much”. To which Agassi meekly replied, “The pleasure was all mine.”

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While they both stretched after the training session, Agassi striked up a conversation. He stated, “We talk about the tour, complain about the travel, and compare notes on different cities we’ve enjoyed.” He asked her, “What’s your favorite city? When tennis is over, where do you imagine living?” She replied, “Oh. It’s a tie, I think. Between New York and San Francisco.” To this, he says, “My two favorites also.” And thus began one of the most iconic and celebrated love stories of the tennis realm.