Agassi, AEG to Team Up in Carson

Andre Agassi will form a partnership with AEG to work with up-and-coming tennis players and other youngsters as part of an academy to be based at the Home Depot Center in Carson.

Details are still being completed, but AEG said in a statement Thursday that it would make an announcement at the Home Depot Center next Wednesday, along with Agassi and the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce Safe Passage Tennis Program. After the announcement, Agassi is scheduled to hit with children in the program.

The Carson academy is expected to be modeled on Agassi’s successful academy program in Las Vegas, which has been operating since the late 1990s. One of the most successful youngsters, 14-year-old Asia Muhammad, now ranked third in the USTA’s girls’ 14-and-under division, had never played tennis before showing up at Agassi’s Boys & Girls Club.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported in August that Agassi also contributed $250,000 a year to cover expenses of the tennis players and the club’s traveling basketball program.

Agassi will be the second high-profile athlete to join forces with AEG in a sports academy this year. In March, AEG announced it would open “youth-oriented” soccer academies in London and Carson with international star David Beckham of Real Madrid.

Agassi often is asked about his possible retirement but has given no indication of stopping anytime soon. The eight-time Grand Slam singles winner reached the final of the U.S. Open in September, losing to Roger Federer in four sets. He has entered the 2006 Australian Open, and is planning on using the Kooyong Classic, an exhibition in Melbourne, to prepare for the new season’s first Grand Slam event.

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In the week’s second comeback announcement, 46-year-old John McEnroe said he was planning to play doubles with Jonas Bjorkman in an ATP Tour event, the SAP Open at San Jose, Feb. 13-19.

Tuesday, 25-year-old Martina Hingis announced she would be returning to the WTA tour in 2006.

McEnroe has not played doubles in an ATP tournament since 1994, when he made the semifinals at Rotterdam with Boris Becker. He played mixed doubles with Steffi Graf at Wimbledon in 1999.