A Head of His Time

This summer’s favorite pirate once had a dry-land predecessor.

He was a man who defied easy characterization, shedding labels, trying on new ones for size, and just when you thought you had him figured out as a lightweight, there was one more persona -- one part superhero, one part swashbuckler, one part rebel with a cause.

Long before Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow, Andre Agassi had the pirate thing going: the bandanna, the earring, the wild hair and, instead of a gold tooth, an Olympic gold medal.

Image is everything? That was one snapshot, one of the countless faces Agassi adopted over two decades in which he was transformed from a brat into a reflective, thinking-man’s tennis champion, right before our eyes.

And very shortly, within a matter of days, we will be left with one last image of Agassi: stepping off the court after his last match at the U.S. Open -- early or late round, the match that will bring his career as a professional tennis player to an end.

After 60 singles titles, including eight Grand Slam championships, two of those won at the U.S. Open, the fashion icon-turned-philanthropist plagued by an aching back will walk away at age 36 before he has to hobble away. The beauty of Agassi’s decision and the sport is that, though his plan was announced in June at Wimbledon, an air of mystery will surround his departure.

After all, this isn’t boxing and one last fight. Or one Super Bowl and one final play.

Where exactly the tennis merry-go-round stops, nobody knows. It could be on Monday night under the blazing New York lights against journeyman Andrei Pavel of Romania, or possibly Thursday under the blazing afternoon sun across the net from 2006 Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus.

Or will there be one more run deep into the Open’s second week, following the indelible footsteps of 1991 semifinalist Jimmy Connors and 2002 champion Pete Sampras?

Fortuitously, even for someone as accomplished as Agassi, there is considerable assistance in handling the tricky final days of a champion-facing-retirement gauntlet. Even better, help is as close as across the dinner table.

His wife and the mother of their two young children, Steffi Graf, winner of 22 Grand Slam event titles, ended her tennis career in 1999, setting the template for graceful retirement.

“I think it has helped me and it helped me years ago, seeing her go through it,” Agassi said in an interview with The Times at UCLA in July. “It takes a lot of anxiety away from the day when you decide to do it.

“She doesn’t even recognize life ... it’s almost like life before kids. You can’t even remember what it was like, and she has a hard time remembering the dramas of it until she obviously sees me go through it and then she’s quick to remind me that it all passes by quickly.”

“I think people have got to find their own way through it,” Graf said. “It’s your own journey of this type. You feel it and make a decision. Everybody goes through it differently. He’s very prepared.

“He’s so ready for it, you know, most important is how he feels about it, not my feelings about it. He’s very resolved and very much at peace with his decision. From there, it doesn’t matter where we go.”

Unlike Agassi, Graf’s last match was played with little fanfare, in Southern California a few weeks after she had lost in the Wimbledon final to Lindsay Davenport. In fact, almost no one knew at La Costa that her injury-related retirement against Amy Frazier in the second round was, in fact, Graf’s retirement from the sport.

And it came only days after her first date with Agassi, who clearly enjoyed telling the story of their first dinner. It took place a few short hours after he’d lost to Sampras in the final in Los Angeles. Agassi wasn’t bothered in the least by the defeat, but, ever the meticulous planner, he was caught off guard by Graf.

“I was prepared for a three-hour dinner.... She ate faster than I did,” he said, smiling.

Their dinners continued a few weeks later in New York, and Agassi would go on to win his second U.S. Open title, defeating Todd Martin in the final.

Although he tested the limits, Agassi knew he would have to end his career sometime and somewhere. It made theatrical sense to wrap it up at a Grand Slam tournament. But which one?

Wimbledon? The site of his first major title, almost a startling bolt from conventional wisdom, in 1992.

The Australian Open? The scene of his most successful Slam, the place where he won four times and once famously took the plunge into the not-so-clean Yarra River.

The French Open? The final piece of the Slam set. Agassi became one of five men to win all four majors in a career, and nearly hadn’t made the trip to Paris in 1999 because of a sore shoulder. He succumbed to the cajoling of then-coach Brad Gilbert and, once there, survived major deficits, not once, or twice, but four times, including in the final against Andrei Medvedev.

And ... the U.S. Open? The wins in 1994 and 1999, the losses in four finals, which included the gripping 22-shot rally in 1995 against Sampras, and an electric five-set quarterfinal victory last year against James Blake on the way to the final against Roger Federer, and on and on....

“It’s my home turf,” Agassi said. “That’s where I figure it’s best to end. I really didn’t think about it beyond where I really had some of my best memories. I grew up, it feels like, in front of New Yorkers.

“They taught me a lot about myself. They helped me grow personally and professionally. They made me a better tennis player and a better person. It’s a great environment to be your last.”

The tributes to Agassi, the person, are perhaps more numerous in his final days on the tour than accolades about the player, ranging from former coaches to former competitors to the current opposition.

Fernando Gonzalez, who defeated Agassi in the quarterfinals in Los Angeles, implied that if he had been a fan in the stands, he would have wanted Agassi to win.

That was a far cry from early Andre. He was hardly the popular figure among his colleagues and the media in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, and managed to complete perhaps the most dramatic public turnaround among sports figures. Think Terrell Owens becoming a beloved national treasure in about 10 years and you get the general idea.

Who better than one bad boy to comment on another former bad boy: John McEnroe on Agassi. The only turnaround in the same neighborhood as Agassi’s, McEnroe said, could be that of a boxer with one truly effective grilling machine: George Foreman.

“He played off that image-is-everything scenario,” McEnroe said of Agassi. “He worked the hair for, it seemed, hours every day, and I guess we know why now. He always, to me, was a likable guy, a smart guy, sort of a reflective guy. Even at an early age.

“I find it nonetheless rather amazing he’s made this transformation. It reminds me of George Foreman a little bit -- a lot of people felt he was surly and not friendly.

“There were times where Andre did get a chip on his shoulder, but for the most part, [to] people around this sport, he seemed to be pretty likable. He was able to [effect a] metamorphosis. George did that same thing. All of a sudden he became this lovable teddy bear.”

Agassi’s transformation was broken down insightfully in a recent extended profile by Sports Illustrated’s Gary Smith. So how did Agassi enjoy being psychoanalyzed in print?

“I wish it would have happened when I was 13,” he said, laughing. “It might have saved me some dramas.”

His flamboyance and early rebellion masked a deep sensitivity, according to one of Agassi’s early coaches, Nick Bollettieri, who realized that he couldn’t treat the teenage Andre the same way as other prodigies at his tennis academy such as Jimmy Arias and Carling Bassett.

“You didn’t really want to yell at Andre,” Bollettieri said. “He said one day to me, ‘Do you ever listen to anybody?’ I said, ‘Primarily, no.’ This was early on in his career. He said, ‘If you did, you would be surprised at how much you learned about me.’ Was he different? Yes, he was very different. It was really a guessing game what was going to happen with him.

”... He changed the appearance of the game in reference to the dress wear -- even grandmas were buying denim shorts. He changed the appearance of the game with his long hair, changed the appearance of having an entourage on the road with him. The guy was just able to do things people said could not be done.”

That went well beyond the uncanny hand-eye coordination and seemingly unparalleled service return. Almost every prolonged conversation about Agassi eventually includes his considerable charitable activities, starting with his foundation and schools in his hometown of Las Vegas.

“Besides Lance Armstrong, I don’t think there’s another guy that’s raised as much money as Andre,” McEnroe said. “To start a school like that. The way he’s presented himself now, cut the hair and he dedicated himself to the sport, become this incredible ambassador.”

Agassi’s close friend and manager, Perry Rogers, who goes back to the pre-Bollettieri days, paused when asked about Agassi’s ultimate legacy. He recalled the time they brought comedian Dennis Miller over to the charter school in Las Vegas. They were walking out of a classroom and Rogers looked at Miller.

“I said, ‘Are you OK?’ He had tears in his eyes,” Rogers said. “I was thinking this is the way life is supposed to be. Andre’s lived his life the way you’re supposed to live it.”

In the interview at UCLA, Agassi said he was looking forward to a little less structure in his world, though it’s doubtful he will be taking much of a prolonged breather, especially with his annual charity gala function, the Grand Slam for Children, coming up in Las Vegas on Oct. 7.

“The first thing I just look forward to is not having a schedule, starting each day with what I want my life to look like, as opposed to what do I have to do today,” he said.

Those close to Agassi say he won’t be doing much golfing. Plans for a hotel in Idaho have been launched by Agassi and Graf, and Rogers said there will be additional Agassi/Graf property developments around the world.

On the Saturday before his 21st and last U.S. Open, Agassi participated in a skills competition for charity during Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day at the National Tennis Center. Among his good-natured competition was Graf. On this day, in tennis terms, the head of the household was Agassi, as their young son, Jaden Gil, quickly reminded his mother.

“Daddy took more than you!” Jaden told Graf in the hallway.

Joking, Graf replied, “You know what you’ve got to do. You’ve always got to let the man win, OK? So they’re happy.” If only Graf could put that in a memo and have it passed around the men’s locker room here. Let the old man win. So he goes away happy. CBS wouldn’t mind. Neither would a nation gathering around the television set as it did last fall, when Agassi reached the 2005 U.S. Open final, where he engaged Federer in a stirring final before falling in four sets.

Agassi was asked if he had won that final, would he have called it a career then and there, just as Sampras did three years earlier.

Agassi didn’t even hesitate.

“No, because it’s not about winning,” he said, without hesitation. “It has nothing to do with my choice. If anything, it would have inspired me to have to be tolerated longer.”

And this way Agassi can have some semblance of control, doing it his way with his friends and family members on hand for his final match. And what about his rarely seen father, Mike, the man who got to work on Project Andre when his son was still in the crib?

“I hope so,” Agassi said. “He was there from the beginning. I told him he started it.”

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Elite tier

Most men’s Grand Slam singles titles:

*--* Rk. History Titles 1. Pete Sampras 14 2. Roy Emerson 12 3. Rod Laver 11 3. Bjorn Borg 11 5. Bill Tilden 10 6. Andre Agassi 8 6. Fred Perry 8 6. Ken Rosewall 8 6. Jimmy Connors 8 6. Ivan Lendl 8 6. Roger Federer 8

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Most ATP singles titles:

*--* Rk. History Titles 1. Jimmy Connors 105 2. Ivan Lendl 94 3. John McEnroe 76 4. Pete Sampras 64 5. Guillermo Vilas 62 6. Andre Agassi 60 7. Bjorn Borg 57 8. Ilie Nastase 52 9. Boris Becker 49 10. Rod Laver 47

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Defining moments

A look at Andre Agassi’s most memorable victories:

*--* WIMBLEDON 1992

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Final: Defeated Goran Ivanisevic, 6-7 (8), 6-4, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4

* Having skipped the sport’s premier event three times in defiance of the All England Club’s “all white” dress code, Agassi found the grass courts to his liking, returning serve better than he ever had before. After sweeping John McEnroe in the semifinals, Agassi survived 37 aces by his Croatian opponent to prevail in a final that lasted 2 hours 50 minutes. “I’ve had my chances to fulfill a lot of my dreams, and I have not come through in the past,” said Agassi, who had lost three previous Grand Slam finals. “To do it here is more than I could ever ask for.”

*--* U.S. OPEN 1994

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Fourth Round: Defeated Michael Chang, 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1

* At this stage of his career, many still questioned Agassi’s stamina and mental toughness in big matches. This win over one of the fittest and most determined players on tour showed that Agassi possessed the heart to go with his immense talent. For more than three hours they traded groundstrokes from the baseline. “This is a perfect example of the kind of match I never would have gotten through a year ago,” said Agassi, who had slipped to No. 20 in the world rankings, prompting him to hire Brad Gilbert as his coach. Agassi went on to become only the third unseeded player to win the U.S. Open men’s title.

*--* FRENCH OPEN 1999

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Final: Defeated Andrei Medvedev, 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4

* After he was steamrollered in the first two sets, victory seemed as unlikely for Agassi as his fall to No. 141 in the world rankings had two years earlier. His third final at Roland Garros proved a charm, however, when he rallied to win the final three sets and complete a career Grand Slam. At the age of 29, Agassi became only the fifth man -- and the first since Rod Laver in the 1960s -- to win all four majors. “This is the greatest feeling I’ve ever had on the tennis court,” a tearful Agassi told the adoring crowd of 16,000 following his improbable triumph. “It’s almost like it was destiny.”

*--* AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2000

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Semifinal: Defeated Pete Sampras 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (0), 7-6 (5), 6-1

* Agassi’s third win over his archrival in a Grand Slam event was perhaps the best match in their 14-year rivalry. The tide turned when Agassi hit a pair of service winners and a forehand passing shot to overcome a 5-4 deficit in the fourth-set tiebreak. “The best feeling is when someone pushes you to your limit and you dig down a little extra,” Agassi said. “Somehow it seems to be asked of you more when you play Pete.” Agassi went on to claim the second of his four titles Down Under. He also became the first man to play in four straight major finals since Rod Laver won his second Grand Slam in 1969.

*--* U.S. OPEN 2005

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Quarterfinal: Defeated James Blake, 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (6)

* A 35-year-old Agassi rallied to win from two sets and a service break down for the first time at the U.S. Open, stunning his younger opponent in a nighttime quarterfinal at Arthur Ashe Stadium that was later voted the most memorable match of the tournament. By the time it ended just after 1 a.m., Agassi had won 162 points to Blake’s 156. “I wasn’t the winner, tennis was,” Agassi said. His magical run continued with a five-set win over Robby Ginepri in the semifinals. In the final, top-seeded Roger Federer ended Agassi’s bid for a ninth major title with a 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-1 victory.

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STEVE GALLUZZO

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Multigenerational

How Andre Agassi fared against players from different eras:

THE OLD GUARD

* vs. Jimmy Connors...2-0

* vs. John McEnroe...2-2

* vs. Mats Wilander...5-2

* vs. Ivan Lendl...2-6

CONTEMPORARIES

* vs. Pete Sampras...14-20

* vs. Boris Becker...10-4

* vs. Stefan Edberg...6-3

* vs. Michael Chang...15-7

* vs. Patrick Rafter...10-5

* vs. Goran Ivanisevic...4-3

* vs. Jim Courier...5-7

THE NEW REGIME

* vs. Andy Roddick...5-1

* vs. Lleyton Hewitt...4-4

* vs. James Blake...4-1

* vs. Taylor Dent...5-0

* vs. Roger Federer...3-8

* vs. Rafael Nadal...0-2

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ALL-SURFACE MASTERY

Andre Agassi is one of five men to have won all four Grand Slam tournaments:

*--* Year Grand Slam Opponent Score 1992 Wimbledon Goran Ivanisevic 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 1994 U.S. Open Michael Stich 6-1, 7-6, 7-5 1995 Australian Open Pete Sampras 4-6, 6-1, 7-6, 6-4 1999 French Open Andrei Medvedev 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 1999 U.S. Open Todd Martin 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 2000 Australian Open Yevgeny Kafelnikov 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 2001 Australian Open Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 2003 Australian Open Rainer Schuettler 6-2, 6-2, 6-1

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