THE SCOOP: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8

Pending fatherhood brings joy to Agassi

By Sandra Harwitt
tennisreporters.net

Susan Mullane Camerawork USA, Inc.

Two weeks ago Andre Agassi was seen beaming a smile after he pounced on longtime rival Pete Sampras for a straight sets victory to win the Los Angeles tournament. Since that time, however, Agassi has not been able to step out of a first round match alive, losing to qualifier Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia in Montreal last week and to Gaston Gaudio of Argentina in Cincinnati on Monday evening.

This scenario should create some concern for Agassi, a seven-time Grand Slam champion who captured a second consecutive Australian Open title this past January, as he heads towards the U.S. Open. But after Agassi was frustrated by the No. 56 ranked Gaudio 6-4 7-6 (7-3), a South American retriever who made a habit of returning every ball that was sent his way, often with a winning passing shot, the American superstar was in surprisingly good spirits.

Agassi admitted that he played a match well below the personal standards he has set for himself through the years, saying, “I build my game on shot control and I like to set up points and work it, and the ball was not going where I’m hitting it. It’s as simple as that. And I was making more errors than I needed to make in order to find a way out there.”

One of the reasons that Agassi is flying high these days, despite his lackluster performance the past two weeks, is his personal life is in high gear.
Pending fatherhood and marriage sometime in the future to Steffi Graf, when the couple can find time to schedule the nuptials, is enough to keep the 31-year-old joyous. Agassi is clearly a believer in marriage even though wedded bliss lasted less than two years for him with actress Brooke Shields.

Interestingly, Agassi suggested that he had lust in his heart for Graf from nearly the moment he saw her, saying, “We were engaged ten years ago, she just didn’t know it.” Nevertheless, the couple didn’t couple off until around the 1999 U.S. Open.

A sparkling diamond engagement ring has been on Graf’s finger for close to two years now, but most of the time the former German tennis champion would wear it turned towards her palm, only letting those she felt comfortable with an accidental on purpose flash of the stone.

As for the baby boy that will join the family this coming December, Agassi is “excited” about the upcoming arrival, admitting “It’s quite an overwhelming thing for me.”

While some couples prefer to take a wait and see approach, Agassi had no qualms about finding out the sex of the child before the birth.
“I wanted to know,” Agassi said when asked by tennisreporters.net why they chose to find out the sex of the upcoming arrival. “Well, if the birth of your child isn’t a surprise enough, then there’s something seriously wrong with your perspective, as far as I’m concerned. So, you know, the only benefit to not knowing would be the surprise on that day. I can honestly say I wouldn’t need an additional surprise, to see a life coming into this world.

“So now I have the ability to bond and prepare.”