Open

Open: An Autobiography
By Andre Agassi
Alfred A. Knopf, 2009. 385 pgs. Biography

Andre Agassi was born to a father obsessed with raising the world’s greatest tennis player. His childhood was spent practicing and drilling in the tennis court that occupied the family’s back yard. Later, he would be shipped to Florida to attend an intense tennis camp where he struggled with academics eventually dropping out of school in the 9th grade. Despite his hatred for the game, his father’s drills and his own natural talent propelled him into the world of professional tennis while he was still a teenager struggling to define himself.

This is a fantastic autobiography of an athlete who seems to have found peace with himself as his career drew to an end. The honesty with which he tells his story feels heartfelt and sincere. He admits mistakes and poor judgment, gives credit to the close friends and family who helped him achieve his goals, and presents an intriguing view of the loneliness he often felt on the court. This book belongs beside Armstrong’s It’s Not About the Bike and other insightful and inspirational athletic biographies.

CZ