The character arc of Andre Agassi

A life drawn by Character Arc from the public record

Born on 29 April 1970 in Las Vegas. Between then and now sit turning professional in 1986, Wimbledon in 1992, the US Open in 1994, world number one on 10 April 1995, an Olympic gold in 1996, a fall to one hundred and forty first in November 1997, the French Open and the career Grand Slam in 1999, a school founded in 2001, an eighth major in 2003 and retirement in 2006. The line below draws the story so far, in order.

Tap the line to pluck it. Hover or tap any mark for its card. Drawn from the public record of his life; the sources are at the foot of the page.

Who is Andre Agassi?

He fell to one hundred and forty first.

He turned professional in 1986, at sixteen. His first major came at Wimbledon in 1992, on grass, which was the surface everybody said did not suit him. He won the US Open in 1994 as an unseeded player, the Australian Open in 1995 at his first attempt, and reached world number one on 10 April 1995, holding it for a hundred and one weeks across his career. He won Olympic gold in 1996.

Then 1997 happened. He played twenty four matches all year, was troubled by wrist injuries, and his ranking fell to one hundred and forty first in November. He later wrote in his own memoir that he had used crystal methamphetamine during that period, and that his marriage was ending. He was twenty seven and, by any ordinary reading, finished.

What he did next is the whole reason this line is drawn. He went back to the lower level tournaments, rebuilt, and in 1999 won the French Open, which completed the career Grand Slam, all four majors, something very few players have ever done. He won three more majors after the collapse, taking his total to eight, and played on until the 2006 US Open. In 2001 he founded the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas, a tuition-free school for children at risk, and gave thirty five million dollars of his own money to it. His memoir, Open, is unusually honest for a sports book, including about the tennis itself.

The moments

Andre Agassi's timeline.

The 1980s

Jun 1986

Professional at sixteen

Milestone, and it changed his direction. Sixteen years old, and a professional.

The 1990s

5 Jul 1992

Wimbledon

Milestone, and it changed everything. A first major, on the surface everybody said did not suit him.

11 Sep 1994

Unseeded at the US Open

Milestone, and it changed his direction. Unseeded, and he won it anyway.

10 Apr 1995

World number one

Milestone, and it changed everything. Number one in the world, at twenty four.

3 Aug 1996

Olympic gold

Milestone, and it changed his direction. A gold medal, which most players with eight majors never get.

10 Nov 1997

One hundred and forty first

Setback, and it changed everything. Twenty seven years old, twenty four matches all year, and one hundred and forty first in the world.

1 Jan 1998

Retire, or start again

Crossroads, decided.

The paths laid out: go back and rebuild, taken, or retire at twenty seven. He completed the career Grand Slam in 1999 and won three more majors after the fall.

Jun 1998

Back to the lower tour

Milestone, and it changed everything. A former world number one, back at the smaller tournaments, starting again.

6 Jun 1999

The career Grand Slam

Milestone, and it changed everything. All four majors. Very few players in history have done it, and he did the last one after the fall.

The 2000s

Jun 2001

A school in Las Vegas

Milestone, and it changed everything. Thirty five million dollars of his own money, into a free school in his home city.

26 Jan 2003

An eighth major

Milestone, and it changed his direction. Three majors after the collapse, and eight in total.

3 Sep 2006

The last match

Milestone, and it changed everything. Twenty years as a professional, ending in New York.

9 Nov 2009

Open

Milestone, and it changed everything. Unusually honest for a sports book, including about the tennis itself.

The line reaches today still adding to itself, which is why it is drawn now rather than at the end. What it has set moving is a school for children who need one, and the clearest dip-and-climb on any line in this gallery: number one, one hundred and forty first, and then three more of the biggest titles in the game.

What he wrote

Books by Andre Agassi

2009
Open
His autobiography, and unusually honest for a sports book, including about his own relationship with the game.

Your turn

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His fell from first to one hundred and forty first and then won three more majors. Yours is already further along than you think, and drawing it takes about five minutes.

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Andre Agassi: frequently asked questions

What people ask about his line.

What is Andre Agassi's character arc?

Professional at sixteen, a first major at twenty two, world number one at twenty four, a fall to one hundred and forty first at twenty seven, and then a career Grand Slam completed and three more majors won after it.

What happened to Andre Agassi in 1997?

His ranking fell to one hundred and forty first. He played only twenty four matches that year, was troubled by wrist injuries, and later wrote in his own memoir that he had used crystal methamphetamine and that his marriage was ending.

Did Andre Agassi complete the career Grand Slam?

Yes, at the 1999 French Open, which gave him all four major titles. It is worth noting that he completed it after the collapse of 1997 rather than before it, which very few players could have done.

How many majors did Andre Agassi win?

Eight, from Wimbledon in 1992 to the Australian Open in 2003. Three of them came after his ranking had fallen to one hundred and forty first in November 1997, which is the part of the record worth noticing.

What is Andre Agassi's school?

The Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas, established in 2001. It is a tuition-free school for children at risk, and he gave thirty five million dollars of his own money to it.

What is Open by Andre Agassi?

His autobiography, published in 2009, which is unusually honest for a sports book. It covers the 1997 season in full, including the parts most players would have left out entirely.

When did Andre Agassi retire?

After the 2006 US Open, twenty years after turning professional in 1986. He had turned professional in 1986, reached world number one on 10 April 1995, and held that ranking for a hundred and one weeks across his career.

Where does this timeline of Andre Agassi's life come from?

From the public record. Character Arc drew every moment on this line from the sources listed at the foot of the page, and the kind and weight of each moment are our editorial reading. Andre Agassi isn't a Member of Character Arc and has no connection with it, and no feeling is attributed to him.

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Sources

Andre Agassi, English Wikipedia biography, filed under living people.
Association of Tennis Professionals rankings, April 1995 and November 1997.
Andre Agassi, Open, for his own account of the 1997 season.