| At the start of the 2006 Wimbledon Championships | | | | brought a huge amount to our sport and will be |
| last June, tennis great Andre Agassi announced that | | | | missed," said Pete Sampras, the seven-time |
| he was retiring from professional tennis. The curtain | | | | Wimbledon champion whose on-court rivalry with |
| was about to come down on one of the most | | | | Agassi helped boost tennis' popularity in the 1990s."He's |
| successful and popular careers the sport had ever | | | | a legend," said reigning French Open champion Rafael |
| seen, a career that spanned two decades, eight Grand | | | | Nadal |
| Slam championships and a host of unforgettable | | | | Many forget that he wasn't always held in such high |
| moments on the tennis court.The 36-year-old Agassi | | | | regard. Early in his career, Agassi was known mostly |
| said that after Wimbledon, he would play just one | | | | for his image ("Image is Everything," said one of his |
| more major tournament, the US Open, and then call it | | | | popular advertising campaigns at the time) rather than |
| quits. The announcement caused shock waves in the | | | | the substance in his game. It was a reputation borne |
| world of tennis and almost immediately, tennis players | | | | from his early days on the professional tour as a kid |
| and fans alike started to consider Agassi's place in the | | | | with the denim shorts, Day-Glo shirts and flowing hair. |
| pantheon of the sport."He'll go down as one of the | | | | These days, however, Agassi leaves the tennis scene |
| guys who changed our sport in a lot of ways, not only | | | | as a respected elder statesman and with a legacy |
| the way he played the game, but also the way that he | | | | that is perhaps without precedence."I don't think there's |
| conducted himself on and off the court," said 2002 | | | | one bad thing you can say about the guy," said 2004 |
| Wimbledon champion and former world number one | | | | Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova. "I mean, that |
| Lleyton Hewitt. "There are not too many more | | | | guy is just a champion. It's amazing to still have |
| recognizable people in tennis. The sport probably owes | | | | someone around that's achieved so much and that's |
| a lot to him.""His longevity and desire to compete at | | | | done so much for the sport. |
| the highest level have been remarkable. He has | | | | |