American ATP legend Andre Agassi has a dark chapter behind his legendary career. The eight-time Grand Slam champion recently opened up about a painful time in his life when his ranking dropped dramatically — and he fell into drug use.
Around that period, Agassi also married his first wife, actress Brooke Shields.
Andre Agassi Opens Up On Shocking Phase in Life
Sixty singles titles, including eight Grand Slams, an Olympic gold medal and countless records make up Agassi’s remarkable career. But there was a moment when it nearly all unraveled.
Agassi went through a major slump, slipping from world No. 1 and losing in early rounds of tournaments. The fall took a serious toll on him mentally, and during that time, he turned to one of the most addictive drugs in the world: crystal meth.
In a recent appearance on the “Served with Andy Roddick” podcast, Agassi spoke candidly about that period.
“I think that happened probably in the fall of 1997,” Agassi said. “I was at my lowest point. I’d fallen from No. 1 in the world. I was doing crystal meth! I mean, let’s talk real terms here, for God’s sake, right? I’m doing one of the most addictive recreational drugs that exists. I’m trying to harm myself. I hated my life. I hated it because I didn’t know who I was. I didn’t choose it.”
He added that even the good he tried to do felt meaningless.
“When I bought a house for my parents and I bought another house for so-and-so — but I couldn’t reconcile it until I went full circle. And full circle meant getting to the end of myself. It meant staring across that abyss. It meant feeling so useless that a gust of wind would blow you off the edge,” said Agassi, now 55.
Eventually, Agassi turned things around. He reclaimed his form on the court, winning his final Grand Slam title at the 2003 Australian Open. He retired in 2006.
Agassi Talks About His Love for Pickleball After U.S. Open Debut
Even after retiring, Agassi hasn’t step away from sports. He’s found a new passion in pickleball, often practicing with his wife, tennis icon Steffi Graf. Though his debut at the U.S. Open Pickleball event ended in a second-round loss, Agassi said the sport has hooked him.
“Dude, I’m not just liking it, I’m loving it,” Agassi said in an interview with Fox News. “It’s an anomaly to see any support ever at this kind of pace, but it’s easy to see why.”
“My family was looking for things to do, and watching how it brings people together — generations together — how it breaks cultural barriers, breaks down gender barriers, breaks down generational barriers. Low point of entry, nobody’s intimidated to try it. It’s challenging at every level. Tell me when to stop, for crying out loud.”
While Agassi keeps building his name in pickleball, his son Jaden is starting to make a name for himself in pro baseball.
