Being the tennis fanatic that I am, I knew I would enjoy this book. What I didn't expect was to learn something about and from this great champion. Most of the world knew who Andre Agassi was in the '90s, but hardly anyone knew what he had been through and what was going through his mind while playing his matches. This book is honest, reads quickly, and will make you laugh, cry. and cheer.
Reading Agassi's impeccable retellings of key matches took me back to those days as I sat on the edge of my seat watching those Grand Slams on TV. I loved hearing how he interacted with other great champions such as Pete Sampras and Jimmy Connors. It was also fascinating to be with him, on his side of the court, as he waited to return serve and finally, it became apparent how he was the best returner in the game of tennis.
His dad started him young in tennis and Open takes the reader from those early days through his time at the Bollettieri Prison (I mean Academy) and on to his beginnings as a pro. Agassi tells, with brutal honesty, about his marriage to Brooke Shields, his relationship with his father, and, as has been sensationalized by the media, his use of a hairpiece and meth.
Finishing Agassi's autobiography will leave you exhausted. Not only does he take you on an emotional roller coaster, but as the reader, you run every hill with him, return every bomb from Sampras, and feel every injury he has.
This is an excellent sports memoir and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys sports, people, or great stories.
