“I wanted my son to know me… if something happened to me, he wouldn’t”: When Andre Agassi called his book a ‘love letter’ to wife Steffi Graf & kids

Andre Agassi once opened up about his motivation to lay bare his life story in his autobiography. The American also described the book as a heartfelt tribute to his wife, fellow tennis legend Steffi Graf, and their children.

During his illustrious 20-year career, Agassi won eight Major titles, completed the career Golden Slam, and attained the World No. 1 ranking before his retirement in 2006. The American tied the knot with Graf in 1999, and the couple welcomed their son Jaden that same year. Their daughter Jaz was born in 2003.In 2009, Andre Agassi chronicled his personal and professional journey in his autobiography ‘Open.’ The eight-time Grand Slam champion was strikingly candid in his memoir, opening up about “hating” tennis, experimenting with crystal meth, and his first marriage to actress Brooke Shields.

Agassi initially began documenting his thoughts in a journal after the birth of his son, disclosing that he wanted Jaden to have a window into his life during his younger years, in case he wasn’t around when he grew up. In a 2009 interview with SFGate, the American called his book a “love letter” to his wife Steffi Graf, and their children.
“I wanted my son to know me during the years when, if something happened to me, he wouldn’t know me. But beyond that, I think this book is a love letter to the people in my life, especially my wife and my kids and those who have helped form who I am,” Andre Agassi said.

Andre Agassi also emphasized that his book tour held a deep significance, as his memoir would have a more lasting legacy.
“No, not really (laughs). Because the thing that’s different, as hard as it is to do both, I feel like this tour, unlike the other, has real, deep relevance. This book will live past me, this book will live for people I’ve never met,” he said