“Steffi Graf did not have to give up her family… I had no friends and no mom”: When Andre Agassi clarified misconceptions about his wife’s childhood

Andre Agassi has offered a rare insight into his relationship with fellow tennis legend Steffi Graf amid his appearance at the Australian Open. The American tennis great is in Australia for the first grand slam of the year and brought the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup (the trophy presented to the men’s champion) out onto Rod Laver Arena on Sunday night.

He walked out alongside Aussie hero Ash Barty, who was carrying the female champion’s trophy – the Daphne Ackhurst Memorial Cup. Agassi then watched on from the stands as Novak Djokovic won his first-round match against Dino Prizmic, but not before the Croatian teenager took him to four sets.

Agassi has also been doing the rounds with the Australian media, and spoke about his marriage on Monday morning in an interview with Brendan Fevola for 101.9 The Fox radio in Melbourne. Agassi and Graf are notoriously private people and have offered very little insight into their relationship in the 23 years they’ve been married.

But Agassi opened up to Fevola and spoke about some of the lessons he’s learned about Graf and marriage in general. “You pick your battles,” the 53-year-old said. “The first battle that I didn’t pick was bringing home my trophies, because if I bring home my trophies she brings home her trophies.”

Agassi won eight grand slam singles titles during his illustrious career, as well as 60 titles on the ATP tour. But his feats are nothing compared to those of his legendary wife. Graf won 22 grand slam singles titles – third-most among female athletes behind Margaret Court (24) and Serena Williams (23). She also won 107 singles titles on the WTA tour, as well as 11 in doubles – including at Wimbledon in 1998.

 

Agassi isn’t above admitting that his wife had a better career. “It’s just not good math in that respect,” he said. “We both struggle delegating, so if anything we compete over who is doing what and when, and she usually beats me at that. We each try to overachieve for the other one – let’s put it that way.”

Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi.

Andre Agassi photo delights tennis fans at Australian Open

Agassi sent tennis fans wild on Sunday when he posted a photo of himself kissing a photo of Graf on the wall in one of the tunnels at Melbourne Park. “This is how a man should celebrate his accomplished wife,” one fan commented. Agassi and Graf’s daughter Jaz was among the many to share the post as well.

Graf won the Australian Open singles title four times – in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1994. Agassi matched that feat with titles in 1995, 2000, 2001 and 2003.

During the interview with Fevola, Agassi also declared that he believes Djokovic is the GOAT ahead of long-time rivals Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer. Djokovic has 24 grand slam titles compared to Nadal’s 22 and Federer’s 20, but fans of the other two always seem to find a way to argue that Djokovic isn’t the greatest.