Realise the purpose that drives you: Andre Agassi

KOCHI:  Just because I didn’t choose my life doesn’t mean I can’t take ownership of it, said former tennis sensation Andre Agassi, who was in conversation with Indian tennis icon Vijay Amritraj at the 44th IAA World Congress here on Friday. “Unlike Vijay who started playing tennis because of passion since childhood, I, on the other hand, was forced into the game. Being the youngest son, my siblings weren’t doing well in the game so I didn’t have a choice. I was disconnected with it and hated it, but went on to top it,” said Agassi. 

While at the peak of his career, he started to realise how little of us get to choose our life and it was a much-needed moment of epiphany. “To find my reason, I started my foundation for education for children who did not have a choice. I was proud of my success, my failure and then realising my reason with my foundation and succeeding again and enjoying the power the game gave me to make a difference,” said Agassi. The Andre Agassi Foundation started in 2001 plans transforming public education in the United States through public charter schools and by influencing state and national policy. 

On retirement, he commented most of us don’t know what to do with the rest of life after stop playing. “My life while playing was about building my philanthropy venture in education, to scale it up across geographies and putting a business model to make it happen by using technology,” said Agassi. He added he has been pursuing the mission through his life and tennis gave him the required platform. 

In his fifth visit to India, Agassi says before travelling to the country, he was warned about sensory overload between the difference in rich and poor. “This was hard at first, but later I started to get used to it and I feel it is not the disparity of wealth that exists, it’s is a disparity of hope,” said Agassi. 

In the United States, you know with hard work and education you can make something of your life, giving you hope, he said. “On the other hand, in India even with hard work and education, you are not sure of success. This leads to hopelessness, which turns into despair,” said Agassi.

It’s the disparity of hope that we all have to address, he said, adding, “I am proud to be in India and in a small way trying to bridge that gap (through my education foundation in Mumbai).” Concluding on a lighter note, Agassi said it is difficult to play tennis with his wife Steffi Graff, as the most important thing you learn in tennis is to watch the ball and when with Steffi it is just unable to focus on the ball.