Jürgen Melzer - "I'm glad I still played against Andre Agassi"
Austria's tennis legend Jürgen Melzer experienced Andre Agassi from at least two perspectives: as a fan and later as an opponent on the ATP tour.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Apr 29, 2020, 11:47 am
When Andre Agassi competed for the USA in the Davis Cup at the Vienna Prater Stadium for the USA in September 1990 (and at least contributed one point to the 3-2 victory of the Americans on the first day with Horst Skoff), Jürgen Melzer was just nine years old . At that time Melzer saw an aspiring world star, who scurried across the square in neon colors, with long hair, whose authenticity many years later serious doubts would arise.
# IMG2 #
"I have two relationships with Andre Agassi," Melzer said on the occasion of the 50th birthday of the eight-time major champion from Las Vegas. “When I got my first Nike stuff, it was Andre Agassi's. I was incredibly proud that I could wear the same shoes and outfit as he did. That was extremely cool. "
Melzer beats Agassi twice
Melzer was soon to change the supplier, 13 years after the David Cup in Vienna he faced his youth idol in Houston in the semifinals. "That made him the oldest number one," Melzer recalls the 4: 6, 1: 6 loss to American ashes. "It was cool for him that he became number one again, for me it was cool that I was standing in the square opposite him again."
The next two games, 2004 at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Toronto and the following year at the tournament in San Jose, Melzer was even able to win - ended with a 2-1 record against Agassi. “He was just a giant icon who went through ups and downs but was still one of the best tennis players of all time. His return, his hand-eye coordination, how quickly it worked on the return was incredible. ”
"Agassi has shaped world tennis"
And once the ball was in play, Agassi did not let go. “He knew how to dictate from the middle of the square like no other. At Agassi you rarely had the feeling that he was running more than the other. But if you did that, then you actually had it quite well at Reindl. ”Like Melzer in Canada and San Jose.
What remains is the following: “Agassi was such a charismatic player who shaped world tennis. And I am extremely happy that I was in the generation that was still allowed to play against him. ”