Wimbledon 1992 - When Andre Agassi finally won his first Grand Slam tournament
Andre Agassi was considered the greatest US hope - and yet Michael Chang, Pete Sampras and Jim Courier beat him with the big victories. On July 5, 1992, everything should change for the bird of paradise from Las Vegas.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Jul 05, 2020, 06:28 pm
Andre Agassi and Wimbledon - it was anything but great love. In 1987, the US boy first hit the All England Club and, after losing to Henri Leconte, vowed never to play there again. "The food, the buses, the venerable traditions - everything makes me feel like I'm out of place," recalls Agassi in his autobiography Open . And the rules, especially the ones to play in white. "What does it matter to these people, what kind of clothes do I wear?"
Agassi remained abstinent until 1991, when he returned. All in white, he still reached the quarter-finals, where he injured David Wheaton in a 2-1 set lead and with two breaks in the front.
In 1992 everything should change, even though Agassi is not arriving in good shape. The favorites are Becker (winner 1985, 1986, 1989), Edberg (1988, 1990), Stich (1991) or Sampras, players with good serves and even stronger volleys. A baseline expert like Agassi on the then lightning-fast lawn? Hadn't torn anything there in ages.
# GALLERY #
Agassi wins against Becker and McEnroe
But Agassi refuels: in the quarterfinals he beats Becker, who has been in the final in six of the last seven years, in five sets, in the semifinals he wins against John McEnroe, who wanted to move back into a Grand Slam final for the first time since 1984. The final opponent: Goran Ivanisevic, who had defeated Pete Sampras in the other semi-final.
Until then, Agassi had reached three grand slam finals, at the French Open against Andres Gomez in 1990 and at the US Open against Pete Sampras, again in 1991 against Jim Courier in Paris. In all matches he was the top favorite - and lost. And a Wimbledon final against Ivanisevic, the "King of the Aces"? "The only question is whether the fight ends with a knockout or a technical knockout," says the 22-year-old Agassi little good
But he knows that the Croatian’s second serve will decide the match. And that's exactly how it should happen. It stands 6: 7 (8), 6: 4, 6: 4, 1: 6, and 5.4 for Agassi in the fifth movement. Ivanisevic makes two double faults to 0:30, at 30:40 Agassi has a match point, Ivanisevic - who has beaten 37 aces to date - has to go over the second serve. Against Agassi, the best return player ever. Who speaks to himself at this moment: "If you don't win this point, I'll make you hell all your life.
Agassi returns - and Ivanisevic's backhand volley gets stuck on the net edge ...
Champions Dinner with Steffi Graf
The only bitter moment of July 5, 1992 comes in the evening when the traditional Wimbledon dance fails. Agassi had absolutely wanted to hover over the floor with the winner of the women's competition, Steffi Graf. "I've had a crush on Steffi since I saw an interview with her on French television. I was touched by the thunder, absolutely thrilled by her modest grace, her natural beauty. She looked somehow as if she could be comfortable." It should be until 1999 that Agassi and Graf would get closer ...
For Agassi the Wimbledon victory was the first major title, at the end of his career it was a total of eight. And the inferior Ivanisevic? Should be the most unlucky Wimbledon player in the coming years. In 1994 and 1998 he was again in the final and lost to Pete Sampras. And suddenly found his luck in 2001: As number 125 in the world and dependent on a wildcard, Ivanisevic, together with his three alter egos "Good Goran", "Bad Goran" and "Emergency Goran", reached the final, where he played in five sets won against Patrick Rafter and proved that the tennis god apparently does exist ...
