Prior to this week’s Mercedes-Benz Cup, 35-year-old Andre
Agassi was termed by the ATP as “the legend” of
tennis.
After eight weeks off the court due to a sciatic nerve in his
back and a one-year hiatus from the winner’s circle, the
tennis community had reason to reserve him to
“legendary” status not because of his recent
accomplishments, but rather his success over the last two
decades.
But after Agassi’s straight set Mercedes-Benz Cup victory
6-4, 7-5 over Gilles Muller on Sunday, they can add one more
success to his mythic persona.
“It has been a long journey for me to get here,”
Agassi said. “I am just so glad I’m at a time of my
life where I can appreciate these moments more.”
The title puts Agassi seventh on the all-time list of ATP
victories, and makes him only the fourth player ever to win the
Mercedes-Benz Cup at least four times.
“At this stage of your career, your chances become fewer
and fewer,” Agassi said. “I’ve experienced so
many great moments, but this was a very special week.”
From the beginning, Agassi showed that he wouldn’t fall to
the mishaps that had caused him to lose three previous final
matches at the tournament.
In the first game of the first set, Agassi broke Muller’s
serve and never turned back, holding serve throughout the first set
and winning the set 6-4.
Agassi finished off the first set with a crosscourt winner as
Muller looked hopeless from that side of the court.
“I just wasn’t ready for his returns in the first
game,” Muller said. “I remember playing him last year,
but he didn’t play this good.”
In the second set, Agassi not only rebounded from two set points
when down 5-4, but came back from a love-40 deficit in the 11th
game to score five straight points and give him a 6-5
advantage.
The next game was essentially an afterthought as Agassi cruised
to victory. Following the win, Agassi participated in the
championship ceremony, where he bowed and blew kisses to the
crowd.
“It is truly an honor to win in this tournament,” he
said. “The people, the name always make this tournament
noteworthy and special.”
Just a week earlier, however, no one ““ not even Agassi
““ thought the victory was even possible.
During his eight weeks away from the game, Agassi touched a
racket only twice, both times for 20 minutes with his wife Steffi
Graf in preparation for her World Tennis Team matches.
Agassi was considering taking a cortisone shot just a week prior
to the tournament, and his main focus at the beginning of the week
was just to see how his body would react to the live action.
“I’m amazed even at myself,” Agassi said after
his win. “I was very worried coming in about my injury,
because it was something I couldn’t control; each match in
the week was a gradual stepping stool for me.”
Three days prior to the tournament, Agassi was left as the top
seed in the tournament after previous No. 1 Andy Roddick dropped
out.
Agassi only faced off against two top-100 players during the
tournament as numerous other top seeds dropped during the week, and
he only faced nine break points throughout the entire week.
For Agassi, however, the tournament was special nonetheless.
“I realize that I didn’t face the best of
world-class competition this week,” Agassi said. “But
it was still crucial for me, in terms of getting my game back to a
championship level.”
Agassi now moves on to the rest of the U.S. Open Series, which
is a series of tournaments before the U.S. Open, which takes place
in late August.
Regardless of whether he participates in all those tournaments,
his effect on the tournament will be known.
With his presence in the Mercedes-Benz cup this week, the
tournament had its third-highest attendance ever and was host to a
capacity crowd for the championship match.
A true testament of the effect Agassi had on the tournament was
given by his opponent on Sunday.
“All I’ve ever heard from everyone is what a great
person and a great ambassador for the game of tennis (he
is),” Muller said. “There is a reason why he is loved
by everyone around the world.”