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Michael Stich gave his true thoughts on Andre Agassi as a person after he lost to him in the US Open final back in 1994

Photo by Henning Bangen/Bongarts/Getty Images
Photo by Henning Bangen/Bongarts/Getty Images
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Andre Agassi has certainly gone down as of the more controversial figures in the history of tennis, along with one of the best.

The American has been heavily involved in the sport since retiring, with Agassi the new Team World Laver Cup captain.

Team World will be looking to get back to winning ways in 2025, with McEnroe believing Agassi will impress in his role.

Agassi will be under pressure right from the start, with his side set to play host in San Francisco after their recent loss in Berlin.

He certainly knows all about European talent, with Agassi fighting hard against German Michael Stich for his first US Open title back in 1994.

US OPEN AGASSI
5 Sep 1994: ANDRE AGASSI SERVES UP A DEFEAT FOR MICHAEL CHANG IN THE FOURTH ROUND OF THE US OPEN IN FLUSHING MEADOWS, NEW YORK .

What Michael Stich said about Andre Agassi after their 1994 US Open final

The American was roared on by the home supporters in New York, with Agassi winning 6-1, 7-6(7-5), 7-5 for his second Grand Slam title overall.

Asked about his feelings towards the victor after only just losing to him, Stich told reporters at the 1994 US Open: β€œI like him. I don’t know him too well, but I like him.

READ MORE: Andre Agassi says which American player will β€˜lead the charge’ for Team World at the 2025 Laver Cup

β€œIf you were to be standing out there next to him, he was just like a little kid. I mean, just like, you know, didn’t know what to say, didn’t know what to think.

β€œHe was just so happy, and I just think he is a nice guy. He wasn’t able to cope with all the things people brought up to him, and everybody was trying to make his image, companies, television, people, ATP, players, whatever, and I think the image he has is not the person he is.

β€œAnd that is all about it. I think to get rid of that is a very, very difficult thing for a young man, and he seems to be able to do it now a little bit better.”

What Andre Agassi once said about his chances of winning a Career Grand Slam

It was, of course, the first of many Grand Slam titles for Agassi, who ended his career with eight such triumphs across all four competitions.

He enjoyed most success at the Australian Open with four titles, followed by the US Open with two and the French Open and Wimbledon with one each.

Agassi also reached the summit of the ATP rankings, and was denied further Grand Slam success with seven final defeats.

READ MORE: Andre Agassi once described how John McEnroe and Boris Becker behaved behind the scenes in the locker room

He did, however, manage a superb feat with his 1999 French Open win, which resulted in the American becoming the first man to complete a Career Grand Slam across three different surfaces in the Open Era.

Asked in that same 1994 US Open press conference if the Career Grand Slam was possible, with Pete Sampras having come close, Agassi replied: β€œYou know, I can’t answer that. I feel like there is a lot of room to me to step up now and start playing even better tennis.

TENNIS-RG-AGASSI-FINAL-JUBI-CUP 02
Photo by THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images

β€œBut there is a lot of great players out there, so I mean, to say anybody, even Pete winning a Grand Slam, I mean, quite honestly, I didn’t believe it, you know, until if he would have won the French then I would have said now with grass and hard court coming up, but it is not an easy thing to do.”

A total of seven men have won a Career Grand Slam, which involves winning each of the four major championships during a player’s career.

PlayerTournament won to complete Career Grand Slam
Fred Perry1935 French Championships
Don Budge1938 French Championships
Rod Laver1962 U.S. Championships
Roy Emerson1964 Wimbledon
Andre Agassi1999 French Open
Roger Federer2009 French Open
Rafael Nadal2010 US Open
Novak Djokovic2016 French Open
The seven men to win a singles Career Grand Slam