Famous Tennis Players
Andre Agassi
Agassi then began in 1998 a rigorous conditioning program in order to better his ranking positions. He played the Challenger Series tournaments (a circuit for professional players ranked outside the world's top 50). In 1998, Agassi won five titles and leapt from number 122 on the rankings at the start of the year to number 6 at the end of that same year.
In 2000 Agassi captured his second Australian Open title defeating Yevgeny Kafelnikov in a four-set final. Agassi was the first male player to have reached four consecutive Grand Slam finals since Rod Laver achieved the Grand Slam in 1969.
Agassi opened 2001 by defending his Australian Open title win over Arnaud Clement. At Wimbledon, Agassi battled Rafter again in the semi-finals and lost 8-6 in the fifth set. At the US Open Agassi lost in the quarter-finals to Sampras in a match considered to be one of tournament's all-time greatest matches.
Agassi's US Open finish, along with his victories at the Miami Masters, Rome Masters, and Madrid Masters helped him finish 2002 as the oldest year-end No. 2 at 32 years and 8 months.
Agassi recaptured the World No.1 ranking in 2003 and became the oldest No. 1 ranked male tennis player in history at 33 years and 13 days. Agassi won the eighth Grand Slam title of his career at the Australian Open. In May that year, Agassi held the number 1 ranking on that occasion for 13 weeks.
Agassi started off 2005 with strong runs, most of which were cut short by Roger Federer. Agassi lost to Federer in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and the semifinals at Dubai. Agassi reached the quarterfinals at Indian Wells after a dominant victory over Guillermo Coria, but withdrew from his match with Lleyton Hewitt due to an injury.
In 2006 Agassi withdrew from the Australian Open because of an ankle injury. Once he withdrew, he immediately requested a wildcard to enter the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships, where Agassi eventually finished as a quarterfinalist losing to Guillermo García Lopez 4-6, 2-6.
Agassi's top priority in 2006 is to make another run at the US Open next August.