The Fairytale Could Come True

Tennis' favourite son has announced his retirement. Paul Johnson reports, a fairytale finish could happen before he hangs up the racquet.

At the end of this year, the tennis world will lose an icon of the game to retirement.

From brash brilliance involving wild pirate like hair and colourful outfits, his first of many Grand Slams, to loss of fitness and wandering through the tennis wilderness for the best part of two years, to making it back all the way to the top with a statesmanlike manner, to claim many more Grand Slams, Andre Agassi has done it all.

With a little luck, and less pain from his troublesome back, his career in the next two weeks could come full circle, with a final defining title at the place it all began for the man dubbed, “The Las Vegas Showman”.

Wimbledon holds a special place in the heart of Andre Agassi, it was the place at which he won his first Grand Slam title all the way back in 1992. He has a love of the Championships, missing the entire clay court season, so he could give his ailing back a chance to rest to launch an assault at Wimbledon saying that, “I am motivated enough and have enough respect for this tournament to get myself in the best shape possible”.

It has been reported in the pres that Agassi has said he does not see himself as a contender for the title this year but he is also on the record as saying “any opponent will have to play the game of their lives to beat me”.

At the age of 36, Andre still has plenty to offer the game, in fact just last year he pushed Roger Federer hard in the US Open final. Even though he did not succeed the skills were still there, and he is one of only a handful of players that could stand a chance against the Swiss maestro on grass including Lleyton Hewitt, Mario Ancic, Tommy Haas and Andy Roddick.

Out of all of those, Agassi is the only one who will not serve and volley, but conversely is also the only player who can match Federer from the back of the court.

Agassi knows how to handle the grass courts of Wimbledon, and he is always a formidable opponent when fit, and is one of the greatest competitors and shot makers the game has ever seen, and thanks to a kind draw he could stroll through his quarter into a semi-final showdown with either Hewitt or Roddick.

Some may say that a third round encounter with Rafael Nadal, would be a threat, but Nadal is still learning how to deal with a surface that does not favour his heavily top-spun shots and will struggle to make an impact against Agassi.

Federer although formidable is also human, he can be beaten and faces a significantly tougher draw involving matches with Mario Ancic and Tommy Haas along the way to the final, courtesy of this and Agassi’s ability to seize great moment a fairytale finish to a legendary career may be on the cards.

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