[JoshW]

(ChattahBox) — Tennis legend Andre Agassi serves up a bombshell in his new memoir, The book, “Open: An Autobiography,” which will be excerpted in People and Sports Illustrated this week. The book of his colorful life is interesting enough detailing his hair loss, his troubled marriage to Brooke Shields and the love he eventually found with his current wife, Steffi Graf. But Agassi’s upcoming autobiography apparently contains an admission that he used the recreational drug crystal meth, which is very disappointing to hear.

The New York Daily News says Agassi specifically used crystal meth a stimulant in 1997, failed a drug test and boldly lied in a letter to tennis officials saying it happened after sipping one of his assistants “spiked sodas”, in order to successfully dodge a competition ban. 1997 was a low point in Agassi’s career, when a wrist injury sidelined him for much of the season and his world ranking slipped to 141. Later on, Agassi writes, he received a call from ATP doctors telling him he’d tested positive for meth.

“My name, my career, everything is now on the line. Whatever I’ve achieved, whatever I’ve worked for, might soon mean nothing. Days later I sit in a hard-backed chair, a legal pad in my lap, and write a letter to the ATP. It’s filled with lies interwoven with bits of truth.

“I say Slim, whom I’ve since fired, is a known drug user, and that he often spikes his sodas with meth - which is true. Then I come to the central lie of the letter. I say that recently I drank accidentally from one of Slim’s spiked sodas, unwittingly ingesting his drugs. I ask for understanding and leniency and hastily sign it: sincerely.
“I feel ashamed, of course. I promise myself that this lie is the end of it.”
Since then, a publicist for Random House confirmed the drug use. “Those excerpts contain revelations about Andre’s use of crystal meth when he was a tennis player,” said Paul Bogaards, director of media relations at Knopf, a division of Random House. in the book. Agassi was “worried for a moment, but not for long” about telling his fans about his use of crystal meth. “I wore my heart on my sleeve and my emotions were always written on my face. I was actually excited about telling the world the whole story.”

It’s not clear from what I have read whether Agassi tried to use the powerful stimulant to boost his energy to play better tennis or whether this was strictly a recreational endeavor. The book itself will be out November 9. Agassi retired in 2006 to his wife Steffi Graf, and two kids, after winning eight grand slam titles, and established a school for disadvantaged kids in Las Vegas. I can’t help recalling that advertising campaign for Canon that had Andre Agassi declare that ‘image is everything’?

[Hotdiggity11]

That's fine, Agassi is a classy guy overall. Taking drugs was his decision alone.

[durito]

It's not a performance enhancing drug, more like the opposite.

[Bread]

Ain't nuthin wrong with a little weekend tweeking. I find it's always more exciting if you do it in a boarded up building somewhere in the hood.

Adds authenticity to your overall experience

[Fishhead]

WOW, stunning.

I lived across the street from Agassi in 1997ish and would see him and Brooke monthly.........to be honest, Brooke always appeared more spaced out them him.

[Domestic]

I find it odd that certain news services are stating things like "The Tennis world has been devastated by the news of Andre bla bla bla.."
I don't really think it is a big deal for anyone but Andre and the people who knew him. Its not like he was taking steroids, quite the opposite like durito said.

[Fishhead]

Andre has done more for the city of Vegas then all the other professional athletes that live there put together.

I have tremendous admiration for him because of this.

[jellobiafra]

Hey Fishy some old family friends of mine lived next door to Agassi back then in Vegas. Is that where you were referring too?

[Fishhead]

Originally Posted by jellobiafra

Hey Fishy some old family friends of mine lived next door to Agassi back then in Vegas. Is that where you were referring too?

Yes

Spanish Trails

[JoshW]

I love biographies that are honest. He had a pretty clean image, so I am surprised he would be so honest. Doesn't need to sell books for money, but maybe he knows he needs a hook to get on the bestseller list.

[jellobiafra]

Originally Posted by Fishhead

Yes

Spanish Trails

Did you know the Ash's? Gene and Judy.

[jjgold]

I bet he used a few times only

[blackbart]

oldest trick in the book

[DwightShrute]

I only post when I am on crystal meth

[jjgold]

Do people really care what is in his book? If you familar with meth addicts there is no way he could be that good in tennis let alone function without anyone knowing.

[fsugolf]

kind of crazy, wouldn't expect this from him....but to each his own

[Killer_Demo]

i dont like tweak in general but I can say at least he wasnt a degenerate druggie and actually put his high to help him thru his career

[GiantFan]

How come they always admit their flaws after they end their carreers?

[WileOut]

Originally Posted by durito

It's not a performance enhancing drug, more like the opposite.

If you use it only occasionally then I would think it would be a very big advantage if you took it right before a match. Any stimulant is an advantage if you don't abuse it. If you just use it before a match you are going to be hard to beat.

Then again an occasional crystal meth user is hard to find.

Now if you had been up for days using it and then tried to play a match you would not fare very well.

This is not too stunning because I remember back in the early 90's Andre admitted smoking weed regularly while training at Nick Bolleteri's when he was a youngster. And despite what many weed advocates say (and I am a weed advocate), it is a gateway drug for many people.

[jjgold]

Originally Posted by WileOut

If you use it only occasionally then I would think it would be a very big advantage if you took it right before a match. Any stimulant is an advantage if you don't abuse it. If you just use it before a match you are going to be hard to beat.

Then again an occasional crystal meth user is hard to find.

Now if you had been up for days using it and then tried to play a match you would not fare very well.

This is not too stunning because I remember back in the early 90's Andre admitted smoking weed regularly while training at Nick Bolleteri's when he was a youngster. And despite what many weed advocates say (and I am a weed advocate), it is a gateway drug for many people.

Great post, maybe ten though usta might have to take his grand slams away if he was undfer the influence. The whole story sounds strange.

Maybe Agassi broke from gambling and needs money??

[JoshW]

Did he consider just taking Adderall? Seems a little less extreme than crystal meth.

[PingPong]

im more concerned about the fake mullet he wore

[Dbldown11]

theres tons of good athletes that used uppers to help them....look at LT and blow. Uppers helps athletes perform just like opiates helps musicians haha

[WileOut]

Whats amazing about Lawrence Taylor was that he used crack the night before his games, and was actually coming down when he played his games according to him and others around him. I don't think he ever played while high.

After a night of smoking crack, upper pills don't do anything for you though, so I doubt he used pills before games.

[daggerkobe]

Explains why he dumped Brooke Shields and married Snuffleupagus.

[koby25]

They said he was hiding the meth in Brooke Shields eyebrows,

[gummo]

Not a big deal.

[JamesGenius]

cant wait to read his book, been thinking about picking it up the last couple of days

[DollarBeer]

Originally Posted by daggerkobe

Explains why he dumped Brooke Shields and married Snuffleupagus.

Best Post Tonight...DB