He is all class for sure...but I think not hitting drop shots against a cramping opponent is stupidity, not class.
In boxing, if you cut a guys eye open, do you stop hitting that eye?
Sports are about competition...if your opponent has a weakness, you attack it. Otherwise the players with the most weaknesses would end up being the most successful.
In boxing, if you cut a guys eye open, do you stop hitting that eye?
Sports are about competition...if your opponent has a weakness, you attack it. Otherwise the players with the most weaknesses would end up being the most successful.
Having lived in VEGAS for a long period of time and actually having lived fairly close to his home in VEGAS, ran into Andre on quite a few occassions.
In those many times, he always handled himself with great class and politeness.
He has given mucho back to the city of Las Vegas over his career............charity golf events, providing funding for a boys and girls club, and charity casino events to name just a few things.
Not a huge tennis fan, but always pulled for Andre his entire career.
In those many times, he always handled himself with great class and politeness.
He has given mucho back to the city of Las Vegas over his career............charity golf events, providing funding for a boys and girls club, and charity casino events to name just a few things.
Not a huge tennis fan, but always pulled for Andre his entire career.
IMHO Agassi knew that last night's match might be his last at the US Open, and he didn't want to win his last match by exploiting an opponent's weakness and being seen as a weasel. It was a classy move.
Reminds me of Rocky II when Rocky has been fighting right-handed the whole match and Mickey tells him before the 15th round to switch back to left-handed. "No tricks," Rocky says.
Reminds me of Rocky II when Rocky has been fighting right-handed the whole match and Mickey tells him before the 15th round to switch back to left-handed. "No tricks," Rocky says.
Agassi has put in nineteen million dollars into his charity. Who would have ever thought that in the early 90's that Agassi would have been last one standing amongst Courier, Chang, and Sampras. His talent was always obvious, but his dedication was very questionable. At 1-0 in 5th set, I was for sure he was done and it looked like the fans knew it and he did too. I have seen some magic in US Open night matches but I thought it wouldn't happen at that point. He's a class act and it will be tough to watch him walk off the court for the final time. I am getting sad just thinking about it.
Andre was still hitting shots back and forth making Baghdatis run cross court nearly every point. Leg cramps like that are devastating and usually linger for the rest of the competition. Don't know how he was even able to finish the match. Both guys were all heart - an instant classic
basesAREloaded said:
While I agree that Agassi is all class, first class that is, I viviidly remember him hitting at least one drop shot against Baghdatis after the bad cramping episode in the 5th set. But even if Agassi hit 100 drop shots against Baghdatis, it would not diminish Agassi's class. You play to win; you do whatever it takes to win, within the rules of course, and hitting a drop shot is not against the rules.
You can't just hit successful drop shots at will.....they are done most of the time on a short ball from your opponent that doesn't have a lot of pace. Baghditus was hitting points hard and going for winners when he was cramping...so not sure Agassi had opportunities to do this.
These are the kind of questions that McEnroe should have asked at the completion of the match......did you reallly go for the jugular down the stretch when your opponent could hardly walk? Instead, we were treated to an embarrassing lovefest between Andre and McEnroe.
These are the kind of questions that McEnroe should have asked at the completion of the match......did you reallly go for the jugular down the stretch when your opponent could hardly walk? Instead, we were treated to an embarrassing lovefest between Andre and McEnroe.
basesAREloaded said:
My point exactly...drop shots are part of the game! Whether Agassi hit one or a hundred, or whether he hit the drop shot first or second, doesn't make a bit of difference.
A better point would have been for you to say that Agassi refused to take advantage of a cramping opponent by hitting a first serve in that critical game where Baghdatis was cramping up.
