Agassi Open About Drug Use In Biography

Andre Agassi turned professional tennis player at age 16. Here was a boy whose father was notorious for his outburst during his son's matches and was often escorted out for arguing with officials. By his own account, Mike Agassi acknowledged his impure reputation referring to himself in his autobiography The Agassi Story as a "crazy Iranian from Las Vegas who browbeat his kids into mastering tennis."

Agassi is only one of six men to achieve a Career Grand Slam by winning Wimbledon in 1992, the US Open in 1994, the Australia Open in 1996, and the French Open in 1999. In 1996, Agassi secured the gold medal in the Atlanta Olympics and went on to win eight grand-slam titles before retiring in 2006.

What is most surprising is his stunning admission to using crystal meth and, even more sad, that he has secretly hated playing tennis and lived in fear of his violent father.

Agassi has penned the memoir Open: An Autobiography to be released November 9. The former tennis champion recounts his failed marriage to actress Brooke Shields, loss of confidence, use of recreational drugs, hair loss and his relationship with his father.

When asked by People Magazine what he felt the repercussion would be Agassi, 39, replied he was not worried about the impact of his admission on his fans, "I was worried for a moment, but not for long ... 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." Interesting choice of words coming from a man who once famously advertised for Canon that "image was everything."

Andre Agassi was the golden boy in an era of power tennis. Ivan Lendl. Boris Becker. John McEnroe. Pete Sampras. Jimmy Connors. He was 22 years old when he won Wimbledon. Agassi's full mane, scruffy beard and questionable outfits divided fans and won him critics. Agassi struggled to turned style into substance.

By 1997 a wrist injury sidelined his game and he finished the year ranking 122, sending a huge blow to his ego and breaking his confidence. The very same year he met and was to marry Brooke Shields, concerns swirled about their impending nuptials. Agassi was more than losing his grip.

"As if they're coming out of someone else's mouth, I hear these words: You know what? F*** it. Yeah. Let's get high," Agassi wrote. "There is a moment of regret, followed by vast sadness. Then comes a tidal wave of euphoria that sweeps away every negative thought in my head. I've never felt so alive, so hopeful - and I've never felt such energy."

Agassi did not bother to practice for either the French Open or Wimbledon and eventually received the phone call he had been dreading but knew was coming. A doctor working with the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) informed Agassi he has failed a drug test.

"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. 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. 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."

According to Agassi, the case was reviewed and later thrown out by the ATP.