It’s safe to say that Andre Agassi is among the sport’s all-time greats. He achieved an unprecedented feat by winning Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces (hard, clay, and grass). Looking at his stellar career and the kind of progress Agassi made in tennis, one would consider him one of the most passionate tennis admirers. But in reality, that isn’t the case.

He himself has come forward and revealed that he hates tennis in his autobiography. In fact, in one of the interviews, he gave the reason behind his unusual feeling and emptiness deep inside, despite his success.

Andre Agassi once revealed unusual feelings post his career

Andre Agassi, the eight-time Grand Slam champion, has been vocal about his dislike for tennis. In October 2015, he spoke to Harvard Business Review in one of his interviews, where he revealed how he felt differently despite his tremendous success in the sport. 

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“I thought that getting to number one was going to be the moment I made sense of my life. But it left me a little empty, and I spiraled down until something had to change.” said the 52-year-old.

READ MORE: ‘I Didn’t Make the Effort’- Andre Agassi Recollects Regretful Moments of His Career

To add to this, his aggression and fiery temper off the court also crept into his personal life, particularly during his marriage to Hollywood actress Brooke Shields. Andre Agassi eventually filed for divorce after a short period of their relationship in 1999.

Agassi once talked about his father forcefully imposing tennis on him

Andre Agassi previously appeared on the Spotify podcast “The Ranveer Show.” During the show, he talked about his upbringing, his tennis career, and life after retirement, including his experiences playing with greats like Roger Federer.  

The fact that he did not pick tennis as a hobby is one of the most intriguing revelations he made. His father was the one who pushed him into this. “You know my father, let’s just call him very intense, to say the least. And he saw tennis as the fastest road to the American dream, you know, so he was pushing without even caring if it was compromising relationships,” revealed the eight-time Grand Slam champion.

WATCH THE STORY: Hollywood star Brooke Shields opens up about her failed marriage with Andre Agassi

Perhaps this is one instance where a person’s passion for the game does not necessarily equate to the enjoyment of the sport. And even though this is a rare occurrence in the world of professional sports, the fact that it does happen should give us food for thought.