sport 35
June 14, 2009 thesundaytimes
Celebrity tennis couple Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf are opposites: he is still the showman, she is still the shy woman
Leonard Lim
In Paris
The calls for them to kiss grew loud-
er.
But she, still famously reticent af-
ter all these years, smiled at the 20
or so photographers and pretended
not to hear them.
He, still willing to play up to the
gallery, appeared ready to oblige
but, sensing her shyness, simply tilt-
ed his head towards hers for the
cameras.
The paparazzi never got their
kiss.
But, once the prying eyes were
gone, she reached out to clasp his
hand, fingers interlocking with his
and drawing that endearing school-
boy grin.
Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf may
have different ways of displaying
their affection in public, but they
are clearly very much still in love
nearly eight years after marriage –
somewhat of a rarity in the celebri-
ty world.
Tennis’ most glamorous couple
were in Paris last weekend for a
charity exhibition event organised
by Swiss watch company Longines.
They also presented the French
Open men and women’s singles tro-
phies to Roger Federer and Svetlana
Kuznetsova respectively.
It was a symbolic weekend for
Agassi and Graf, returning 10 years
after their respective triumphs to
the city which also had a role in
sparking their romance.
“This place holds many memo-
ries, it’s where we fell in love,” said
Agassi, 39, who, like Federer last
Sunday, completed his career
Grand Slam with a victory in the
French capital in 1999.
At the French Open winners’
ball that year, Agassi and Graf had a
few minutes alone during the tradi-
tional champions dance, when the
men and women’s singles winners
do a ballroom number during a ga-
la dinner.
Birthday girl Graf, who
turns 40 today, says
“The family is the centre
of my life. I am not
interested in gifts, it is
much more important
to be together with all
the others.”
The private moments paved the
way for them to get to know each
other better. Soon, they dated.
Graf said: “This wasn’t where we
first met, but where we crossed
again.”
The timing was also right. Both
were just out of relationships.
The flamboyant American had
just ended a turbulent two-year
marriage to American actress
Brooke Shields. The German tennis
star had just broken up after a sev-
en-year relationship with Michael
Bartels, a German race-car driver.
Said Agassi in an interview with
The Sunday Times: “After Paris,
things happened very quickly.
There was a level of destiny we felt,
something special cut both of us.”
What, then, was the quality that
YOG to bank on
people power
Valerie Chia
People power.
That was what helped Singa-
pore win the bid to host the inau-
gural Youth Olympic Games next
year. It is also the factor that will
make the mega event special, said
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan.
The Minister for Community
Development, Youth and Sports
was at the YOG Volunteers’ Day at
the Singapore Expo yesterday to
thank more than 3, 000 volunteers
for their support.
“It’s not the facilities but the
people that will showcase Singa-
pore,” he said. “You’re the ones
who’ll make the YOG special and
for that I thank every one of you.”
The volunteers range from ages
13 to 68 and form an eclectic mix,
with some from countries like Bra-
zil and India. They will help out in
various areas – from public rela-
tions and human resources, to lo-
gistics and venue operations.
Proper training, which starts in
September, will be provided via on-
line e-learning or conducted class-
Sorry, we’re not kissing
As calls for them to kiss grew louder during the recent French Open, Agassi tilted his head towards Graf and they smiled. The paparazzi never got their kiss.
first caught his eye?
Agassi, grinning, said: “Honest-
ly? Her legs. I could lie, tell you
something else.
“But then you get to know her
and it gets better. You see the rela-
tionships in her life, the loyalty,
the professionalism. She was every-
thing that I wanted to be.”
According to his wife, who turns
40 today, the seeds of romance had
been planted earlier that year.
Graf, who still possesses those
killer legs exposed by the short skirt
she wore during the exhibition
match, said: “Our coaches arranged
a practice together in Key Biscayne,
a tournament in Miami.”
Giggling like a teenager recalling
her first crush, she added: “The first
impression never left.”
His heart, beneath a tough,
then-brash exterior, melted hers.
She soon moved into his Las Ve-
gas home, and the former world
No.1s were married in October
2001. Son Jaden Gil was born four
days later, and daughter Jaz Elle fol-
lowed in 2003.
By that year, Graf had left the
sport for four years, while he would
call time on his professional career
in 2006 because of injuries.
In a career that began 20 years
before, Agassi, known for his aggres-
sive returns and angled baseline
winners, had accumulated eight
Grand Slams and an Olympic gold.
His rivalry with Pete Sampras
saw the Americans play many mem-
orable matches, including the epic
2001 US Open quarter-final that
had no breaks of serve and which
“I want to
give back
to
Singapore
sports as
they had
invested so
much in
me when I was
representing the
country.”
SHEN PINXIU, SEA Games wushu
bronze medallist
es. Volunteers must also commit at
least seven straight days of their
time during the Games.
For former Singapore wushu ex-
ponent Shen Pinxiu, volunteering
is her chance to thank her country
for all its support.
Said the 22-year-old, a bronze
medallist in the taijiquan and taiji-
jian combined event at the 2005
SEA Games: “I want to give back to
Singapore sports as they had invest-
ed so much in me when I was rep-
resenting the country.
match in Hamburg, Seles, then the
world No. 1, was stabbed by a men-
tally-ill fan of Graf. He claimed that
he did it to help his idol reclaim the
top ranking.
Seles would return to the sport
only two years later.
Graf’s career was also blighted
by the tax evasion affair that in-
volved her father in the mid-1990s.
He was her financial manager then,
and was sentenced to 45 months in
jail. She also had to pay a fine to
the German government.
Tennis aside, Agassi and Graf
have other similar interests.
Favourite musicians – U2, and
George Michael. Movie? Shadow-
lands, based on C.S. Lewis’ tale
about finding a soulmate late in life
but losing her to cancer.
The couple, who are based in Las
Vegas, also have a deep love for chil-
dren and have individual charities
for under-privileged kids.
The Andre Agassi College Prepar-
atory Academy, part of the Andre
Agassi Foundation, was set up in
2001 in Las Vegas. The tuition-free
school provides education for the
city’s disadvantaged children.
Ironically, Agassi never finished
his education because of his deci-
sion to turn pro.
He quipped: “Don’t mistake me
for being educated, I just provide
education. Eighth grade was the
best three years of my life.”
Graf’s focus is helping kids trau-
matised by war, persecution and vi-
olence, and “Children for Tomor-
row” has helped kids in troubled ar-
eas like Kosovo and Mozambique.
She said: “When you see the pic-
tures they draw, to be in the pres-
ence of these children is stronger
than any story you would hear
about them.
“Everybody has a chance to look
at life in a certain way... and that’s
our hope for the children.
“We give them a chance to look
ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA
at life with hope in their eyes.”
With her own kids, Graf is very
strict when it comes to their diet,
Sampras won in four sets. skills at Nick Bollettieri’s Tennis Graf joined the professional cir-
while Agassi is the disciplinarian
Agassi remains one of only six Academy in Florida. cuit at the tender age of 13 in 1982,
when they misbehave.
men to have won all four Grand Agassi turned pro when he was and six years later completed the
Agassi said: “On food, she does
Slams (Australian Open, French 16. As an up-and-coming player in “Golden Slam” of all four Grand
not let them get away with any-
Open, Wimbledon and US Open), the late 1980s and early 1990s, he Slams and an Olympic gold.
thing. Everything’s monitored, if
and was the last before Federer embraced a rebel’s image complete Regarded by many as the sport’s
you had pasta for dinner you’re not
joined the elite club a week ago. with rocker-length hair, ear rings, greatest woman player for her 22 going to have it tomorrow. It’s very
The bald pate and clean-cut im- and fluorescent tennis tops. Grand Slam wins, she is the only
age now is a Quotes like one to have won all four Grand
complete trans- “Nobody Slam singles tournaments at least Agassi on what attracts
formation from should be four times each.
Agassi’s punk ranked No. 1 Her versatility across surfaces, him to Graf
days, when he who looks like powerful serve and forehand, and “Honestly? Her legs...
once dated the he just swung elegant demeanour attracted But then you get to
much older from a tree” – a many.
American singer dig at Sampras – She still retained that refined air know her and it gets
Barbra Stre- endeared him to during the interview – done sepa- better. You see the
isand. journalists but rately and just before Agassi’s at the relationships in her life,
Dressed casu- The drew critics as same venue.
ally in jeans and
a black T-shirt sunday well.
Agassi chose
Attired more formally in a
pants-suit combination and with
the loyalty, the
professionalism.”
for the interview
at Paris’ classy
Hotel Scribe, it is
profile not to play at
the traditional-
ist Wimbledon
her blonde hair let down instead of
tied up when she goes on court,
Graf appeared more guarded than regimented, the sweets too.
“But as far as behavioural issues,
hard not to be from 1988 to Agassi, keeping the tone serious.
drawn to his Steffi & Andre Agassi 1990, refusing It has to do with her shy nature. I take more issue with that, it’s im-
portant to me.”
easy-going, gre- to conform to Just before the interview, she re-
Weekend barbecues and snow-
garious nature. its predominant- quested that a smaller group of five
boarding are the family’s pastimes.
He peppered his replies with the ly-white dress code for players. instead of seven be allowed into
odd joke, keeping the mood light. But the decision to participate at Tennis features only rarely, though
the room.
Tongue firmly in cheek, his re- the grass-court tournament in 1992 daughter Jaz plays about two times
Only once during the 10 min-
sponse to how he spends his time finally saw him win his first Grand utes did she lose that reserve – tilt- a week.
was: “My life now? I come to Paris Slam. ing her head upwards and letting And as Graf celebrates her birth-
and do a lot of interviews with you That year also saw Graf bagging out a loud, three-second guffaw day today, there is no doubt who
guys.” her fourth of six eventual Wimble- when another journalist asked how she will be spending it with.
He grew up in Las Vegas, Ne- don triumphs. By then, she had al- a star like her mixes with “ordinary She said: “The family is the cen-
vada. As soon as he could walk, his ready amassed 11 Grand Slam titles people”. tre of my life. I am not interested in
dad Mike Agassi, an Iranian who to Agassi’s one. Graf’s career was notable for the gifts, it is much more important to
represented his country in boxing It was Graf’s father who got her rivalry with Monica Seles. But this be together with all the others.”
at the 1948 and 1952 Olympics, started on tennis. Peter was a tennis was interrupted cruelly after Seles No doubt, a kiss from Andre will
took him to the tennis courts. coach and entered his daughter in beat her in the 1993 Australian be one of her presents.
Coaches saw the young boy’s po- her first competition when she was Open final.
tential, and he started honing his five. A few months later during a limze@sph.com.sg
Penguins march to Stanley Cup glory
PHOTO: SINGAPORE YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES ORGANISING COMMITTEE
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan (right) doing the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic
Games “I’m In” cheer with the volunteers at the Singapore Expo yesterday.
“My experiences in competi- chief executive Dr Steven Chua:
tions have been as an athlete. But “The YOG is a significant event for
now I’ll be behind-the-scenes, en- Singapore and it’s a good reality
suring foreign athletes have a good check for the students to better un-
first impression of Singapore.” derstand what serving in the hospi- PHOTO: REUTERS
Likewise, hospitality and tour- tality and tourism industry is like.
ism school Shatec Institutes are do- “We also want to give visiting
ing their bit for the biggest sport- athletes that uniquely Singapore The Pittsburgh Penguins since winning titles in 1997
ing event the Republic will be host- experience, letting them under- (above) overcame the loss of and 1998, this turned into a
ing to date. stand the different facets of our cul- captain Sidney Crosby to beat Penguins party.
The last time Pittsburgh
Classes will be suspended for ture. This is something that can’t defending champions Detroit
three weeks, till the Games end, to be replaced with foreign labour, al- Red Wings 2-1 in Game 7 and won the Cup, in 1991 and
1992, they were captained by
allow more than 1,000 Year 1 and though it might be cheaper.” win the Stanley Cup for the
2 students to volunteer. Their per- The 2010 YOG, which will run owner Mario Lemieux.
third time on Friday.
formances will be graded as part of from Aug 14 to 26, involves 26 Their goalkeeper
their compulsory six-month practi- sports, 205 National Olympic Instead of the Red Wings Marc-Andre Fleury stood out
cum. Committees and more than 3, 600 becoming the National Hockey with an incredible 23 saves.
Said Shatec’s president and athletes. League’s first repeat champions AP