Andre Agassi talks about his controversial book
- 00:02:52
- ITN
Andre Agassi talks about his controversial book
Andre Agassi says he has no regrets about baring his life in his recently published memoirs, including his revelation about using drugs. In Open, Agassi describes hating the tennis life he was pushed into by his father and reveals that a deep depression in 1997 led him to use crystal meth, and that he lied to officials about using the recreational drug after testing positive. "I knew it wasn't going to be pleasant waters, but again nothing really worthwhile in life comes without great sacrifice," Agassi said at a book signing in New York. "How do you regret your life, how do you regret telling the truth? This is the only chance I have to communicate the power of my journey. That's why I called the book Open. That's why it took me three years to write it. "I want this thing to impact millions of people I've never met." However, there has been a backlash against Agassi's book from some people in the game. World number two Rafa Nadal said cheats in tennis must be punished, Sergi Bruguera, who lost the 1996 Atlanta Olympic final to Agassi, said the gold medal should be forfeited. Former US and Australian Open champion Marat Safin said Agassi should return any tainted prize money and titles. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said it wanted to investigate whether any charges could be brought against Agassi following his admission he lied about using crystal meth. Agassi said he hurt himself, not the game, by turning to the drug after plunging to the depths of depression. "I say I made a choice to hurt myself, destroy myself and during the year that I was involved with the horrifying drug, crystal meth, I didn't win anything, I didn't do anything, I pulled out of everything. "As far as I'm concerned you can take that entire year and take it away." Agassi, 39, said that while some negative comments have received a lot of publicity, he had been moved by many messages of support. "I got a lot of support, and I mean immediately," he said. "I had a lot of reactions - phone calls and e-mails and texts...saying I support you. "I was touched by Andy Roddick and Andy Murray, who not only reached out but were very public about how they felt at a time when it wasn't going to be a very popular side to take." Agassi, who has two children from his current marriage to former tennis great Steffi Graf, said he had his own kids in mind when he took on the project. "I wrote this book with them first and foremost on my mind. "To not be scared to deal with the truth, but also understand that people make mistakes and it's not the mistakes that is the problem. The problem is what we do with it. "Just to really understand how you can control your life, how you can choose your life, take ownership of your life. "I was 27 years old when I chose tennis. I was 140th in the world and had been in a pretty dark time. I could've walked away but I chose it. "I found myself starting to take ownership of my life. "No matter where you find yourself, millions of people wake up in a life they find themselves in and there's actually some hope there."
ITN | November 13, 2009
