Despite their combined 30 grand slam singles championships, Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi weren’t the winners for…
Graf won the gold in the singles category for Germany at an exhibition tennis match in Los Angeles in 1984. Four years later, in Seoul, he won the “official” gold. In a special interview for CNN’s Open Court, Agassi clarifies where his 1996 Atlanta Games podium finish for the United States falls in his list of accomplishments. “It was a boyhood dream to be on that podium,” he remarked.
“Tears in my eyes, the national anthem, the medal around my neck.” It feels like an out-of-body encounter. Graf’s victory in 1988 held even greater significance as it happened to coincide with her winning all four grand slam events in that same year.
The 43-year-old stated, “To me, this was more special than a grand slam.” “It’s a distinct feeling that is undoubtedly more special.” Graf’s accomplishments are all the more amazing considering that she was only 19 years old at the time. She had just finished a difficult season, which included a tiring three-set triumph over Argentina’s Gabriela Sabatini in the U.S. Open final, when she landed in South Korea.
Graf stated, “I was probably a little tired physically as well as emotionally.” “I was just a little unprepared for all the attention I was getting when I arrived at the airport,” the speaker said. Graf, however, managed to focus on the task at hand, and in the singles final—this time in straight sets—Sabatiani became her second victim. In addition, the German finished with a complete set of Olympic medals after losing the gold medal match in the 1992 Olympics to American Jennifer Capriati on Barcelona’s clay. She also earned a bronze in the women’s doubles.
Agassi missed Barcelona as well and was only eighteen when he competed in the Seoul Games. Agassi was ready to take a shot on home ground, though, after being inspired by his father Mike, who had competed for Iran in boxing at the 1948 and 1952 Olympics but lost both times in the opening stages. “I felt like I was playing for something bigger than just myself, especially since I was representing my country and trying to accomplish what my father had hoped for but had not succeeded in during his Olympic experience,” the 42-year-old American stated.
“Bjorkman Jonas, 7-6 7-6. Kucera Karol, 6-3 6-4. I came back from a set and a break down to defeat Gaudenzi (Andrea) 6-3 in the third game. Wayne Ferreira in the quarterfinal. In the third set, I defeated him 7-5, and he served for the match at 5-4. Leander Paes, whom I defeated 7-6 6-4 in two hard sets. Next came Sergi Bruguera. Agassi easily defeated the two-time French Open winner from Spain in straight sets despite the intense heat and humidity of the 102 degree Fahrenheit Stone Mountain match. He was so happy at the medal ceremony that he cried in public.
