Andre Agassi’s autobiography ‘Open’ is widely acknowledged for its influence extending beyond the tennis world. The eight-time Grand Slam champion’s book is considered one of the most self-reflective and motivational books ever written by an athlete. The claim was validated by the prestigious Stanford University, which honored Agassi by including the autobiography in its curriculum.
The former American tennis player’s book gave everyone a chance to see his true self. It allowed fans to look at him beyond just a tennis player, revealing his struggles and conflicts during his successful career.
This is one of the major reasons why Stanford University decided to pick his book for their fall college course and a Three Books program – Why College? Your Education and the Good Life. It aims to help students reflect on the kind of person they aspire to become and understand the importance of college in shaping their personality for the future.
Agassi was also invited by the university to an event where they announced the program and the inclusion of his book. After being called for a discussion, Agassi revealed how tennis couldn’t define him and that he felt disconnected from the sport for a long time, as it was his father’s choice rather than his own.
He also met the university’s tennis team, who later shared an image with him on their official social media page.
Welcome to Stanford @AndreAgassi!
We were thrilled to have the 8x Major Champion and Team World @LaverCup captain with us on The Farm this week. #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/ABpEmJiAVf
— Stanford Men’s Tennis (@StanfordTennis) October 17, 2024
Agassi’s purpose outside tennis
During the discussion, Agassi also shared his struggles with failure in the sport and how he overcame it without quitting. He found his life’s purpose beyond tennis by helping others through their difficult times.
“This is the only perfection there is, the perfection of helping others. This is the only thing we can do that has any lasting value or meaning. This is why we’re here, to help each other feel safe,” said Agassi at Stanford University.
Agassi couldn’t attend college or even finish school, as his father placed him in a tennis academy in Florida at the age of 13. He then went on to become one of the greatest players of his generation, redefining sports in the United States. He demonstrated that while playing college or university sports can be beneficial, it isn’t essential for success in the sporting world.
Agassi, through his book, has helped people understand not to let success or failure define them. By explaining the need to find a purpose in life, he openly discusses his own negative behaviors, allowing the public to reflect and learn from them.
