"I’m more efficient in everything I do because of Steffi Graf" - When Andre Agassi credited his wife for inspiring him as a mentor

Andre Agassi once shared that his wife, Steffi Graf, was one of the people who inspired him to improve in various aspects of his life. He credited the German legend's no-nonsense approach for helping him become "more efficient" in everything he did.

Besides Graf, Agassi credited his trainer, childhood coach Nick Bollettieri, and ex-coaches Brad Gilbert and Darren Cahill for inspiring him. He acknowledged that each of them taught him something unique, which made his tennis journey smoother. He also spoke about the role of his relationship with his father, Mike.

The eight-time Major champion said in 2015 during an interview with Harvard Business Review:

"A father’s relationship with his son is formative—for better or worse. You learn what you want to be and what you don’t. Gil, my trainer, helped me feel worth being cared about, which was a big deal in my world. On the court he pushed me physically in ways that allowed me to get around some inherent liabilities with my body and to get better as I got older. I didn’t always train harder—I trained smarter, and that was because of him."

He added:

"Then I would say my wife, who inspires me in a lot of ways. I’m more efficient in everything I do because of how she chooses to be. There are things she clearly cares about and things she doesn’t. She just doesn’t have energy for stuff that isn’t contributing to her engagement. And that clarity is a jewel."

Andre Agassi continued:

"I’d throw in Nick Bollettieri. The impact he had on me was both good and bad, personally and professionally, but I don’t think I could have achieved as much without having been in his environment."

"Brad Gilbert was the one to really teach me how to play tennis, how to think for myself from a strategic standpoint when I was out there. Then Darren [Cahill] gave me some of the great years that I never would have had without him—those years when I was old enough to really appreciate everything," he added.

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"When Steffi Graf was in full form, she was just a horse that wasn’t going to be caught" - Andre Agassi

Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi pictured together | Image Source: Getty

During his interview with Harvard Business Review, Andre Agassi was asked about skills his wife, Steffi Graf, had that he wished he possessed. The American praised the German's exceptional athleticism, giving her a clear edge over her peers and making her almost unbeatable.

"She had an athleticism over her peers that was quite a luxury. When she was in full form, she was just a horse that wasn’t going to be caught. For me, it wasn’t like that," Agassi said.

He added:

"I couldn’t just steamroll past people because I was such an athlete or talented in all these different ways. I had a couple of strengths, but I had to out-think everybody and implement my strategies one piece at a time, like a puzzle. That’s more exhausting, and you don’t get the results as consistently."

Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf's love story took years to unfold. In his 2009 autobiography, Open, Agassi admitted to having a crush on Graf long before they met. Their first encounter came at the 1992 Wimbledon Championships, where both were crowned champions. Years later, a practice session arranged by their coaches brought them together again.

The two began dating in 1999 and tied the knot two years later. They are proud parents of two children. Their son, Jaden, 23, is a standout baseball player for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, while their daughter, Jaz, 21, is a skilled dancer and fitness coach.