"He said some things that bothered me on a very personal level" - When Andre Agassi explained cold handshake with Boris Becker after 1995 US Open SF

Andre Agassi and Boris Becker forged a fierce rivalry during the 1990s and played out some thrilling matches.

The two locked horns in the semifinals of the US Open in 1995 and Agassi won 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-4 to reach his third final in Flushing Meadows. Both players produced some really good tennis throughout but what stole the headlines was their post-match handshake.

Agassi hardly made any eye-contact with Becker during what was a pretty cold exchange at the net.

The American said in his post-match press conference that the reason behind the handshake was Becker's statements towards him after beating him at the 1995 Wimbledon Championships. At the time, the German said that Agassi was not liked by other players, among other things.

Agassi said that Becker's statements bothered him on a personal level and he had no intention of respecting anyone who said things that were meant to hurt him.

"Honestly, I will tell you I have shown nothing but respect towards Boris my entire career," Andre Agassi said.

"He beat me the first three times we played. I never talked about anything, but what a great champion he was. I beat him eight times in a row, I never said anything, but what a great champion he is.

"After he beat me this year at Wimbledon, he said some things that bothered me on a very personal level. It is hard for me to respect anybody who is going to beat me and say so many things that are not only wrong, but meant to hurt.

"I don't understand that and I don't respect it. It is real simple, I respect his tennis play but once a match is over, you know, it ends there."

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Andre Agassi led 10-4 in the head-to-head against Boris Becker

Andre Agassi at the 2019 Australian Open

Andre Agassi and Boris Becker locked horns on 14 occasions, with the former leading 10-4 in the head-to-head. Their first meeting came in the semifinals of the 1988 Newsweek Champions Cup (now known as the Indian Wells Masters), with Becker winning 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

The two faced one another in five Grand Slam matches, with Agassi winning four of them. The only time Becker beat the American at a Major was in the semifinals of Wimbledon in 1995.

The last meeting between the two came in the final of the 1999 Salem Open in Hong Kong, with Agassi winning 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4. This was also the only occasion when they met in the title clash of a tournament.