"I married a very controlling person" - Andre Agassi's first wife Brooke Shields

Andre Agassi’s first wife Brooke Shields recently opened up about what it was like to be married to the American tennis legend.

Before his marriage to Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi was married to Brooke Shields. They started dating in 1993 and were married in 1997. Their marriage, however, lasted only two years, and the couple divorced in 1999.

In a recent appearance on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast, the famed Hollywood actress claimed that the eight-time Grand Slam winner was a controlling person.

“My first husband, you know, it’s like, people say you marry your father or whatever that thing is. I married a very controlling person,” Shields said.

Shields admitted, however, that she loved the experience and needed it at the time. She also added that the couple enjoyed good humor.

“I married an industry. I married a conglomerate, you know. I could disappear in it, and I loved it. And I needed it,” she added. “Andre and I laughed a lot too, which was great."

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Andre Agassi helped me separate from my mom with care and love: Brooke Shields

The former couple at the 1994 US Open

Despite their tumultuous relationship, Brooke Shields has credited Andre Agassi for helping her separate from her mother, who, according to Shields, was emotionally abusive.

“By that point, we had about six houses. Every time my mom traveled, we did a photoshoot or something, she would buy a ranch or buy a lake house and we had all this property and no cash flow,” Brooke Shields confessed on the same podcast.

She further revealed that Andre Agassi was her “cushion” and systematically took care of everything.

“I needed to be able to separate from my mom and I needed a cushion. You know, he took care of everything,” she said. “He systematically helped me sell the properties and helped me separate from my mom with care and love.”

Shields admitted that the gesture from the tennis icon and their shared childhood traumas increased their bond and brought them closer together.

“So you know, all of a sudden, I was safe. And I was child-like. And we were like little children together and we both had very strong parents,” she said. “We both had reached huge fame at a young age. It was arrested development for sure, and a great deal of responsibility. We saw something in the other person.”

During their time together, Brooke Shields often accompanied Andre Agassi to his matches and cheered him on. However, as previously claimed by the actress, the tennis player’s jealousy allegedly proved to be the undoing of their marriage.