"It bothered me what Martina Navratilova said, she was wrong" - When Andre Agassi was disappointed by American's reaction to his drug use revelation

Andre Agassi once responded to criticism from Martina Navratilova after it became public news that he had struggled with a drug problem during his playing days. He admitted that the tennis legend's comments bothered him, as he felt she was wrong in her assessment of the situation.

Agassi's drug use was revealed in his autobiography 'Open,' published in 2009. In the book, he confessed to using crystal methamphetamine during the 1997 season, a period in which he was struggling with personal and professional issues. He described how he had failed a drug test at the 1997 Canadian Open but avoided suspension by claiming he had unknowingly consumed the substance.

The controversy shocked many fans and players, including Martina Navratilova, as Agassi had been one of the sport's most prominent and beloved figures. The 18-time Grand Slam champion told The Associated Press in 2009:

"Shocking. Not as much shock that he did it as shock he lied about it and didn’t own up to it. He’s up there with Roger Clemens, as far as I’m concerned. He owned up to it (in the book), but it doesn’t help now."

"Andre lied and got away with it. You can’t correct that now. Do you take away a title he wouldn’t have won if he had been suspended? He beat some people when he should have been suspended," she added.

Andre Agassi hit back at Martina Navratilova during a conversation with the media a year later, saying:

"It bothered me what she said. She was wrong. But my book is about forgiveness. I try not to react to what was said."