"It was Pete Sampras & Andre Agassi" – Marcos Giron opens up about legends who shaped his game and the stars he admired after them

Marcos Giron revealed that his early inspiration for playing tennis came from American legends Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. In more recent years, he has also admired Roger Federer, Juan Martin del Potro, and Novak Djokovic.

During his campaign at the Delray Beach Open, Giron sat down with Collin Russo and Mike Rizzo for an exclusive interview. He discussed several topics like his coaches and his journey in tennis. The American was also asked:

"Is there someone you grew up watching that you really loved and wanted to emulate in your game?"

He said Sampras and Agassi shaped his career during its early days.

"I mean, growing up when I was young, it was Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi—the two Americans leading the way. And then after that, yeah, it was hard not to be a fan of Federer, Del Potro, and Novak," Marcos Giron said.

Giron also talked about Rafael Nadal and claimed he was not always a fan of the Spaniard but became one later in life.

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"Andre Agassi's really the nicest guy I’ve ever met" - Marcos Giron has credited the American legend for improving the game

Marcos Giron at the 2025 Davis Cup - Source: Getty

Marcos Giron has long admired Andre Agassi, but in recent years, the tennis legend has become more than just an idol—he has become a mentor. That relationship was on display at the 2024 Hall of Fame Open when Agassi was in attendance for Giron’s quarter-final match. The former World No. 1 even gave the American a fist bump during the contest.

"The more time I spend with him [Andre Agassi], I realize he’s just a pretty face," Giron joked during his on-court interview after the win over Alex Bolt.

"No honestly, the guy’s unreal. He’s really the nicest guy I’ve ever met. His knowledge is incredible, so it’s really, really special. He’s somebody I looked up to growing up and it’s really amazing, and he’s even better in person than you can imagine," he added

Giron’s connection with Agassi began unexpectedly in 2020 when they first met in San Diego. A casual hit led to an invitation to train in Las Vegas, where Agassi shared insights that, according to Giron, "really did change my life." Since then, Agassi has provided guidance, helping refine Giron’s game and mentality.

"The biggest thing that he saw was that I was not looking for enough opportunity to be aggressive," Giron told ATPTour.com. "And then he also really helped with my backhand. To be honest, he helped my backhand a lot."

Currently, Giron is playing at the Delray Beach Open. He received a bye in the first round as the fifth seed and defeated luckily loser Ethan Quinn in straight sets in the second round. Next, he will face seventh seed Miomir Kecmanovic in the quarterfinals on Friday.