Andre Agassi reminisced about his Wimbledon win exactly three decades ago. The American beat Goran Ivanisevic in the 1992 final to win his only title at SW19.
The then 22-year-old, making only his third appearance at SW19, enjoyed a memorable campaign under the London sun that fortnight. The 12th seed dropped only two sets en route to the fourth round before he was taken the distance by three-time winner Boris Becker in the last eight.
Agassi then overcame another three-time Wimbledon winner John McEnroe, who was making his final appearance at SW19, to reach his fourth Major final. The American came up short in his first three Grand Slam title matches and was determined to make amends against the big-serving Ivanisevic, who had beaten Agassi in two previous meetings
It was the Croat who started strong and took the first set on a tiebreak. However, the American grabbed his chances in the second and third sets before Ivanisevic fired aces and winners galore to force a decider.
In a competitive fifth set, Ivanisevic, serving to stay in the Championship at 4-5, dropped serve, making Agassi a Major winner for the first time in his career.
On the 30th anniversary of his only Wimbledon win, Andre Agassi tweeted:
"What makes something special is not just what you have to gain, but what you feel there is to lose..."
Agassi reached another Wimbledon final seven years later, but lost to compatriot Pete Sampras in straight sets.
"I never felt I had the upper hand until the match was over" - Andre Agassi on his final win over Goran Ivanisevic
In a later interview, Andre Agassi recalled that he never had the upper hand in the 1992 Wimbledon final against Goran Ivanisevic until the last game of the match.
With Ivanisevic serving to stay in the tournament at 4-5, he leaked two double faults to fall 30-0 behind. He missed another first serve, and that was when Agassi thought he could win the match.
“I never felt I had the upper hand until the match was over," recalled Andre Agassi. "Early in the fifth set, he was holding easily and I was struggling. At 4-5, he served two double faults to go down 0/30. He missed his first serve on the next point. and it then crossed my mind I may be able to win it."
However, Ivanisevic hit an audacious second-serve ace before hitting an unreturnable serve to get to 30-30. Agassi thought he was in for the long haul, but the match would only last for two more points. A passing shot winner set up a championship point for the American, which he duly converted.
"He aced me on his second serve. At 15/30, he hit an unreturnable serve. At that stage, I thought we’d be in for a titanic battle," recalled the American. "It would only last for as long as I held serve. At 30/30, I managed to force Goran into hitting a half volley, which I ran for to hit a passing shot.
Agassi recalled the match point. With Ivanisevic missing his first serve, a third double fault in the game was in the offing. That didn't happen, but Agassi's powerful return of serve was volleyed by Ivanisevic into the net, bringing the match to a close.
“On match point, he missed his first serve," recalled Andre Agassi. "The crowd started to wonder if Goran might hit a third double fault in the game. At this stage, everything was happening too fast. I knew I didn’t want to have any regrets in the future, that I hadn’t swung at a serve on match point. I remember swinging with all my might, connecting with it only to see Goran, mid-court and off-balance, volley my backhand into the net.”
Andre Agassi would go on to win seven more Major titles, becoming the first male player since Rod Laver (1969) to win a career Grand Slam in the Open Era.
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