"One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to go through... It’s like planning for death" - When Andre Agassi made honest admission about his retirement

Andre Agassi once shed light on why his retirement from professional tennis was one of the most difficult emotional ordeals he had ever undergone. The American explained how challenging it was to process the end of the biggest aspect of his life.

After a remarkable 20-year career, during which he won eight Major titles, completed the career Grand Slam, and clinched an Olympic gold medal, Agassi hung up his racket at the 2006 US Open. However, the American found it very difficult to approach his retirement.

In a 2015 interview with Harvard Business Review, Andre Agassi described the experience as one of the most challenging things he went through emotionally. The American highlighted the difficulty of envisioning his life without tennis, given that his existence had been defined by the sport since childhood.

"It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to go through emotionally. Think about it: You’ve done this thing since you were in diapers. You don’t remember life without it. It’s really the only thing you do. Then one day it comes to an end, and you have no idea what’s on the other side because you don’t even know yourself without it," Agassi said.

The former World No. 1 even compared the situation to preparing for a death, admitting his struggles to come to terms with stepping away from tennis. However, Agassi disclosed that he eventually felt "empowered" as he embraced the opportunity to take each day at a time.

"It’s like planning for death: Let’s see, in the afterlife I want to do this and do that. It just doesn’t compute. I couldn’t process how, moving forward, I would never have to do the things I’d always had to do. But you start with what you can control: What will I do today? And then every day was a discovery, and it was a nice feeling. I felt empowered," he added.

Despite his emotional upheaval over deciding to retire, Andre Agassi happily embraced his family life with wife Steffi Graf and their kids after ending his career.

Andre Agassi on life after retirement: "I engage much harder with my kids because they grow up fast"

Andre Agassi and wife Steffi Graf with their kids - Source: Getty

During the same interview, Andre Agassi expressed gratitude for the luxury to put together his own schedule in a way that would allow him to spend the most quality time with his and Steffi Graf's son Jaden and daughter Jaz.

The eight-time Grand Slam champion shared that he was conscientious about making it to each one of Jaden's baseball games and Jaz's dance competitions because of how fast they were growing up.

"I have the luxury of tweaking the balance now, of never missing a baseball game or a dance competition. If I’m feeling like I need a business outlet, I plan work. But yes, I engage much harder with my kids because they grow up fast. By the time you’re qualified for the job, you’re unemployed," Agassi said.

Steffi Graf expressed similar sentiments about how tennis had given her the "luxury" to devote her time to her and Andre Agassi's kids after retirement.