Andre Agassi: Tennis 'Took Away My Childhood' (VIDEO)

Former tennis star Andre Agassi sat down with Matt Lauer on the Today Show last Wednesday and discussed his book, his childhood and his relationship with tennis.

When asked about the media focusing on the drug use in his book, Agassi said he was disappointed that people didn't get the message of what the book is really about.

"To hear all those things being sensationalized, while it was disappointing, I do find myself saying 'there were some low points.' You can't just talk about the good stuff."

Lauer asked Agassi whether he felt as if he had to tell journalists that he loved the game late in his career.

"No. At that stage of my career I had full ownership of my life," Agassi replied. "It took away my childhood, but it gave me a chance to experience my own kids' childhood."

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Comments

[hip dibler]

11:36 AM on 09/09/2010

is this why he continues to act like a baby? i'm confused.

[hoy156]

10:00 AM on 09/09/2010

...boo hoo, poor you. Get over yourself, Andre. You are what is known as a hasbeen, deal with it. Still gotta hand it to your ego, nothing goin' on for years and still the world class chutzpah. Sheesh.

[Kiz boy]

09:54 AM on 09/09/2010

His father took away his childhood. Not tennis. Tennis gave him a life, a wife and LOTS of money.

[2riv1dra]

04:35 PM on 09/09/2010

Fav'd for logic.

[goesto11]

07:19 AM on 09/09/2010

All together now: Waaaaaaaaa­aaaa!!!!

[Pailface]

04:51 PM on 09/08/2010

Does this guy complain endlessly? Feel bad for the $100,000,0­00 or so... I like his tennis game, but he WHINES WAY TOO MUCH for me...

[whirledgonecrazy]

02:12 PM on 09/08/2010

I will not shed a tear for the childhood of Andre Agassi. Dude must be joking! As "Chopper" would say: "Harden the f**k up!"
http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=1EY7lYRne­Hc

[splinky]

12:33 PM on 09/08/2010

I'll trade my childhood for his, if he'll give me his adulthood for mine.

[Chubbster]

11:31 AM on 09/08/2010

Sorry about the childhood.­...win some, lose some.

[brettrobbins]

11:12 AM on 09/08/2010

What a moper. Doesn't he realize people who work all day to put food on the table during an economic depression don't want to hear sob stories from a millionair­e who was forced to hit tennis balls as a child and who, if he'd been born in the nineteenth century, might have been forced to clean chimneys or manufactur­e textiles instead? Then we'd really see some crocodile tears gushing from his eyes. Please go away to your private island and start enjoying what you're lucky enough to have and stop letting your memories of your childhood paralyze you into a self-pityi­ng mess.

[Al91206]

04:31 PM on 09/09/2010

You hit the nail on the head - EXACTLY what I was thinking. Great post! Faved & Fanned.

[TheFabOne]

10:57 AM on 09/08/2010

Let me get this straight. You grew your hair long, had the 90s Bjorn Borg look, hung out with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, banged Barbra Streisand, MARRIED Brooke Shields, got all the perks of celebrity.­......and now you're complainin­g?

[tophers402]

02:02 PM on 09/08/2010

Yeah why have a childhood when you could hang out with THE CHILI PEPPERS! Get real. As a kid he hit 110mph volleys in 100 degree heat for 7 hours a day, I'll let him whine a little bit.

[edgraham]

02:22 PM on 09/08/2010

But - - he's whining for MONEY.

[whirledgonecrazy]

02:13 PM on 09/08/2010

Thank you! This is some real bs....

[tanya1111]

10:56 AM on 09/08/2010

many people would trade their childhoods for just one shot at marriage with brook shields. just saying dorkboy.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

10:22 AM on 09/08/2010

I happened to catch the interview on TV. The anecdote about his dad was a hoot. If dad had to do it all over again, he'd have done the same... except baseball or golf. More money and longer career. At least Andre can laugh about it now, and is proving that bad patterns don't have to repeat, as long as you have a healthy -- and healed -- perspectiv­e.

Acceptance is a gift.

Phooey to all the grumps below. What patterns do half of them have to heal from?

[youngblood]

09:49 AM on 09/08/2010

Yeah sure tennis took away you childhood and made you a multi-mill­ionaire dude. What these celebritie­s say when they're 15 minutes are up just to extend it to 16 minutes.

[lala lele]

12:21 AM on 09/08/2010

Andre is a great man. I read his book it is brilliant(­it's ghost written by the same writer as the Tender Bar) . I love that he & Stefi who both had overbearin­g fathers found happiness together.

[rview]

11:59 PM on 09/07/2010

Good guy. Why can't people accept that he had a troubled past. Glad that you recovered and now living a productive life. Kudos for your charities as well.