Nikola
08-02-2003, 07:43 AM
WASHINGTON, July 31 AFP - World No.1 Andre Agassi will not play in the 2004 Athens Olympics and the men's tennis star still has no idea whether pregnant wife Steffi Graf is carrying a son or a daughter.
The 33-year-old American said here today after a third-round triumph at the $US600,000 ($A927,643) ATP Washington Classic that he prefers to leave the Olympics to a younger generation of US players such as Andy Roddick and James Blake.
"I'm not going to be playing the Olympics," Agassi said. "I'm going to miss it, but that's a choice I made long ago."
Agassi has not played for the US Davis Cup team in several years to focus his body and mind on Grand Slam tennis. Given that, Agassi said he does not feel he could come back and swipe a spot on the US Olympic squad. "I can't sit back and say I need to save myself and have the young guys play and then suddenly step up every four years and play for the country," Agassi said. "I can't just pick and choose when I want to play for my country."
Agassi's status was good news for organisers here, who have the only ATP event opposite the second week of the Olympics.
Washington will host the ATP players not in Athens just two weeks before next year's US Open. "I suppose it's going to have an impact on the field," Agassi said. Eight-time Grand Slam champion Agassi also admitted that he and Graf still do not know the sex of the baby she is carrying and as a result have not picked out a name for the sibling of their 22-month-old son, Jaden Gil.
"We don't even know what it's going to be yet," Agassi said. But Agassi and Graf have started winnowing down the choices of names.
"We're getting close," Agassi said. "I feel the pressure building." Graf, who won 22 Grand Slam titles, married Agassi in October of 2001. She retired in 1999 after winning the French Open for a sixth time. Agassi, the oldest player ever atop the ATP rankings, credits Graf's willingness to travel and care for Jaden Gil with allowing him to play at his peak so late in his career.
"Because of Steffi, I don't have to make that choice (between family and ATP travel)," Agassi said.
"She comes on the road and supports me." Agassi beat Armenia's Sargis Sargsian 6-3 6-2 here today to reach the quarter-finals of a hardcourt event he is trying to win for the sixth time.
The 33-year-old American said here today after a third-round triumph at the $US600,000 ($A927,643) ATP Washington Classic that he prefers to leave the Olympics to a younger generation of US players such as Andy Roddick and James Blake.
"I'm not going to be playing the Olympics," Agassi said. "I'm going to miss it, but that's a choice I made long ago."
Agassi has not played for the US Davis Cup team in several years to focus his body and mind on Grand Slam tennis. Given that, Agassi said he does not feel he could come back and swipe a spot on the US Olympic squad. "I can't sit back and say I need to save myself and have the young guys play and then suddenly step up every four years and play for the country," Agassi said. "I can't just pick and choose when I want to play for my country."
Agassi's status was good news for organisers here, who have the only ATP event opposite the second week of the Olympics.
Washington will host the ATP players not in Athens just two weeks before next year's US Open. "I suppose it's going to have an impact on the field," Agassi said. Eight-time Grand Slam champion Agassi also admitted that he and Graf still do not know the sex of the baby she is carrying and as a result have not picked out a name for the sibling of their 22-month-old son, Jaden Gil.
"We don't even know what it's going to be yet," Agassi said. But Agassi and Graf have started winnowing down the choices of names.
"We're getting close," Agassi said. "I feel the pressure building." Graf, who won 22 Grand Slam titles, married Agassi in October of 2001. She retired in 1999 after winning the French Open for a sixth time. Agassi, the oldest player ever atop the ATP rankings, credits Graf's willingness to travel and care for Jaden Gil with allowing him to play at his peak so late in his career.
"Because of Steffi, I don't have to make that choice (between family and ATP travel)," Agassi said.
"She comes on the road and supports me." Agassi beat Armenia's Sargis Sargsian 6-3 6-2 here today to reach the quarter-finals of a hardcourt event he is trying to win for the sixth time.