14 Tuesday 10th November, 2009 by Howard Fendrich nis: WASHINGTON (AP) - On Sampras: Agassi says Zimbabwe give Andre Agassi tells The Sampras “sounds more robotic Associated Press his book is part Agassi’s book than” a parrot. At his depths, of his atonement for saying and Agassi thinks: “I envy Pete’s Proteas food doing things he now wishes he dullness. I wish I could emulate hadn’t. his spectacular lack of inspira- It turns out Andre Agassi tion, and his peculiar lack of for thought was lying throughout his career. need for inspiration.” Agassi To fans. To opponents. To reveals lies he tells of betting coach Brad outh Africa went 1-0 up in their tennis authorities. To first wife Gilbert about how much two-match one-day international Brooke Shields. To friends, Sampras tipped a parking valet; Sseries against Zimbabwe, with a including Barbra Streisand. To they ask the valet, who says $1; 45-run victory - despite a defiant hun- the media. And, he says, to him- Agassi’s conclusion: “We could dred from Tatenda Taibu - in Benoni. self. ‘can’t live with’ not be more different, Pete and Hashim Amla (80) helped the hosts “I can’t live with that any- I.” post an imposing 295 for five, after they more,” Agassi said in a tele- stances as a professional, Agassi On Chang: “He thanks God - had been asked to bat first. phone interview with the AP. - who retired in 2006 - replied, credits God - for the win, which Zimbabwe’s reply was never on “These lies - some of them with a light chuckle, “No. No. offends me. That God should course to threaten the home total - came, certainly, out of fear. A lot The answer is ‘No.”’ take sides in a tennis match, that although Taibu (103no) and Stuart of them came out of real confu- He is not surprised by the God should side against me, that Matsikenyeri (86) exposed some South sion. A lot of it was thinking out negative reactions to some of God should be in Chang’s box, African vulnerabilities and ensured loud. A lot of it was just getting the book’s revelations. Martina feels ludicrous and insulting. I some respectability for the tourists stuff wrong. And a lot of it start- Navratilova, for example, beat Chang and savor every blas- with a sixth-wicket stand of 188. ed with lies to myself,” Agassi likened Agassi to baseball’s phemous stroke.” When Chang Zimbabwe eventually closed on 250 said. “When I retired from ten- Roger Clemens; Roger Federer wins the 1989 French Open, for six - still an encouraging outcome nis, I had the opportunity, the referred to material in the book Agassi thinks, “I feel sickened. for Graeme Smith’s team, who hope to time, the energy, to turn a real as “a bit of a pity.” How could Chang, of all people, have big guns Jacques Kallis and JP hard lens on myself.” Agassi understands such have won a slam before me?” Duminy back from injury in time for His book “Open,” in stores responses because, “You’ve got On other opponents: their forthcoming Twenty20 and ODI Monday, allows Agassi to unbur- to remember: I spent many years Agassi writes about holding assignments against England. den himself of secrets he’s car- angry and disappointed at grudges against Becker (who Amla shared stands of 67 with ried for years. Secrets about myself.” Agassi says blew kisses at Smith and 90 with AB de Villiers (51) - using crystal meth, about evad- He said he simply felt com- Shields during a match), Jim before Alviro Petersen and Albie ing punishment for a failed drug pelled to confess to using crystal Courier, Thomas Muster, Morkel (50no) added quick late runs to test, about wearing a hairpiece, meth “a lot” in 1997, failing a Yevgeni Kafelnikov, Jeff boost the Proteas’ total. about what he calls a long-stand- doping test that year, lying to the Tarango (who Agassi says cheat- Smith upped the tempo after a slow ing hatred of tennis. men’s tennis tour about how the ed during a match between them start, until he fell to an attempted slog- Agassi described the memoir, drug entered his system and when Agassi was 8). sweep at Ray Price. crafted by Pulitzer Prize winner avoiding punishment. On “tanking”: Agassi says Amla’s new partner De Villiers took J.R. Moehringer from record- “How can you tell people to he lost on purpose against over the big hitting until he fell to a ings of the eight-time Grand not hide from truth when you Chang in the Australian Open good catch by Mark Vermeulen off Slam champion’s taped recollec- hide from it?” Agassi said in the semifinals one year so he would- Price. tions, as part of his “atonement interview. “While I know this n’t have to face Becker in the for where I’ve been in my life.” story cuts against the grain of final, writing: “It’s almost hard- As he retraces that life in one’s perceptions of me, it is the er than winning. You have to present tense, Agassi sets out to true me. And I believe in that lose in such a way that the explain himself and describe his authenticity.” crowd can’t tell.” He also says of journey from ninth-grade He added: “I have no regrets sports writers: “They never get dropout to founder of a prep about what’s in there.” it right. When I tank, they say school in Las Vegas. He writes There are plenty of fascinat- I’m not good enough; when I’m about his courtship of tennis ing passages, aside from the not good enough, they say I star Steffi Graf, now his wife and “sensationalized” excerpts sold tank.” the mother of their two chil- to magazines and newspapers as On his fake hair: Of the dren. part of the publicity push. 1990 French Open final, Agassi Along the way,he offers criti- He hopes people will read the writes, “Warming up before the cal words for rivals such as Pete entire book so they can appreci- match, I pray. Not for a win, but Sampras, Michael Chang and ate what he called its “power.” for my hairpiece to stay on.” In this file book cover image released by Knopf, “Open,” by Andre Boris Becker; discusses “tank- Agassi, is shown. In a telephone interview with The Associated “It’s about me learning how On the 1999 French Open ing” matches; and poignantly Press, Agassi says his book is part of his atonement for saying and to commit fully, despite the fear final, which he won to com- describes his childhood fear of doing things he now wishes he hadn’t. (AP Photo/Knopf) of failure,” he said. “It’s a per- plete a career Grand Slam: his father. son waking up in a life that they “I’ve already obsessed about Agassi recounts how, when be speed. He also writes at vari- the tennis court, I actually had didn’t choose, in a life that they this tournament for the last 10 he was a kid, his father would ous points about using marijua- to probably earn more than I maybe don’t want, and not being years. I can’t bear the idea of give him Excedrin before match- na and alcohol. Speaking to the needed to, because of many of sure how to take ownership of obsessing about it for another es because it contained caffeine. AP,Agassi called crystal meth “a the things I did to myself.” their own life, and figuring that eighty.... If I don’t win this thing Once, Agassi writes, his father performance inhibitor” and Asked whether he ever took out.” right now, I’ll never be happy, gave him what Agassi believes to said, “Everything I earned on performance-enhancing sub- The book also is about ten- truly happy, again.” Strauss century guides England to second tour victory in SA Andrew Strauss continued his rich run of but Warriors – the franchise rep- them. both excellent footwork and his resenting the old Eastern As part of the team’s cam- favourite stroke, the drive to – form with an unbeaten 117 to help England Province and Border, shorn of paign for constant improve- and over – mid-on. He only got South Africa’s Ryan McLaren struck to an eight-wicket victory in their second their South African players - ment, Strauss hammered the out when it was time to give with his third ball and went on to were dispatched with efficiency ball through the ‘V’ as never someone else a knock. capture 3 for 51 on debut, against tour match, against the Warriors at the De and, another rare element in before. Against decent pace he Denly, aged 23, could well be Zimbabwe, in their 1st ODI at Benoni, Beers Diamond Oval. England’s 50-over cricket, flair. skipped down the pitch and the one who has to make way in South Africa, on November 8, 2009. Strauss is leading by example drove straight fours and a six. the 50-over side for Kevin just as he did in Test cricket: he He finished with an unbeaten Pietersen’s return. But with 82 Amla then threw away a century by by Scyld Berry from 85 balls he booked himself pulling a Graeme Cremer long-hop in Kimberley into the Twenty20 team, which straight to Vermeulen, who also caught has a warm-up on Tuesday Mark Boucher to give Price his third t is one of cricket’s most sen- evening then two internationals victim.