ITF

72 ANDRE AGASSI United States T here's no question it was more exciting because of my dad. But I actually had a different experience growing up than maybe a normal, future tennis player would've, which is my dad always seemed convinced they were going to put it back into the Olympics. He talked about it a lot and his own disappointments in the two Olympics he fought in [as a boxer]. He used to introduce me as the future No. 1 player in the world and he sort of charged me with the duty of something that was out of my control, which was winning the Olympics in a sport that wasn't even in it (laughs). Winning the medal was very special, especially since my father was actually there. I don't think you can ever quite prepare for what that moment feels like. It's different than anything you experience as a tennis player. Even Davis Cup, you kind of share the combined responsibility of trying to get over that finish line for something bigger than yourself. In the Olympics it's only you trying to get over that line for something bigger than yourself. It was quite an overwhelming feeling and sort of one (where) in the moment I was aware of how proud I felt about it. Despite those other accomplishments [Grand Slam victories] it felt clear that at the moment of triumph it felt bigger than those. As you know because it's well documented, I had a very tenuous relationship with tennis – my hate-love as I refer to my evolution. What turned around my relationship with tennis was when I finally got out of my own way to find my reason for going through it. And my reason was not about me but about others – the children, the school – the things that really motivated me and inspired me on a daily basis. The Olympics had a version of that because it wasn't about me. I felt like I had this team that I was playing for that had about 300 million people on it. And so I really felt connected to an actual tangible, quantifiable result in a way I had never felt before to that point. To win all the Slams and the gold medal is not an opportunity that so many champions, even previous champions, have had. It feels rare for me and it feels unique and is something I am grateful for. The day of the finals you're pretty nervous and it's all of a sudden moving to three-out- of-five (sets) against Sergi Bruguera, who I knew had the capacity to go the distance. That day it was forecast for pretty much 100 percent rain and sure enough it was just pounding. So I started to really eat a big meal only to watch the Georgia weather turn as fast as an afternoon in the summer in Florida. It went from torrential downpours for the day to clear blue skies, 90 degrees and 88 percent humidity and I'm going to be on the court in an hour and a half. I just remember thinking I hope this isn't the end of my gold medal dream because of how much food is sitting in my stomach right now. I keep my medal where I keep my Grand Slam trophies, which is at the gym I built for me and Gil [Reyes, his trainer]. Over the years we trained at our private gym and it always felt right they should be in a place where it could inspire me for the work needed, and a place that gave me the results that allowed me to achieve it. It's just full circle for me to have all the trophies at his gym. I felt like I had this team that I was playing for that had about 300 million people on it. ATLANTA 1996 MEN'S SINGLES GOLD

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