Agassi Named to the Class of 2011 Tennis Hall of Fame Inductees

Andre Agassi, the eight-time Grand Slam tournament champion and former world number one-ranked player, headlines the list of nominees for induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2011. Agassi is the only nominee for 2011 in the Recent Player Category, with Australian Thelma Coyne Long and British star Christine Truman Jones nominated in the Master Player Category and Mike Davies and Fern Lee "Peachy" Kellmeyer nominated in the Contributor Category.

Agassi is one of only seven men in history to have completed the career Grand Slam, which he did in 1999 at Roland Garros, a victory that also made him the first male player in history to have won all four Grand Slam tournaments on three different surfaces.

Agassi of Las Vegas, Nevada, held the number one singles ranking for 101 weeks, and is regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, as well as one of the premier athletes of his generation. Agassi achieved a career singles record of 870-274, winning 60 titles, including four at the Australian Open, two at the U.S. Open, and one victory each at the French Open and Wimbledon. Within his 60 tournament wins, he captured 17 Masters 1000 events. In 1990, he won the season-ending ATP World Tour Championships. Agassi earned a Gold Medal at the 1996 Olympics, by taking the singles title in Atlanta. A member of two winning American Davis Cup teams (1990, 1992), Agassi achieved a career record of 30-6 in Davis Cup play for the United States. Agassi’s passionate performances, non-traditional apparel and style, and extraordinary skill made him one of the most iconic athletes in the history of the game. He is credited for reviving the popularity of the game and inspiring a generation of tennis players.

In 1999, Agassi came back from two sets down against Andrei Medvedev in the final to win the French Open, putting him in the elite company of Rod Laver, Don Budge, Fred Perry and Roy Emerson, as the only five men at that time to have achieved a Career Grand Slam. (Roger Federer later joined them with his victory at the French Open in 2009.) This win also made him the first male player in history to have won all four Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces (clay, grass, and hard courts), a tribute to his adaptability.

Agassi turned professional in 1986 at the age of 16, and made his way into the top-100 in his first professional year, finishing the season ranked number 91. He won his first Tour-level title in 1987, and closed out his second professional season ranked No. 25 in the world. In 1988 his year-end ranking was number three and he surpassed $2 million in career prize money, after playing in just 43 career tournaments–the fastest anyone in history had reached that mark. Agassi enjoyed a long, successful career through 2006, during which time he earned more than $30 million in prize-money, fourth only to Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and Rafael Nadal to date.

In June 2003, at the age of 33, Agassi became the oldest player to hold the number one singles ranking, a position that he held onto for 12 weeks. Agassi retired from professional tennis on Sept. 3, 2006, after losing in the third round of the U.S. Open. He delivered a memorable retirement speech and was honored with an eight-minute standing ovation from the crowd.

During his career and into retirement, Agassi has been a dedicated philanthropist. In 1994, he founded the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education, which is devoted to helping at-risk youth in Las Vegas and its surrounding areas. Since the inception of the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education $137 million dollars has been raised to benefit the mission of the Foundation, including $85 million from the Grand Slam for Children fundraising event. In 1995 and 2001, Agassi was awarded the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award, which is presented annually to one ATP World Tour player in acknowledgement of outstanding humanitarian contributions.

In 1997, he established the Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Club in Las Vegas, which supports 2,000 children throughout the year and boasts a world class junior tennis team and basketball program. Additionally, the club utilizes a rigorous system that encourages a mix of academics and athletics.

In 2001, Agassi opened the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, a tuition-free public charter school in Las Vegas’ most at-risk neighborhood. The school utilizes advanced technology, smaller class sizes and extended school hours, among other tactics, to combat lowered academic expectations and to foster a sense of hope among this community’s most challenged children. In 2009, the school graduated its inaugural class a 100 percent acceptance rate for higher education.

In 2007, Agassi joined forces with Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Warrick Dunn, Jeff Gordon, Mia Hamm, Tony Hawk, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, Alonzo Mourning and Cal Ripken Jr. to found Athletes for Hope. The non-profit organization helps professional athletes get involved in charitable causes and aims to inspire the sports community, especially athletes, to make a difference and to inspire others to pass their passion for philanthropy from generation to generation.

Agassi is married to retired professional tennis player and 2004 Hall of Famer Stefanie Graf, and they reside in Las Vegas with their two children.

The Class of 2011 inductees will be announced early in the year, with voting taking place over the next few months. The Class of 2011 induction ceremony will be held on Saturday, July 9, 2011, at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I. Hall-of-Fame members will have first access to tickets for this historic event during a members’ first pre-sale, beginning on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m.

Benefits of Hall-of-Fame membership also include discounts on tickets at pro tournaments around the country, free admission to the Hall of Fame, online and in-store shopping discounts, and the opportunity to support the Hall of Fame in its mission to preserve the history of tennis, inspire future players and honor the legends of the game.

For more information, visit www.tennisfame.com.