so, at last here i start .......though wee bit too late,i suppose..................
but, kind of right time to start...

END OF A MAGICAL ERA IN TENNIS

the image of andre agassi, which is still etched in my mind is.........he falling on his knees and hiding his face in his hands and crying..............after winning the wimbledon.........yes, at that time, i liked him for his game...amazing returns,so quick and agile on the court,great backhand....also, for his flamboyance, style and long locks!!!! he was a Rockin(!!!,pun intended) tennis star.......
but, over the years...well, have been his fan for almost 15 years now.....i have started likin him for many more things.............
ofcourse, the game has been almost flawless. but, the same cannot be said for his dedication towards his game.from 1992 to end 1996.....upswing....was ranked no.1 for almost 8 months continuous.....there were 2 ways to go from there...uphill and downhill.uphill was too up.......where do u go up from no.1???......well, raising ur games to the levels of immortals.........but, easier way out is downhill..and that's what he took.....provin to be a mortal still!!!!!!from being ranked no.1 to being no.142...............might have taken lots of efforts..albeit in the wrong direction!!!!!!!!!!!!
but, period after this only made me a bigger fan of his....when i was thinkin, it's the time he retires (see, in retrospect..that seems so silly to even have thought such thing), he came out stronger and bigger....playing challengers to get back his form....going back to the basics and rising again......and this time to the levels of immortals!!!!!......some people are just born to be great... ...rose slowly up the ranks and started winning again........culminating in being only the 5th person to win all four grand slams......way to go andre!!!
this is uncommon, but not so rare in sports.....lance armstrong,michael jordan,etc....are up there with him...lance armstrong..a notch higher....but, what endears me to andre is his new found dedication, to find inspiration within self, belief in self and the most important of all...respect for the game and his opponents.....his amazing conduct on and off court......from being a brash, pony-tailed, arrogant american teenager to being a great, respectable, humble and such an endearing human..........amazing journey...............
somehow, he has been my inspiration........will always be.........
hope, his journey of life continues to be as amazing as it has been till now