Agassi, Graf tie the knot in Las Vegas

Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2001 | 10:30 a.m.

SUN STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

It was shortly past 10:30 Monday morning when Andre Agassi burst into the offices of Andre Agassi Enterprises.

Wearing jeans and a baseball cap, the Las Vegas tennis star appeared in a hurry to meet with his best friend and agent, Perry Rogers, and others in the office.

In fact, Agassi's somewhat frantic intrusion interrupted an interview between a reporter and Rogers.

But things like that happen on one's wedding day, which is what Monday turned out to be for Agassi, as he and fellow tennis ace Stefanie Graf were married Monday in Las Vegas.

The couple exchanged vows in a small, private ceremony before District Judge Michael Cherry, said Todd Wilson, a spokesman for Agassi Enterprises.

"We are so blessed to be married and starting this chapter of our lives," the couple said in a joint statement. "The privacy and intimacy of our ceremony was beautiful and reflective of all we value."

Rogers, citing the couple's wishes, politely declined comment on the details of the ceremony, including any honeymoon plans Agassi and Graf may have.

"They want to keep all that private," Wilson said.

Agassi and Graf live in Las Vegas but also maintain a $23 million home in San Francisco. They are expecting their first child -- a boy -- in December.

Agassi, 31, and Graf, 32, began dating after each won the French Open in 1999.

Agassi, who won this year's Australian Open for his seventh career Grand Slam title, is ranked second in the world.

Graf, a winner of 22 Grand Slam titles, dominated women's tennis before retiring in 1999.

Agassi was previously married to actress Brooke Shields. It is Graf's first marriage.

In September, Agassi told reporters that while the couple definitely planned to marry, a wedding was on hold until after their son was born.

Agassi said at the time that he and Graf would wait to marry "until the little one is around and everybody (has) kind of recovered."