Columnist Dean Juipe: Injury clouds Agassi’s tennis future

Dean Juipe

Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2002 | 9:23 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or 259-4084.

It isn't like he has died and there's a need for his public obituary. To the contrary, Andre Agassi's zest for life may never have been greater.

Recently married for a second time and now the father of a newly born son, Agassi, at 31 years old, would seem to be blessed with a peacefulness and tranquility on the home front that only maturity can provide.

With the enthusiasm of a teen and the resources of a multimillionaire, he can claim a comfort level of enviable dimensions. Few if any of his contemporaries can feel so fulfilled.

Yet the day may be fast approaching in which Agassi's greatest asset, his ability to play and dominate in professional tennis, is coming to an end.

Not to overstate the facts and label him brittle, but Agassi's withdrawal Monday from the Australian Open due to an injured right wrist could be a precursor of more severe physical ailments to come. The end of his tenure -- a second tenure, at that -- as the sport's kingpin may very well be at hand.

As the two-time defending Australian champion with a fondness for that hard court, Agassi did not pull out of the tournament without serious misgivings. The stop Down Under is one of only four majors on the pro tennis tour, with its winner elevated to celebrity status.

Factoring in Agassi's belief that he was in Melbourne for a lengthy run in that he brought wife Steffi and infant Jaden Gil along, his quick exit and return to Las Vegas has a dramatic feel to it. He's definitely hurt.

The injury, which emerged during an exhibition with Pete Sampras two days earlier, is certainly inopportune. But if its severity is something of a career killer, the timing -- given his enthusiastic commitment to his evolving family -- might be seen in a more accepting light.

"I'm worried about the state of it and what it might mean," Agassi said of his damaged wrist and its relevance to his career. As the oldest male player in the computerized top 10, he's already seen as grandfatherly in some quarters.

That Agassi has even been a factor at his somewhat advanced age is, of course, a testament to his conditioning and resolve. That he revived his career from the depths of injury and indifference in 1997 and became the world's greatest and most beloved player has the makings of a well-scripted movie.

Agassi has touched all the bases, from long-haired, heart-throbbing teen sensation to premature has-been to acclaimed master. With grace and an element of fashion, he has won almost 50 championships and gained legions of followers who admired his playful style and determination.

He is clearly the most celebrated player of his generation and arguably the most appreciated in the history of the sport.

But he's neither invincible nor immune to physical breakdown, and a chronically bad wrist could set his retirement plans in motion. Even if it's less immediate, the end has to be within sight.

No one can play at a peak level forever and a new wave of tennis stars will forever push the old ones out. If and when Agassi's time has come, he needn't apologize or depart with misgivings.

He carried a sport and created a significant legacy. Tributes to him -- Andre the Giant! -- will be plentiful.