Andre Agassi

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By Trent Ogle · September 27, 2009 · 4:00 p.m.

Andre Agassi Foundation for Education red carpet.

Susie Lee and her husband, Dan Lee, pose during their trip to South Africa this summer. The Lees purchased the trip in a live auction at the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation's Grand Slam for Children fundraiser last year.

African safari unforgettable for Summerlin couple: Friday, October 10, 2008; By Sean Ammerman; Safari enthusiasts refer to expeditions in South Africa as going into the brush.

Editorial: Education must be first: Sunday, January 21, 2007; Money - more of it - also plays a vital role in the success of the school, as it gets a financial boost from the Agassi Foundation. The state gives schools $4,696 per student, and in Clark County, local taxes boost that to $6,474. The Agassi Foundation chips in roughly $2,500 more per student, and that only gets the Agassi school up to the national average for per-pupil funding.

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Of tanking, drugs and 'Slim': In 'Open,' Andre Agassi beats the odds

Andre Agassi discusses his memoir Open: An Autobiography with ESPN's Rick Reilly at the Encore Theater at the Wynn on Nov. 9, 2009.

Updated November 11, 2009 (2:03 p.m.) 4

Not many celebrities can own up to using crystal meth, giving up in big matches and failing drug tests with no penalty. But Andre Agassi is not a typical celebrity.

Andre Agassi

Occupation: Philanthropist/retired professional tennis player
Years as pro: 1986-2006
Web pages: Andre Agassi Foundation; Association of Tennis Professionals
Birthday:April 4, 1970, Las Vegas
Early life: He was born to an Olympian who emigrated to the U.S.: Emmanuel "Mike" Agassi, who represented Iran in boxing at the 1948 and 1952 games. At the age of 13, he attended Nick Bollettieri's Tennis Academy in Florida. Bollettieri was so impressed he let him attend for free. He turned pro at the age of 16 and ended his second year, 1987, ranked at No. 25 in the World.
Early career: With long hair and a rebel image, he was known for wearing colorful shirts and an earring. His breakthrough year was 1988, when he won six titles and finished the year at No. 3.
Honors: He won eight Grand Slam singles tournments - four Australian Opens, one French Open, one Wimbledon and two U.S. Opens. He also won the gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He was ranked No. 1 in the World in 1999 after becoming only one of five players in the game to win all four Grand Slam singles in a career.
Philanthropy: In 1994, Agassi founded the Andre Agassi Foundation for the purpose of improving the lives of "at-risk" children through its support of recreational and educational programs. In 2001, the Agassi Foundation opened the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, a K-12 public charter school located in Las Vegas' most "at-risk" neighborhood.

Dawn Gibbons: Andre Agassi disclosure 'huge' in fight against meth abuse

Andre Agassi speaks after a loss at the 1997 U.S. Open in New York. His autobiography contains an admission that he used crystal meth that year.

Updated October 30, 2009 (11:36 a.m.) 9

Dawn Gibbons' Crystal Darkness program has spanned 27 states and Mexico, and she says Andre Agassi could use his disclosure that he used crystal meth in his career as a way to help others stay away from, or recover from, the highly addictive drug.

The Kats Report

Agassi as a politician? He's not (yet) ready to serve

Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi arrive at the 14th annual Andre Agassi Foundation for Education's Grand Slam for Children benefit at Wynn Las Vegas.

Updated September 28, 2009 (11:41 a.m.) 3

During a brief chat at the table of Clark County Commissioner Rory Reid at the Grand Slam for Children, Andre Agassi said he hadn't been approached about running for public office for at least several hours.