“My first feeling was just sheer shock that it was really over,” Andre Agassi once said about his 1999 French Open triumph. It was the only Grand Slam title that had eluded him. At 29, he took matters into his own hands. Now, twenty years after his last match at Roland Garros, Agassi returns—not as a player, but as a commentator with TNT Sports. Yet, the memories of his playing days remain vivid.
Agassi’s 1999 French Open win was a monumental comeback. It sealed his Career Grand Slam. After falling two sets behind, he defeated unseeded Ukrainian Andrei Medvedev in a thrilling final, 1–6, 2–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–4. That victory marked his first and only triumph on the Parisian clay. This moment stays close to his heart, and he shared it with fans online. On May 24, the legend shared a reel on Instagram, captioned, “Wild to be back at @rolandgarros, so many memories here.”
In the reel, a montage of moments leads up to his victory. The eight-time Grand Slam champion reflects, “That was the day, in between the lines on the tennis court, when I knew I wouldn’t have any more regrets. For me to win it, it was one I could’ve won 10 years earlier. It was one I never thought I had a chance at again.” Since 1997, he had struggled to get back into form.
Agassi had reached two previous finals in Paris—in 1990 against Andrés Gómez and 1991 against Jim Courier. Both times, he lost in four sets, missing the chance to claim the coveted title. Clay was his toughest surface, and those defeats fueled a decade of frustration. His career hit rock bottom in 1997. A wrist injury and personal turmoil dropped his ranking to a shocking 141st. He even played some Challenger events to regain confidence. But the 1999 French Open title still posed a bigger challenge.
He admitted, “I was fighting my greatest opponent, which was myself, out there for a little while. You know, I managed to climb the hill.” Despite anxiety from past losses and shaky form, Agassi’s 1999 run as the 13th seed showed grit. He beat Franco Squillari in four sets, then made a dramatic five-set comeback against Arnaud Clément. After a solid win over Chris Woodruff, he faced a key challenge—defeating defending champion Carlos Moyá in four sets. Agassi then overcame Marcelo Filippini in the quarters and Dominik Hrbaty in the semis, setting the stage for his iconic final. There’s no doubt he was extremely “grateful” for that moment.
And the greatest reward? “But all of it was made right by that one day in ’99. And I won it alongside my beautiful bride. Not sure, had I won, I would even have believed I deserved her, so I’m back there living in gratitude.” Before Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi became tennis’s ultimate power couple off the court, they shared an unforgettable weekend two decades ago at Roland Garros. That year, both walked away as champions, turning matches that once seemed out of reach into lasting victories.
Now, Agassi returns to the red clay as a commentator alongside WTA icon Venus Williams with TNT Sports. Americans can enjoy comprehensive live coverage, including over 900 matches streamed on Max and Discovery+. TNT Sports is boldly reimagining tennis, making it fresh and exciting for US fans. Viewers might just fall in love with the sport all over again.
Isn’t it heartwarming to see how much Roland Garros means to Agassi? That year was huge for him. Even his former coach said reliving that victory was special. It was a moment cherished by everyone involved.
Andre Agassi’s ex-coach recalls the celebration post his big win
Speaking to Tennis Channel on May 9, Brad Gilbert—Agassi’s coach from 1994 to 2002 and hailed by Andre as the “greatest coach of all time”—opened up about how unforgettable that 1999 French Open was. He said, “I felt like I did my greatest coaching ever just to get Andre to come out and come back. Literally, we hadn’t hit a ball for six days; he’d been hurt. And I felt like that was my best coaching, just to get him to go there, and then the way he had to battle through five matches at the tournament.” Talk about dedication!
So, how did they celebrate that epic win? Brad spilled the fun details: “We had a blowout that night—that was a night for the ages. We threw down quite a few cocktails and had a legendary night with some legendary players in Paris. It was a fun night, to say the least.” Sounds like a dream party, right? You can almost feel the energy and joy from that unforgettable evening.
Now, as Andre Agassi heads back to Roland Garros, those memories of his first and only win still hit him hard. It’s bound to be an emotional return. But stepping into the commentator’s role alongside tennis legends makes this tournament even more exciting. What do you think? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
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