ANDRE AGASSI - AGASSI TEARFULLY RETIRES FROM TENNIS

AGASSI TEARFULLY RETIRES FROM TENNIS

Tennis champion ANDRE AGASSI said goodbye to tennis at the US Open on Sunday (03SEP06), after his 21st consecutive tournament resulted in a loss to German BENJAMIN BECKER. Agassi had said he would retire after the tournament and collapsed into his courtside chair, tearfully looking up through his fingers to see 20,000 people standing and cheering for him in a tribute that lasted a solid four minutes. Agassi's wife, STEFFI GRAF, herself a tennis champion, and their two children, JADEN, four, and JAZ, two, were also looking on at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City. Despite pain from sciatica cause by a degenerative back condition, Agassi walked to centre court to blow and wave to his fans. The 36-year-old told the crowd, "The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the scoreboard doesn't say is what I have found. Over the last 21 years, I have found loyalty. "You have pulled for me on the court and also in life. I have found my inspiration. You have willed me to succeed, sometimes even in my lowest moments, and I've found generosity. "You have given me your shoulders to stand on to reach my dreams, dreams I could never have reached without you."