Q. Is it special for you that not only the fans give you this respect and love, but all the other players, your competitors, give you this enormous respect?
ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, when I went into the locker room afterwards, they all were standing, applauding me. I tell you, you know, the greatest applause that any person will ever receive in their life is that which comes from their peers. It's not like we're a company who's working together to accomplish something. We're people that succeed, in some cases, at the demise of the other. To have them applaud you is the ultimate compliment.
Q. Then the speech?
ANDRE AGASSI: Listen, I think I've prepared for that speech for 21 years. I mean, it's just one of those you think about what you what you want to say, what really touches the things that are important to you.
There's a thousand things that were going through my mind.
ANDRE AGASSI: There would have been no chance I would have gotten through my first two. I don't think I could have gotten through those.
The way it was, no, I would have it's like this summer. I was playing pulled out of two events over the summer because I was literally thinking to myself, If I have this much left, I want to spend it here. I'm glad I did that because pulling out of two tournaments allowed me the chance to play two matches. I know it doesn't give me the great prospect of doing something spectacular in hindsight, but those two matches were worth a difficult year. I'm glad I did it.
Q. If a 16 year old tennis prodigy at the US Open asked you for some words of wisdom, what would you tell him?
ANDRE AGASSI: What would I tell him? Just use every day as an opportunity to get better, not just on the court.
Q. How are you going to explaining to your children what their daddy did?
ANDRE AGASSI: Well, my first goal is to explain to them why I was crying. It was pretty upsetting to them to see me cry because I suppose they don't realize that dads do that.
Q. Do you think it's going to feel strange to just wake up like a normal person and not have to do this? How are you going to fulfill? You've been so zoomed in on one thing, now the whole world is completely open to you.
ANDRE AGASSI: It's like you're talking dirty to me now. I like it. (laughter)
Sorry, did that come out? Did I say that?
I hope it feels strange. I hope it feels really, really strange because that would reflect a lot of assumed responsibility, pressure and commitment that is no longer on my shoulders at least in the same nature. Yeah, I mean, I'm going to wake up tomorrow and start with not caring how I feel. That's going to feel great. And then I'm imagining for a long time, any time somebody asks me to do something, I'm going to go, Sure, why not.
ANDRE AGASSI: It will be that applause, the applause from the fans, the applause from my peers. That was the greatest memories I've ever had, memories I'll keep with me forever.
Q. I know you just stopped, but have you given a thought about the senior tour at all?
ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, I actually think it starts tomorrow, right? They're playing. I might just yeah, we might have another press conference after.
No, I'm not quitting tennis, retiring, to immediately think about playing again. I'm going to be very shrewd and take some time.
Q. Your work with your academy, has that ever prompted you in going back to school yourself?
ANDRE AGASSI: No, no. Listen, I think everyone else should go to school. (laughter)
It's about opportunities for children. For me, I feel like my opportunities, I've been blessed with so many of them and have them. I enjoy learning on different levels. I'm not sure I would particularly connect with the routine of sort of going back to school. It hasn't really ever crossed... no, no.
Q. Do you have any questions for us?
ANDRE AGASSI: Are you guys going to really miss me or are you just acting like that?
(Standing ovation)
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