Throwback Thursday: Agassi's last stand in New York

This US Open will mark 10 years since Andre Agassi retired from the sport in New York after suffering a third-round loss to Benjamin Becker. First things first: You know you've done something right when a capacity crowd gives you a four-minute standing ovation.

The tennis legend visited Umag, Croatia, recently. While that may seem an unlikely locale for him to make his way to these days, with his charter-school funding and family life and so on, the reason for his appearance was simple. Goran Ivanisevic had called him up and, in so many words, Agassi owed him one.

Ivanisevic told CNN's Open Court program, hosted by fellow former pro Pat Cash, why he liked Agassi from the start upon seeing him on the pro tour after their shared junior-tennis days: "Huge hair, and who plays in jean shorts? ... It was Andre Agassi, and Andre Agassi can do anything."

The funniest part of the CNN spot featuring Agassi and Ivanisevic? After Ivanisevic (finally) won Wimbledon in 2001, he received, of all things, a fax from Agassi with congratulations on securing his maiden major title.

Agassi's wife, Stefanie Graf, will be watchful at this impending US Open. An invigorated Serena Williams will seek to break her 22-singles-majors tie with Graf. With so much expectation, Flushing Meadows will be buzzing even more than usual this late summer.

Follow Jon on Twitter @jonscott9.