Tennis icon Andre Agassi has arrived in Melbourne in a notably understated fashion, a stark contrast to the electrifying persona that once dominated the world stage. The four-time Australian Open champion and former world number one was spotted enjoying a quiet dinner at the upmarket Japanese fusion restaurant Nobu at Southbank.
A World Away from the Rockstar Image
The 55-year-old American, mobbed by a small group of dedicated fans after his meal, looked relaxed and content. Gone was the long, flowing mullet and flashy attire that defined his early career. Instead, Agassi wore a simple long-sleeve top and light jeans, his face showing the natural lines of age and experience. He happily chatted, signed autographs, and posed for photos, trading the flamboyant edge of his youth for a settled, low-key presence.
During the 1990s, Agassi's bold style and outspoken personality revolutionised tennis, a sport traditionally steeped in restraint. His image, built around that iconic hairstyle, made him a global superstar and brought new fans to the game. However, he later revealed a stunning secret that reshaped the narrative of his career.
The Shocking Hairpiece Confession
In his autobiography, serialised in British weekend newspapers, Agassi confessed that his trademark mullet was actually a hairpiece for most of his career. He began losing his hair young and first wore the toupee, held together with pins, in his debut Grand Slam final at the French Open in 1990.
"Every morning I would get up and find another piece of my identity on the pillow, in the wash basin, down the plughole," he wrote. He described the agonising fear of it falling off during matches, praying not for victory but for the wig to stay put. "I imagine millions of spectators move closer to their TV sets... ask how Andre Agassi's hair has fallen from his head," he recounted.
It was his then-wife, actress Brooke Shields, who finally convinced him to shave his head. After initial reluctance, comparing it to having all his teeth removed, he took the plunge. "A stranger stood before me in the mirror and smiled," Agassi said, feeling freed from the "chain" of his wig.
A Career of Remarkable Highs and Lows
Agassi's career was a rollercoaster of extraordinary achievement and profound struggle. Emerging as a teenage prodigy in the late 1980s, he won eight Grand Slam singles titles, completing the rare Career Grand Slam across all four majors. His tally includes:
- Four Australian Open titles
- Two US Open titles
- One French Open title
- One Wimbledon title
He first reached world number one in 1995 and held the top ranking for a total of 101 weeks. One of his crowning moments was winning Olympic gold in Atlanta in 1996, completing the Career Golden Slam.
His journey also featured dramatic lows, including a loss of form, injuries, and a rankings slide outside the top 100 in 1997. He faced motivational struggles, personal issues, and an early-career drug suspension. Through sheer will, fitness, and tactical discipline, he staged one of sport's great comebacks, winning multiple majors in his late twenties and early thirties.
Agassi retired in 2006 after an emotional final US Open run, hampered by chronic back pain. He finished with 60 ATP singles titles and over 850 match wins. Now back in Melbourne, not to play but for commentary duties, the transformed legend remains a captivating figure, his legacy defined by both his unparalleled skill and his deeply human journey.
