Andre Agassi may be in London leading Team World at this year’s Laver Cup, but family is never far from his mind. The eight-time Grand Slam champion has been married to fellow tennis legend Steffi Graf for almost 25 years, and together they share two adult children, Jaden, 24, and Jaz, 22.
Speaking exclusively to HELLO! at The O2 this week, Andre opened up about life away from tennis and how he and Steffi have kept their family grounded despite their extraordinary sporting legacies.
“She likes seeing me happy, just like I like seeing her happy,” the 56-year-old told us when asked how Steffi feels about his return to the high-stakes environment. “She knows this is a week in Laver Cup that I value, that I bond with, that I connect to. It’s a lot of work, but she’s never been scared of me in work [mode].
“I always promised her I wouldn’t be too busy or too bored – because I’m kind of dangerous in both! She appreciates my connection to it, so she’ll smile for a week.”
Secrets to Andre and Steffi’s 25-year marriage
The ultimate tennis power couple, who have 30 Grand Slam titles between them, and who will mark their 25th wedding anniversary in October, have famously built a private family life in Las Vegas, removed from the pressures of elite tour tennis. Despite their shared history, Andre revealed that tennis rarely dominates conversation around the dinner table.
© Getty Images“Not really,” he said. “Occasionally, when something’s going on, I’ll bring up something and she’ll have a counterpoint or an additional point, but not necessarily. When I played, I played for six years when she wasn’t playing. It was much more about the things you didn’t have to say, because you kind of understood what it takes and how the other one felt.”
That mutual understanding also shaped the way they raised their children, Jaden, a talented baseball pitcher, and Jaz, a dancer and equestrian. Despite having two sporting icons as parents, Andre insists their children have stayed remarkably clear-headed about fame.
© Getty ImagesThe tennis power couple’s ‘shockingly balanced’ children
“They got the best seat in the house to realise what life is and what life isn’t,” Andre reflected. “They see us, they learn from what we do, not from what we say. And then they see how other people sometimes treat us. So it’s very easy for them to understand ideas of grandeur versus the reality of life.”
For Andre, that perspective comes down to the example he and Steffi have set at home. “They’re shockingly balanced,” he added proudly.
© Getty Images for Laver Cup“I attribute that to a tool of being a more accomplished, recognisable parent. But again, it’s only a tool if you live a certain way. We live pretty grounded. They see how you’re treated, and it makes a lot of sense to them on what they choose for themselves.”
A new chapter at the Laver Cup
The Laver Cup returns to The O2 this week for its ninth edition, running from 25 to 27 September. The three-day tournament sees six of Europe’s top men’s players take on six players from the rest of the world.
© Getty Images for Laver CupStepping into the captaincy role for Team World brings its own pressures, with Andre leading a six-man line-up including Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur. The tennis legend views the responsibility of guiding his star-studded team as a privilege.
“It’s first and foremost about me learning them and not screwing them up in big moments, right?” he explained. “I’m driving other people’s Ferraris here, you know what I mean? Once I understand what they need, I get to watch them do the hard part.”
© GettyAnd while he may be back in the spotlight in London, don’t expect a return of his iconic 1990s court style anytime soon. When asked if he ever considers pulling on one of his famous bandanas again, Andre laughs off the idea with trademark self-deprecation.
“I mean, there’s some floating around, but at this stage of life, I don’t like the tan line it gives me!” he laughed. “I feel like I’m wearing it, but then I take it off to go out to dinner and people are like, ‘That’s weird, you have a white head and a tanned face.’ It’s weird!”
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