Andre Agassi enjoyed an unbelievable career in Tennis, winning multiple Grand Slam titles and reaching world number one.
The American was the first man to achieve the Career Grand Slam in the Open Era, taking home all four Grand Slam titles.
Agassi won eight Major titles during his time in tennis, including four titles at the Australian Open, and two in New York.
He retired from the sport in 2006, after losing to Benjamin Becker in the fourth round of the US Open.
Ten years prior, at the same venue, Agassi was involved in a fierce matchup with someone who shared the same name as the man who beat him in his final-ever match.
Boris Becker: The man who Andre Agassi once said he had no respect for off of the tennis court
In 1995, two of the ATP Tour’s finest players found themselves embroiled in a war of words that reached a fever pitch at the US Open.
Things had started a few months prior at Wimbledon when Boris Becker claimed that Agassi had received preferential treatment at the tournament.
“It cannot just be a coincidence that it is always [Andre] Agassi at 2 p.m. on Centre Court,” he said.
“It would be interesting to see how he played if he was always on Court 2 at noon.
“I think Nike has something to do with this, the other companies just can’t compete with them, the company puts pressure on the tournaments and money plays a big role.”
The German went one step further, as he commented on the American’s popularity within the locker room.
“Agassi is not someone the players like very much,” he said.
“He is always on his own and doing his own thing, he doesn’t have much in common with us.”
Becker had beaten Agassi in the Wimbledon semi-finals, and the pair didn’t play again until they met at the same stage at the US Open in September.
Number one seed and defending champion Agassi was the favorite and looked good to take his place in the final as he won the first two sets.
Becker then fought back bravely in the third, before Agassi secured victory in the fourth, booking his place in the showpiece match on Arthur Ashe.
After three hours of action, the pair met at the net for a notably ‘brief’ handshake, one that Agassi was asked about shortly after.
“After he beat me this year at Wimbledon, he said some things that bothered me on a very personal level,” said Agassi.
“It is hard for me to respect anybody who is going to beat me and say so many things that are not only wrong, but meant to hurt.
“I don’t understand that and I don’t respect it.
“It is real simple, I respect his tennis play But once a match is over, you know, it ends there.”
The American star also said that he had never previously expressed any negativity towards his German rival during their time together on tour.
“Honestly, I will tell you I have shown nothing but respect toward Boris [Becker] my entire career,” he said.
“He beat me the first three times we played, I never talked about anything, but what a great champion he was.
“I beat him eight times in a row, I never said anything, but what a great champion he is.
“Only incidents I have ever said anything to him were directed at Nick [Bollettieri].”
Bollettieri split with Agassi during the 1993 season, before joining forces with Becker just a few months later.
After their incident in New York, the pair played one another just once more, in the final of the Hong Kong Open in 1999.
Agassi came out on top, winning 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, as the head-to-head finished 10-4, in the American’s favor.
Are Andre Agassi and Boris Becker friendly with each other in 2025?
While the pair clearly weren’t too fond of each other back in 1995, time, as the saying goes, does heal everything, and they seem to be on good terms at the minute.
Just three short years after their ‘quarrel’ in 1995, they took to the court together, playing doubles at the Stuttgart Masters 1000 event.
After which, Agassi compared his 1995 disagreement with Becker, to one that he would have with his wife.
“We spent most of our career with great admiration for each other and we had a difficult moment in 1995, but, you know, you choose your wife and you have difficult moments with your wife, so we have been competing together for twelve years and we had a difficult moment,” he said.
“But it is way behind us.”
When Agassi turned 50 four years ago, Becker took to social media to send his best wishes to his former rival.
“I want to wish my old nemesis and rival, and good friend today, Andre Agassi only the very best on his special day turning 50,” he said.
“Welcome to the club brother, you’re in the 50’s club.”
Becker and Agassi continue to get on, spending time together at this year’s Laver Cup event in Berlin.
Agassi will take charge of Team World at the Laver Cup from 2025 onwards, while Becker continues to remain involved with the sport through his media appearances.
A great rivalry, and now a great friendship, that was perhaps only bettered by their brief ‘war’ 30 years ago.
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