Professional tennis returns to the city this weekend as the Rogers Cup takes over the Rexall Centre at York University from Aug. 6 to 14. In addition to the world’s top women holding court, the event marks the inaugural Rogers Legends Cup, featuring top legendary players Michael Chang, Jim Courier, John McEnroe and recent International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee Andre Agassi.
The Las Vegas native is considered one of the top 10 players to ever play the game. We caught up with Agassi to talk Rogers Cup, Rafa and Milos Raonic.
What advice do you have for our local phenom Milos Raonic? First of all, get healthy. I know he had a very unfortunate injury in Wimbledon. Second, be very smart with your choices and your body. Train to get one day better, not two days better. Always think about improving and don’t worry about the competition.
How do you see his potential? I think his potential is right there at the top of the world. Here’s a guy who has a huge game on many levels. But, beyond that, the intangible I look for is that he moves from the back court to a big stage and actually believes he belongs there. He has that sense, that presence about himself. A year ago he was ranked 400, now he’s 25 in the world. He’s the highest ranked Canadian — he has everything it takes to be at the top of the game.
How did you prepare for the Canadian Open (now Rogers Cup)? Well, the good news was everything about the Canadian Open fit my game. I loved the surface, loved the court speed. Historically in my career, if I enjoyed being there, I had success.
How has the game changed for you? I don’t miss the competition,that’s forsure. Relieving the pressure of competition has freed me to enjoy the game differently. The older I’ve gotten, from 27, I’ve learned to enjoy and love the sport.
How do you compare your generation with the current stars of the game? I believe wholeheartedly that Roger [Federer] and (Rafael ‘Rafa’) Nadal have pushed the game much further than I or Pete [Sampras] ever did. They have options on a tennis court that are considerably more than ours.
What player today is doing what you did, in terms of being a global ambassador? That’s a hard question to answer. What Federer has done for so many who love the sport, watching that happen, is a luxury in one’s life. For me, what is really compelling is looking at the three best players in the world, two of which are unquestionably the top to ever play the game. The third (Novak Djokovic) is well on his way to proving he should be in that discussion.
Rogers Cup, Rexall Centre, Aug. 6-14
