Latest / Bleacher Report / Andre Agassi & Andrei Medvedev Reflect on Their 1999 Final at Roland-Garros
Transcript
- 0:00Speaker 1: We have some incredible history joining us on the desk
- 0:02Speaker 1: right now, twenty six years ago today, this was one
- 0:06Speaker 1: of the best matches you'll ever see. It was a
- 0:08Speaker 1: two sets to love lead for mister andre Medvedev came
- 0:12Speaker 1: out there six one, six'. Two we had a twenty
- 0:15Speaker 1: minute rain delay in that third, set Which i'm sure
- 0:17Speaker 1: we're about to get, into and then Andre agassi came
- 0:21Speaker 1: out there and was the joined the list Of Fred, Perry,
- 0:26Speaker 1: Pudge Rod laver And Roy emerson as the men to
- 0:30Speaker 1: win all four major singles. Championships what a, moment.
- 0:37Speaker 2: And what a moment it.
- 0:38Speaker 1: Is here for us on the set OF. Tnt two
- 0:41Speaker 1: men THAT i can already tell respect the.
- 0:43Speaker 2: Hell out of each, other AND i can see.
- 0:45Speaker 1: There's a lot of love as. Well Andre medvedev joining
- 0:47Speaker 1: this is that right. Now let me make him speak glowing.
- 0:53Speaker 2: Terms what does this man mean to?
- 0:54Speaker 3: You first of, ALL i am so sorry for what
- 1:00Speaker 3: your country is going through right. Now maybe my love
- 1:03Speaker 3: and respect and your commitment to it is it needs
- 1:08Speaker 3: fighters like.
- 1:08Speaker 2: You. Man we have fighters better than, me, yeah.
- 1:12Speaker 3: Better but to be back here feels better at the
- 1:18Speaker 3: table than on the.
- 1:18Speaker 2: Court well depends Depends some courts you feel better than
- 1:24Speaker 2: on the table because on the court you're less nervous than.
- 1:27Speaker 2: Here here you have to be serious and you have
- 1:29Speaker 2: to explain things that maybe not everybody, understands and you
- 1:35Speaker 2: have to explain it. Perfectly on the, court you just,
- 1:37Speaker 2: play you, play you do your, job you enjoy and you,
- 1:41Speaker 2: fight and it's, easier much easier than. Here and, yeah
- 1:44Speaker 2: it's nice to be. Here of, course What ukraine is
- 1:47Speaker 2: going through is, horrible and the whole country united for
- 1:53Speaker 2: our victory or for our, survival and hopefully we will
- 1:59Speaker 2: not be leading two cents to laugh and lose it
- 2:01Speaker 2: in five this. Time so hopefully we'll manage to save our.
- 2:05Speaker 2: Country and there's a lot of great fighters In, ukraine
- 2:08Speaker 2: And i'm quite. Confident if The west doesn't stop to
- 2:14Speaker 2: support us our, viktorial our freedom is not far. AWAY i.
- 2:20Speaker 2: UNDERSTAND i.
- 2:21Speaker 1: Understand it's heavy topics and also heavy moments when you
- 2:25Speaker 1: guys are on the court as. Well you guys have
- 2:28Speaker 1: faced off in the, finals you two face off of the.
- 2:30Speaker 1: Finals is the connection linked forever when you face someone
- 2:34Speaker 1: in a moment like that where people like me bring
- 2:37Speaker 1: up what, happened but also you share a bond that
- 2:40Speaker 1: not many people can.
- 2:41Speaker 3: Understand, YEAH i, MEAN i don't know how to put
- 2:44Speaker 3: that in, words but you are so strangely on an,
- 2:47Speaker 3: island on a tennis, court but also so uniquely.
- 2:50Speaker 2: Connected and then you.
- 2:52Speaker 3: Find yourself in the biggest moments of your, life an
- 2:55Speaker 3: opportunity to do something you've never. Done you opportunity to
- 2:58Speaker 3: do something you've never, done and you have this battle
- 3:01Speaker 3: that is hanging in the, balance maybe maybe one, shot
- 3:05Speaker 3: maybe one, point and sometimes you feel like it's a
- 3:09Speaker 3: matter of luck or a matter of. Destiny but you,
- 3:12Speaker 3: Know andrew is always one of those players that IF
- 3:15Speaker 3: i did lose to, HIM i could always say to,
- 3:17Speaker 3: myself was.
- 3:17Speaker 2: Shit at least he. Won at least he won the
- 3:20Speaker 2: same the same for. ME i think it was the
- 3:23Speaker 2: magic of the moment that we knew that the history
- 3:26Speaker 2: is on the line When andre wins, there he completes
- 3:29Speaker 2: The Grand. Slam IF i, WIN i would win The
- 3:31Speaker 2: slam that everybody THOUGHT i deserve to. Win you, know
- 3:34Speaker 2: if you look a little bit back in the, career
- 3:37Speaker 2: and because of the mutual, respect and because of also
- 3:41Speaker 2: a special thing that happened just a couple of months,
- 3:44Speaker 2: before the wrong ears Of Monte carlo when anger saved
- 3:47Speaker 2: my career but giving me some advices THAT i used
- 3:51Speaker 2: going into the wrong. Earras maybe he doesn't. REMEMBER i
- 3:55Speaker 2: do remember because because because of all, this the combination
- 3:59Speaker 2: of all these, things, this this made it. Sentimental and
- 4:02Speaker 2: IF i would, lose if you can say that you're
- 4:05Speaker 2: happy to lose to, Somebody, YEAH i was happy to
- 4:07Speaker 2: lose To andrea because it's the GUY i, respect and
- 4:11Speaker 2: the guy who brought so much, flavors so much color in,
- 4:17Speaker 2: tennis so much activity that we all respected. Him and
- 4:22Speaker 2: to see him completing this lam being on the same,
- 4:24Speaker 2: stage he was a great. Honor of, Course i'm disappointed
- 4:27Speaker 2: THAT i, lost but LIKE i, said if you lose
- 4:30Speaker 2: in this, moment is this historical moment to the person Like.
- 4:33Speaker 2: Andrea in a, way it's a big honor And i'm
- 4:35Speaker 2: HAPPY i was a part of. It the roof is.
- 4:37Speaker 1: Closed now there was a roof, Back there be no,
- 4:40Speaker 1: rain deler what happens, Then, yes you got good, coaching you.
- 4:44Speaker 2: Know BUT i told him to put the ball back in.
- 4:47Speaker 2: Play that's what he. Did the wind, stopped and, yeah,
- 4:50Speaker 2: honestly if you play a normal match under the, conditions no,
- 4:53Speaker 2: rain no wind and. ANYTHING i think it would just
- 4:57Speaker 2: who's hitting the ball better that. Day, no And andre
- 5:01Speaker 2: wouldn't find the rhythm in the first two. Sets then the,
- 5:03Speaker 2: rains you, know, started the wind stopped a little. Bit
- 5:05Speaker 2: if you got advice From, BREAD i got a little
- 5:08Speaker 2: bit ahead of, myself you, know thinking that it's. Close
- 5:11Speaker 2: and of course the experience of winning The slams before
- 5:15Speaker 2: played the big. ROLE i think in the third fourth
- 5:17Speaker 2: And thief, said.
- 5:18Speaker 3: Especially going back a couple of months, earlier we were
- 5:21Speaker 3: in Money carlo for different. Reasons he was there. PLAYING
- 5:24Speaker 3: i was there to pull out because we had a rule,
- 5:27Speaker 3: that you, know you had to see the tournament doctor
- 5:29Speaker 3: if you're going to pull out to avoid.
- 5:31Speaker 2: The, fighting withdraw from the. Tournament.
- 5:32Speaker 3: Yeah, Yeah SO i go there to. Withdraw so it's
- 5:34Speaker 3: like A monday night or what have. You and so
- 5:36Speaker 3: What i'm waiting for a fight the next. Day what
- 5:38Speaker 3: better thing to do than to go out to a, nightclub,
- 5:40Speaker 3: Right SO i go out to this night club and
- 5:42Speaker 3: There's andre And i'm, like, dude you're playing the. Tournament he's, like,
- 5:46Speaker 3: NO i lost to, Day i'm quitting. Tennis And i'm, like.
- 5:49Speaker 2: What are you telling.
- 5:49Speaker 3: ME i, go you can't, quit and he's like, why
- 5:53Speaker 3: AND i, go because you can't. Quit you could change your,
- 5:56Speaker 3: life but you're. QUITTING i, mean you got so much
- 5:58Speaker 3: tennis in, you AND i remember counting all the ways
- 6:02Speaker 3: that you could play the, game AND i remember you
- 6:04Speaker 3: telling me what you were struggling, with and THEN i remember, saying,
- 6:07Speaker 3: well how about we focus on these. Things and then
- 6:10Speaker 3: fast forward a month and. Half picture this opposite side
- 6:13Speaker 3: of the. Draw i'm playing one, day he's practicing that.
- 6:17Speaker 3: Day next day he's. Playing i'm practice in that, day
- 6:20Speaker 3: and we're crossing paths where one person's relaxed and one
- 6:23Speaker 3: person's about to, play wishing each other, luck hoping the
- 6:27Speaker 3: other one, wins and then it starts getting all too.
- 6:29Speaker 3: Real it gets. Closer so by the time we got
- 6:33Speaker 3: to the, quarters we had to keep up to the.
- 6:36Speaker 3: Tradition we had to give each other a, hug we
- 6:38Speaker 3: had to give each other some kind. Words but at
- 6:41Speaker 3: the same time we were on a collision. Course SO
- 6:44Speaker 3: i got a little awkward around the semi. Finals but
- 6:46Speaker 3: how are you feeling down two sets to love about
- 6:48Speaker 3: that advice you got? HERE i was playing not only
- 6:52Speaker 3: not Only, andre which in my mind was my worst,
- 6:55Speaker 3: enemy which was myself another. Andre but on top of,
- 6:58Speaker 3: it SOMEBODY i, coached not JUST i mean for a brief,
- 7:01Speaker 3: moment not just to beat other, players BUT i was
- 7:04Speaker 3: actually just telling them how he could beat, me because
- 7:06Speaker 3: that's HOW i felt looking at him and playing against.
- 7:08Speaker 3: Them and so he was well prepared from a strategic,
- 7:11Speaker 3: perspective AND i was a deer in headlights and got
- 7:14Speaker 3: off to a great, start.
- 7:15Speaker 2: AND i was just.
- 7:16Speaker 3: Glad it's.
- 7:19Speaker 2: A little bit of a destiny because NORMALLY i don't
- 7:21Speaker 2: go to the nightclubs WHEN i, played and NORMALLY i
- 7:24Speaker 2: never had the decision to quit. Tennis that was the
- 7:26Speaker 2: first TIME i talked to my team about, this AND
- 7:29Speaker 2: i was so. Disappointed my wrist was, hurt AND i
- 7:31Speaker 2: didn't feel any motivation to hear the words like this
- 7:34Speaker 2: from sorry to say, it but from a superstar in.
- 7:37Speaker 2: TENNIS i couldn't BELIEVE i hear, it, Actually and the
- 7:40Speaker 2: advice is That andrew gim me was about the, quality
- 7:43Speaker 2: not the quantity of, tennis and that really switched completely the.
- 7:48Speaker 2: Mind the preparation for the, TOURNAMENT i felt alive, again
- 7:54Speaker 2: and coming into The french shop AND i was doing
- 7:56Speaker 2: a lot of, fitness and only ten days before the,
- 7:58Speaker 2: TOURNAMENT i started to play tennis because my risks was,
- 8:01Speaker 2: WOW i picked up did you wreck? IT i was,
- 8:03Speaker 2: READY i was. FIT i wanted to get back into
- 8:06Speaker 2: the top hundred because my ranking was one hundred and,
- 8:09Speaker 2: four AND i was motivated in good, form good draw
- 8:13Speaker 2: BECAUSE i got pitz San prass in the second round on.
- 8:17Speaker 2: Clay you, KNOW i feel good about my. Chances and
- 8:20Speaker 2: then true its destiny because normally you don't See andrea in.
- 8:23Speaker 2: Autonomy it's always, come win and. Go you, know no warm,
- 8:28Speaker 2: up no, shower no, stretching nothing just comes. Leaves and
- 8:32Speaker 2: then somehow we saw no we saw each other artically
- 8:35Speaker 2: after every match we, crossed which is also we never
- 8:39Speaker 2: we don't have each other's full. Number we didn't have a,
- 8:41Speaker 2: contact the coaches didn't. Have it was a, destiny you, say,
- 8:44Speaker 2: hey well. Done he also gave me a couple of
- 8:46Speaker 2: advices to play the quarter. Finals you were going.
- 8:49Speaker 3: To BE i was, yes, yes because at the time
- 8:53Speaker 3: there were a couple of PEOPLE i worried about more than,
- 8:55Speaker 3: him BUT i needed them to. Win and, yeah a
- 8:59Speaker 3: little coach here or, there let's.
- 9:00Speaker 1: Let's put down so then To i'm, sorry go ahead
- 9:03Speaker 1: to have that embrace, afterwards where you guys are sharing
- 9:05Speaker 1: these moments that no one else knows, about and you're
- 9:08Speaker 1: accomplishing something That i've watched other pieces of you talking.
- 9:11Speaker 1: About IF i didn't win, THERE i don't know If
- 9:13Speaker 1: i'd ever wanted how much more sweet did it make
- 9:15Speaker 1: it for? You because you had had this universal cosmic
- 9:19Speaker 1: connection that nobody else knew.
- 9:20Speaker 3: About, WELL i, mean, listen AFTER i had won, it
- 9:24Speaker 3: you KNOW i.
- 9:25Speaker 2: WAS i.
- 9:26Speaker 3: WAS i was overwhelmed for a lot of. Reasons this
- 9:29Speaker 3: was the last four of the majors for me to.
- 9:31Speaker 3: WIN i could have some people say should have wanted
- 9:34Speaker 3: a decade. Earlier favored in two, finals one to this,
- 9:38Speaker 3: guy one To Andres. Gomez, Right so it's just LIKE
- 9:40Speaker 3: i never Thought i'd have that moment. Again and the
- 9:42Speaker 3: thing that was also so tough about, it AS i
- 9:44Speaker 3: was old enough to understand That i'll never have this opportunity.
- 9:49Speaker 3: AGAIN i was lucky to even have it have at that.
- 9:52Speaker 3: Time AND i think the nerves got the best In
- 9:54Speaker 3: mayo was kind of a deer in.
- 9:56Speaker 2: HEADLIGHTS i was.
- 9:56Speaker 3: Frozen first two sets were over with in like forty seven,
- 10:00Speaker 3: minutes AND i DIDN'T i didn't see anything stopping. It
- 10:05Speaker 3: but when WHEN i finally got past the finish, line
- 10:09Speaker 3: it felt good to hug him for a lot of.
- 10:10Speaker 2: Reasons let me put it that. Way speaking of that,
- 10:13Speaker 2: match you, know first two sets go this, way then rain?
- 10:15Speaker 2: Delay what Did Brad gilbert tell you in the locker?
- 10:18Speaker 2: Room did he come at? You or is it a gentle?
- 10:21Speaker 3: Talk So brad has never been a, yeller let's put
- 10:24Speaker 3: it that. Way he's always had a quiet, voice BUT
- 10:27Speaker 3: i don't THINK i ever heard him yell as much
- 10:29Speaker 3: as he did this. TIME i, mean when you go
- 10:31Speaker 3: to one hundred and twenty eight guys in that locker
- 10:33Speaker 3: room down to two on a rain, delay it's pretty
- 10:35Speaker 3: damn quiet in that locker. Room and he slammed that
- 10:38Speaker 3: locker and just starts telling, me you, know you, know
- 10:40Speaker 3: what the hell's the matter with? You i'm just Going
- 10:42Speaker 3: he's too. Good he's too, Good he, goes how do
- 10:44Speaker 3: you even? Know you can't even you're you're not even.
- 10:46Speaker 3: Moving he, GOES i got an. Idea if the ball's over,
- 10:49Speaker 3: there run how about we just start with.
- 10:53Speaker 2: That just run go to the.
- 10:55Speaker 3: Ball and he, said and if you're so confused and
- 10:57Speaker 3: where you want to hit, it wherever he is hit
- 11:00Speaker 3: it the other, direction, RIGHT i, mean he was just
- 11:02Speaker 3: he was laying into, me and he, says We're we've
- 11:06Speaker 3: been here for twenty. Days you've laid it on the,
- 11:08Speaker 3: Line you've laid your heart and soul out. There you
- 11:11Speaker 3: just get out there and do it on your terms
- 11:14Speaker 3: and stop trying to be. Perfect you just have to
- 11:16Speaker 3: figure out how to be better than one. Person SO
- 11:19Speaker 3: i walked back on the court AND i just THOUGHT
- 11:20Speaker 3: i was going to lose a different, way quite, Honestly
- 11:23Speaker 3: but the one shot of the whole match that turned
- 11:26Speaker 3: it yet. POINT i, agreed, mister remember which one it?
- 11:29Speaker 2: Was, YEAH i made you play, it but you played it.
- 11:31Speaker 3: GOOD i was serving four, all third set, down two
- 11:35Speaker 3: sets of, love fifteen, LOVE i double, fault, wow thirty.
- 11:41Speaker 3: FIFTEEN i double, fault double, fault thirty all and double
- 11:44Speaker 3: fault and missed the first serve on the breakway thirty,
- 11:47Speaker 3: forty missed the first, server, wow hit an aggressive second serve.
- 11:50Speaker 3: Deep you leave it hanging in the center of the,
- 11:53Speaker 3: court AND i just decided to come.
- 11:55Speaker 2: In don't ask me.
- 11:56Speaker 3: WHY i only used to come into shake, hands AND
- 11:58Speaker 3: i decided to come. IN i decided to go back
- 12:01Speaker 3: to your back, end thinking you were going to cover.
- 12:03Speaker 3: Fourhand you stay, Home you do what every you.
- 12:07Speaker 2: KNOW i made. PLAY i made it so my right shoelace.
- 12:11Speaker 3: Volley that volley could have gone. ANYWHERE i hit it
- 12:14Speaker 3: across and found found the. Line you had to react to,
- 12:19Speaker 3: it AND i kind of hit into the open, court
- 12:21Speaker 3: held serve and once it turned into a match Of,
- 12:23Speaker 3: chusetts the, one the quality went up, dramatically both. Sized.
- 12:27Speaker 2: Yeah, well after, all of, course the crowd was behind
- 12:30Speaker 2: you because they wanted to see you, know they wanted
- 12:33Speaker 2: to see a. Fight and once you got that, hole
- 12:36Speaker 2: that for, all the crowd went went. CRAZY i got
- 12:38Speaker 2: a little bit, uncertaintly and that was the first time
- 12:41Speaker 2: you broke me in the next, Game that's. Right it
- 12:43Speaker 2: was a big momentum. Switch AND i remember that in
- 12:46Speaker 2: the fourth, SET i considered my chances not. GREAT i
- 12:50Speaker 2: was still trying to win this head BUT i was
- 12:52Speaker 2: preparing for the.
- 12:52Speaker 3: Fifth, wow that's that's signing that.
- 12:59Speaker 2: WELL i wish that ALSO i knew. SOMETHING i read your,
- 13:02Speaker 2: book which was very very, Interesting and what did you
- 13:05Speaker 2: learn in that? Book? Yeah, WELL i learned that when you're,
- 13:08Speaker 2: nervous you actually can drink vodka before the. MATCH i
- 13:13Speaker 2: was raised in the environment where, cigarettes, alcohol, drugs forget,
- 13:19Speaker 2: it you. Know even the bad BEHAVIOR i would, say you,
- 13:24Speaker 2: know staying late or going to, nightclubs it was not
- 13:26Speaker 2: acceptable if you want to be a. Pro, OBVIOUSLY i
- 13:29Speaker 2: opened my eyes differently WHEN i saw The french guys
- 13:32Speaker 2: And spanish. Guys WHEN i ended up in this nightclub On,
- 13:34Speaker 2: monday half of the draw was. There i'm here BECAUSE
- 13:39Speaker 2: i want to. Retire i'm, Done that's Why i'm. Here
- 13:42Speaker 2: why you still having the second? Rounds they were? Smoking
- 13:46Speaker 2: what's going? On and then of course WHEN i was,
- 13:49Speaker 2: nervous for, example before the, FINAL i slept maybe three
- 13:51Speaker 2: hours close to the, morning you, KNOW i was so.
- 13:56Speaker 2: HECTIC i like my chances Against. Andrea when you play
- 13:59Speaker 2: the semi finals, Again, DOMINIQUE i was rooting for you
- 14:02Speaker 2: BECAUSE i Thought dominique is playing great and he has
- 14:05Speaker 2: a good game against, me you, Know AND i thought
- 14:08Speaker 2: that if you, WILL i have better chances against. You
- 14:12Speaker 2: and SO i also thought that when will be the
- 14:14Speaker 2: next TIME i get into The Grand slam. Final so
- 14:19Speaker 2: the night was not good And i'm sure THAT i
- 14:20Speaker 2: had the same drink as, YOU i would have slept.
- 14:23Speaker 2: BETTER i kept the composure.
- 14:27Speaker 3: MURDEROUS i couldn't even eat the night. Before so M
- 14:30Speaker 3: brad's tell, me we got to stay on. Schedule we
- 14:32Speaker 3: gotta go, eat we gotta go. EAT i open up
- 14:34Speaker 3: my mini, BAR i take out you, know one of those.
- 14:36Speaker 3: VODKAS i pour it into a glass AND i just chug.
- 14:40Speaker 3: It and if you knew my Coach, BRAD i mean you,
- 14:42Speaker 3: SEE i don't know if you've been around, him he
- 14:43Speaker 3: just looked at my trainer like like he just saw a. Ghost,
- 14:47Speaker 3: Wow like did he just drink.
- 14:49Speaker 2: Usually just in front of? Him?
- 14:50Speaker 3: Oh, YEAH i just BECAUSE i was, LIKE i have to,
- 14:52Speaker 3: Realy i'm gonna go to dinner not even be able to.
- 14:55Speaker 3: EAT i had to get ready three out of five sets,
- 14:57Speaker 3: tomorrow you, Know BUT i JUST i just tell. You
- 14:59Speaker 3: he looked at my trainer like he's, like DID i
- 15:02Speaker 3: just see WHAT i just? Saw and he was, like don't,
- 15:05Speaker 3: worry don't. Worry i'm gonna give him some extra you,
- 15:07Speaker 3: know extra gill. Water a little bit later, on and
- 15:10Speaker 3: so sure ENOUGH i was. Drinking but, yeah sleeping was
- 15:13Speaker 3: also very. Hard for me, Man ALTHOUGH i did a
- 15:16Speaker 3: good job sleeping the first two, SETS i.
- 15:19Speaker 2: THINK i think the conditions were not good for. You
- 15:21Speaker 2: then it was wind, swirling you, remember a little bit.
- 15:23Speaker 2: Cold it was just before the. Rain you couldn't find
- 15:25Speaker 2: the rhythm for your strong. Shots JUST i just put
- 15:28Speaker 2: the ball back in play and it was difficult for
- 15:30Speaker 2: you to create.
- 15:31Speaker 1: Something did you know he was wearing grass court shoes
- 15:33Speaker 1: and not clay court?
- 15:34Speaker 2: Shoes actually know he was you WEAR i was trying
- 15:37Speaker 2: to last time you're allowed to wear them outlawed after.
- 15:40Speaker 2: THAT i didn't know, That but there was more, signs you. Know,
- 15:45Speaker 2: yeah it didn't hurt the. Court it was definitely not
- 15:48Speaker 2: the reason WHY i.
- 15:49Speaker 1: Lost they say there are moments you'll never. Forget clearly
- 15:52Speaker 1: you two have not forgotten, anything whether it was that
- 15:55Speaker 1: night in a. Lockerros thank you for sharing. That thank
- 15:58Speaker 1: you for sharing your relationship because it's very. Special it
- 16:01Speaker 1: is a moment eshed into the history of. Tennis thank
- 16:03Speaker 1: you for sharing.
- 16:04Speaker 2: Us.
- 16:04Speaker 1: Andre, wow that was. AWESOME i just got transported back
- 16:10Speaker 1: at the.
- 16:10Speaker 2: Time it was very. Cool