HPTC Tennis Memorial 2024 Scholarship Essay

By Aavin Mangalmurti

It took just 77 minutes for Andre Agassi to beat Sergi Bruguera 6-2 6-3 6-1 in the 1996 Olympic finals, bringing home gold for his country on home turf in Atlanta. That impressive scoreline isn’t a result of Bruguera’s poor playing, it is a product of countless hours of hard work. Since age 14, Agassi had devoted his life to tennis. And standing at just 5’ 11” (compared to Bruguera’s 6’ 2”), he had managed to command the world stage. For me, the lessons there are clear: no matter your physical or mental proclivities, determination and perseverance can get you anywhere.

Agassi came from an immigrant family. His father, Mike, had represented Iran as a boxer at the ’48 and ’52 Olympics before coming to America. Here he worked 3 jobs to pave the way for his children’s future. Agassi had to navigate his life in America and cultural elements that his father had brought from Iran. I also come from an immigrant family and have experienced the feeling of living between worlds. In this sense, Agassi is not just a role model in tennis, but in life.

This becomes more apparent when you look at Agassi’s life after his tennis career. He founded the Andre Agassi Foundation, which has raised over $180 million to improve education in America. Agassi’s actions show that the work doesn’t stop when you have achieved greatness. There is always good to be spread in the world.

I admire Agassi because he teaches me three things: perseverance, adaptability, and compassion. I know that once I figure out what I want to do in life, I can look to Agassi to help me grasp my future. He will also inspire me to do good along the way.