Newz Forum: OTHER: TENNIS: Agassi out of Wimbledon

Andre Agassi has pulled out of Wimbledon but the 34-year-old insists English tennis fans have not seen the last of him. The 1992 champion has been suffering from a hip injury and lost in the opening round at Queen's Club last week to Igor Andreev, a Russian who had been making his debut on grass.


BBC Sport

The 1992 winner said in a statement he hoped to return in 2005.

"In my preparation for Wimbledon I realised the injury was only worsened by the nature of the surface and would prevent me from competing," he said.

"Clearly, this is a regrettable decision - I will miss the opportunity to play in the most prestigious tournament in the world."

Agassi has struggled for form in recent months and has failed to reach a final this year. There is growing speculation that the eight-times Grand Slam champion will retire at the end of 2004, but his statement suggested otherwise.

The popular Las Vegan reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open, losing to Marat Safin of Russia in five sets, and went down to Roger Federer in three sets in the Indian Wells semi-finals but since then he has struggled.

He was beaten in the first round of the French Open by little-known Frenchman Jerome Haehnel and lost in his opening match in his last three tournaments.

It will be only the second time Agassi will not have appeared at the All England Club since 1991. In 1997 he was absent after his ranking dropped to 141 in the world. Agassi won his first major in 1992 at Wimbledon, and he lost to Pete Sampras in the final in 1999, reaching the semi-finals three other times.

Too bad, I'd like to see him get at least one more grand slam title under his belt before he retires.