Andre Agassi's Open Essay

In order to establish exigence, Hogan relays his personal experiences about his times playing tennis to the reader. The author makes it clear that, in the words of the colonel, “Tennis is the one game that, once you learn it, you will be able to play for the rest of your life.” As a result, Hogan reveals how he played it every year of his life since he was first introduced to the game (Hogan,106). In his narrative, the author tells the reader that, with the help of the Colonel, tennis helped him find focus and a way to relax. Because he was not the best at the sport, the author was able to learn to be happy not by being the number one player on the tennis courts, but instead finding joy in the magnitude of his skill. Hogan tells the reader that even though the sport has changed since he first started playing, from a rich man's sport to a competitive

¨If you can keep playing tennis when somebody is shooting a gun down the street, that's concentration.¨ Serena Williams, having grown up in Compton California, said this quote about her hardships living there and the challenges it brought her but, through everything, she persevered. Now I know that tennis and Serena Williams might not interest each and every one of you but, I am here to spread her inspiring story in hopes that maybe it will give you motivation, maybe for your own sport or something else. Nonetheless, Her story of perseverance has greatly touched the hearts of the globe. I have been playing and following the sport of tennis since freshman year and I have accumulated a great deal of knowledge about the professional players who

I was late in entering the realm of tennis as a lanky eleven-year-old. Among the countless midgets who had gripped onto a racquet since birth, my presence was uncomfortably conspicuous. Yet, I unabashedly attended every lesson, willing to stay for hours.

Last Sunday at church Father Ron said something that hit home for me. He said that a mission begins with an invitation. I grew up in a rural area in the highlands of Nairobi, Kenya. Life was not easy and I always made a point of maximizing the opportunities I got. I grew up knowing that I wanted to be in a profession that really helped people improve their wellbeing. When I got the opportunity to go to university I choose to do Biomedical Science because I was very good at science and I thought that being a scientist was my calling. However, becoming an adult and having varying experiences like volunteering in a children’s home, working in the field doing research, working in a laboratory and currently working as a nurse aide has taught me

Tennis is more than just a sport for Damien Heller-Chen, it is a lifestyle. When he was six years old, he got introduced to tennis and found it as a very enjoyable sport. Many sports are intense and competitive, which is why Heller-Chen chose tennis, as he fell in love with a less competitive sport. Heller-Chen enjoys the feeling of having control in the game. He feels empowered since he is center stage of the game and not on a team. Tennis takes dedication as he practices for eight to 14 hours a week at The Boars Head.

“Oh no, please don’t tell me this is happening. Mom, can I just skip this tournament?” I pleaded, “There is absolutely no hope for me.” Being the dramatic person I am, I lamented the imminent end of my tennis career. I went into the tournament with an expectation of failure. I started the match by accidentally whacking the ball over the fence, tripping on my own feet rushing to end the point. The little confidence I had when going into the match dissipated within a few minutes. I continued the match pondering how to angle my racket to put spin on the ball. Every time I failed, I blamed it on the high skill level of my opponent. Unsurprisingly, I lost in an hour. When looking back on that match, I realized that it could have gone differently had I not brought myself down before. My lack of

Purpose Statement: The purpose of my speech is to inform my audience about the history of tennis and about tennis itself.

His great success in tennis carried on into college, so he decided to play tennis for the Dutch and just so happened to be the best player on the team. He had an excellent scholarship due to his academic success and kept the scholarship throughout all of his years. Lucas wishes he would have studied more while he was in college instead of just getting by as easy as he could. He described college as one of the most fun times of his life because he did not have class all day so he could do whatever he wanted whenever, plus living with his friends did not urge him to be the most studious student. He also informed me about how much time tennis took from his college life, not being paid to play, he would have to practice a lot and would be involved in many things with tennis taking away time from his studies. However, it did not take as much time away from him as football players because Lucas informed that at Central that the football players were pretty much full time players. They had lift weights four times a week and practice even more. The tennis players did not have to put in as much time but he expressed how it was a pain taking so much time out of his day which could have been used for work, studying, or relaxing. Although, he did not want to take playing tennis for granted because he loved the sport and was extremely good at

Noreen was inspired to start playing herself, by watching her brother from the sidelines. Although she discovered tennis at a very young age, she did not start playing, until she was ten. Noreen was preoccupied with dance and other activities, and never got around to actually playing herself. Noreen began training recreationally but soon started playing at some academies. This year, she entered into high school and joined the Piedmont High varsity tennis team. From being a part of a supportive team, with amazing coaches, Noreen has learned a lot from her teammates along with exposure to many remarkable experiences. With an abundance of wonderful role models from her team surrounding her, she is inspired to constantly try her best and to appreciate tennis. She aspires to be more competitive when it comes to playing, and to progress in improving her playing overall. Her hope is to never lose her passion for the sport and to continue playing it throughout her

As a convert to the Church i felt prompted to serve a Mission, Having no clue what a Mission was or what to prepare for was a great lesson i learned to love.

Tennis has always played a significant role in my life as well as my commitment to my community, academics and as a part of my future goals. Ever since the age of six, I have absolutely adored the game of tennis. I honestly cannot explain my genuine attraction to the sport, although I know that I would not be the tenacious and goal-oriented young lady I am today if it was not for my participation in the Prince George’s Tennis and Education Foundation. PGTEF is a community tennis association that provides the opportunity for children of all ages to succeed academically and athletically through tennis.

In the autobiography, No One Makes It Alone, by Andrew A Valdez, we learn more or less on how one man’s decision to pull Andy off the streets, and have him pursue tennis, changed Andy’s entire life for better. Even though my older brother Omar was not influenced by a certain person he is still pursuing his dreams and trying to accomplish all his goals in life. Andy and Omar both learned how play sports and they knew that in order to improve they need to keep practicing and never give up. Omar and Andy are both self- doubting , curious, and hardworking individuals who have overcome obstacles in life, and still manage to keep positive attitudes.

It is, for me, an arduous study that requires relentless experimentation. It requires the perfect balance of power and finesse, endurance and spurts of strength, but most of all, unwavering focus. Strangely, in the sweaty frenzy of a match, with the sun baking and peeling the skin off my arms (it happens a lot) and the blisters swelling and bursting on my ankles, my mind settles into a lagoon of unbreakable calm, and I am at peace. A sanctuary and a laboratory, the court is where I belong, where I can push myself and my team to the furthermost physical and mental level, develop strategies, and find satisfaction in triumph through adversity: the most delicious of all triumphs. More than that, I have found each match I play, little by little, punctures the stereotype of the weak female nerd, if not simply the weak female: no longer do people say that I run fast, for a girl, that I serve well, for a girl, that I hit hard, for a girl. Through tennis, I silently dare the world to see me raw--not just as scholar, just an athlete, just a girl, but a creature undaunted by limits: a thinker, a challenger, an

"It was a period in my life where I needed help," states Andre Agassi In his autobiography, Open. Published in November of 2009 with the help of American novelist J.R Moehringer, Open reveals the different stages of Agassi’s conflicted relationship with tennis. Playing a major role throughout his entire life and merging into a career before his eyes, his passion for this specific sport eventually began to fade away. From being pressured to pick up a racket during his childhood and obligated to play for his adolescent education, Andre Agassi questions why he was still playing tennis while he should have been making his own decisions. In this chilling autobiography, the former tennis player describes the conflict in his relationship with the sport, illustrating it through his constant rebellion and angst towards the competitive tennis world during his childhood, adolescence and adulthood.

This can have something to do with how the culture is in Iran, where the 2nd and 3rd generation lived and were brought up. The father is portrayed as a dominating person and Andre feels pressured by him as it is portrait in the quote on P. 2 ll.118-123: “But my son, he adds – maybe they will make tennis an Olympic sport once again, and my son will win a gold medal, and that will make up for it. a little extra pressure to go with my everyday pressure.” The father has high expectation and does not care if Andre wants to be a tennis player, but since he could not he wants his child to, which Andre does not seem to understand. He also talks rudely and aggressively towards Andre as it is portrayed on P. 4 ll.241-242: “startled, he yells, steps back, then shoots out his fist.” And on P. 4 ll.246-249: “My father stands over me, scowling. What the fuck is the matter with you? Go to your room.” He behaves very mean towards Andre and the quotes show that the father has a very short temper. This may have something to do with the way the father was brought up as we see on P.1 ll. 11-13: “He says she nagged him when he was a boy and often beat him.” This quote shows that the father does some of the things his mother did to