Agassi Smashes His Way To The Top

Andre Agassi’s push to the top in men’s tennis began last July at the Canadian Open when he was stuck at No. 20, an imposing 4,061 points behind leader Pete Sampas.

Agassi, then viewed as a tennis novelty, a ponytailed showman who had only occasionally delivered on his promise, won that tournament, touching off a stretch during which he won six more events in eight months, including two Grand Slams - the U.S. and Australian opens.

On Monday, his ponytail long gone, Agassi got the payoff, moving past Sampras to claim the No. 1 ranking on the ATP computer for the first time in his career. He becomes just the 12th player in the 22-year history of men’s computer rankings to hold No. 1 and ends Sampras’ 82-week grip on the top spot. The margin is a mere 187 points.

During his march to the top, Agassi, 24, has a 55-6 record. He’s 17-3 against opponents in the Top 10.

During the same period, Sampras, 23, is 34-9 with three titles and two second-place finishes.

“Taking over No. 1 won’t have the impact it is going to have a few years from now when I look back and know that I have maintained it,” Agassi said after beating Sampras in the finals of the Lipton Championships that completed the climb.