Unhappy End to a Hate-love Relationship

It is always unwise to make a categorical statement about any aspect of Andre Agassi's future public or private life, but though the American says he hopes to return to play at Wimbledon next year, the chances appear remote.

Yesterday he officially withdrew from this year's championships, which begin on Monday, citing a hip injury which has apparently troubled him for a couple of months.

"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. My hope and plans are to see you next year."

Agassi, who turned 34 in April, has always been a maverick. His career appeared over seven years ago when his marriage to the actress Brooke Shields folded and his tennis went into free fall. As it turned out he was far from finished and in 1999, by winning the French Open, he joined Britain's Fred Perry, his compatriot Don Budge and the Australian pair of Rod Laver and Roy Emerson as the only players to have won all four slam titles.

His current fall has been altogether more gentle than 1997, although he knows well enough that this time it will be terminal. No player can defeat Anno Domini.

So those who were fortunate enough to see him at Wimbledon last year, including his fourth-round five-set defeat by Australia's Mark Philippoussis, may now count themselves lucky that in all probability they witnessed his last bow and kisses - unless he and his wife, Steffi Graf, really do play mixed doubles one day.

Agassi's relationship with Wimbledon was decidedly uneasy as a young man. Philippe Chatrier, France's former president of the International Tennis Federation, was moved to say that the American's "outrageous clothes have almost become an insult", and he declined to enter Wimbledon from 1988-90, having lost in the first round to France's Henri Leconte in 1987.

He said he was not ready for grass, and Wimbledon was certainly not going to allow him to parade his multi-coloured clothing; the long hair was bad enough. Referring to the administrators of Wimbledon's all-white clothing policy (now predominantly white), Agassi famously said: "It seems those bozos will look for anything to talk about." It was a remark, as with so many in his early life, that he came completely to regret.

In 1991, on his return to the All England Club, he took to the court in his white warm-up tracksuit, teasing both the spectators and the photographers before peeling it off to reveal white shirt, shorts, socks and shoes with not a hint of colour. The only concession to style was Lycra bicycle shorts beneath his ordinary shorts.

More pertinently, he reached the quarter-finals, and returned the next year to win the first of his eight grand slam titles. In the 1992 quarter-finals he defeated Germany's Boris Becker over five sets, and then knocked out John McEnroe in the semis. Previously he had asked McEnroe for help on how to play on grass; the only help he needed after this victory was a reminder to bow to the Duke and Duchess of Kent as he left centre court.

In the final he met Croatia's Goran Ivanisevic, due to retire at Wimbledon this year, who had beaten Pete Sampras in his semi. Agassi won 6-4, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4, spreadeagling himself on the grass he had initially so loathed. The crowd loved it, little considering that this would be his one and only triumph at the All England Club.

Apart from 1997, Agassi has played every other Wimbledon since, but has reached only one more final, in 1999 against Sampras. It resulted in a crushing 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 victory for Sampras, the sixth of his seven Wimbledon titles and arguably his most inspired display on grass against his oldest and most dangerous of rivals.

"If it wasn't for the valleys, the peaks would not be as high," said Agassi, although this year those peaks have taken on an ever-distant hue. Since losing his title in the Australian Open at the beginning of the year, going down to Russia's Marat Safin in the semi-finals, he has played only a further six tournaments and has lost his opening match in the last three, something that had not happened to him since 1997.

His defeat by Russia's 20-year-old Igor Andreev at Queen's last week hit him particularly hard. Agassi will now prepare himself for the US Open at Flushing Meadows in August. It seems distinctly possible it may be his last grand slam tournament of all.

Agassi's Wimbledon

Finals: 2. Semi-finals: 3

Out in first round on his debut in 1987. Missed next three Wimbledons, objecting to surface and dress code

Won first grand slam and only Wimbledon in 1992, right, beating Goran Ivanisevic

Reached semi-final in 1995, losing to Boris Becker

Finalist in 1999 but lost to Pete Sampras

Two more semis followed but out in fourth round last year to Mark Philippoussis