2006年VOA标准英语-American Tennis Player Andre Agassi Retires

By Steve Schy
Washington
04 September 2006
 

		Andre Agassi waves to the crowd as he leaves the court after his loss to Benjamin Becker, September 3, 2006

American tennis icon¹ Andre Agassi has closed out his 21-year career with a four set loss (7-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5) to German qualifier Benjamin Becker at the U.S. Open tournament in New York.  Agassi won 60 singles titles, including eight Grand Slams, and two at the U.S. Open. But there was one opponent he could not overcome.

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Even Andre Agassi could not conquer Father Time. As his career wound down, it was his 36-year-old back that betrayed him. The years of strain and pain limited his speed and mobility² to the point where shots he would have once easily returned, now flew by him untouched.

To play this week he needed a series of four pain and cortisone injections just to dull the searing agony of an irritated sciatic nerve. By the end of his matches he could barely limp around the court, much less move with the agility³ and speed the sport requires.

His final opponent, Benjamin Becker, spoke⁴ about playing Agassi.

"He was my idol⁵ growing up, you know, I followed his whole career. He is definitely one of a kind. He brought so much to tennis, he is such a gentleman. For me it was an honor to play him - Andre, thanks," he said.

After his final match at his 21st consecutive⁶ appearance at the U.S. Open had ended, Agassi, one of just five men to win all four Grand Slam titles in the Open era, wept openly in his courtside chair. Through tear-filled eyes he watched as more than 20,000 fans stood and gave him a standing⁷ ovation⁸ that lasted several minutes.

Agassi returned to the court, and as is his habit, bowed and blew kisses to all four sides of the stadium before thanking the crowd.

"The scoreboard said I lost today. But what the score board does not say is what it is I have found. And over the last 21 years I have found loyalty⁹, you have pulled for me on the court and also in life. I have found inspiration," said Agassi. "You have willed me to succeed sometimes even in my lowest moments. And I have found generosity¹⁰."

Agassi told the stadium crowd that he appreciated the support they had shown him over the years.

"You have given me your shoulders to stand on to reach for my dreams. Dreams that I never could have reached without you. Over the last 21 years I have found you. And I will take you and the memory of you with me for the rest of my life. Thank you," he said.

At a press conference after the match, Agassi talked about the fans.

"That just felt amazing out there, you know, felt amazing. Nothing I have ever experienced before and overwhelmed with how they embraced me at the end," noted¹¹ Agassi. "They saw me through my career and they have seen me through this [retirement] as well"

Later, Agassi said he really did not know what to expect when he realized his career was over.

"I did not know how much would be emotional, how much would be sort of disappointment or sadness. Or how much would feel in a sense liberated¹², you know. I mean, I do not know. I was not sure what to anticipate. But I do not think it was sadness. It was a beautiful feeling combined with a real excitement for the future," he commented.

Part of that excitement surely comes from knowing he will now have more time to devote to his wife, Steffi Graf, their two children. Now he can set his own schedule and work more for his charitable foundation that raises tens of millions of dollars for at-risk youths in his hometown of Las Vegas.

Andre Agassi has come a long way from his beginnings as the long-haired bad-boy of tennis - the colorful teen-aged rebel with attitude, who once proclaimed that "image is everything." Somewhere along the way he matured into the elder statesman of American tennis.

1 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

2 mobility   

n.可动性，变动性，情感不定

参考例句：

• The difference in regional house prices acts as an obstacle to mobility of labour.不同地区房价的差异阻碍了劳动力的流动。
• Mobility is very important in guerrilla warfare.机动性在游击战中至关重要。

3 agility   

n.敏捷，活泼

参考例句：

• The boy came upstairs with agility.那男孩敏捷地走上楼来。
• His intellect and mental agility have never been in doubt.他的才智和机敏从未受到怀疑。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 idol   

n.偶像，红人，宠儿

参考例句：

• As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
• Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。

6 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

7 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

8 ovation   

n.欢呼，热烈欢迎，热烈鼓掌

参考例句：

• The hero received a great ovation from the crowd. 那位英雄受到人群的热烈欢迎。
• The show won a standing ovation. 这场演出赢得全场起立鼓掌。

9 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

10 generosity   

n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为

参考例句：

• We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
• We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。

11 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

12 liberated   

a.无拘束的，放纵的

参考例句：

• The city was liberated by the advancing army. 军队向前挺进，解放了那座城市。
• The heat brings about a chemical reaction, and oxygen is liberated. 热量引起化学反应，释放出氧气。