Left: On the receiving end... Andre Agassi gets ready to let rip.

At 35, this dad has acquired some wisdom about "image" that he didnt have as a teen pro: "I don't find it to be directed outwards. It's directed inwards. My goal has always been to make sure I represent myself in a way that gives me confidence."

In 1997, you hit 141 in the world rankings, almost washed out of a game you've played since birth. Describe your rock-bottom moment.
It came in a hotel in Stuttgart, where I had gone to play a tournament as a wild card.

A wild card is what you get when a tournament wants you but you're not ranked high enough to get in. And I had no business being there.

I associate a lot of embarrassment with that time. I had a simple choice: stop or continue. But if I continued, I couldn't do it the same way. The choice was clear.

How did you kick-start your recovery?
I just got myself into the best shape of my life. Then I dropped down to challenge-level tennis.

I worked through a few of those tournaments and went from 141 to number six in the world.

Early on, did you have any doubts?
Yes. I still do.

How do you deal with them when it's time to play? Some people say ignoring doubts is the way to go.
That's not true. Doubts are a normal part of life and ignoring them or pretending they don't exist will backfire on you. So I'm quick to say, "I don't feel right here. I don't feel like I'm prepared for this or that." Then I focus on the question, so there are no questions.

Plus, it's always been my belief that the more scared you are, the harder you fight. So doubt can bring out your best, if you allow it to.

You're 35 now and no-one likes to lose an athletic (or job) title to some young gun. What's the best way to approach a fired-up opponent?
Don't focus on him. Focus on getting better. If I'm better than I was yesterday, I'm raising the bar.

If you're looking at someone else, even if you're number one in the world, all you're doing is looking back.

That's why I love sport. You can't politic your way into a job. You have to earn it and if someone is good enough to take my job title, they're not going to hear me complain.

If I want to improve, is there one crucial thing I should concentrate on?
Strength training. The stronger you are, the better athlete you are.

I think tennis is really going to change over the next 10 years, with a lot more guys getting stronger. Range of motion is crucial, but it's possible to be big, strong and flexible.

And mental strength? How has experience changed your mental game?
It's important to be able to sense things that are more abstract, for example, when your opponent is a little tired or discouraged, when to squeeze, when to be aggressive, when to let your opponent press.

There's nothing like beating somebody who's anxious to beat himself.

When you just don't feel like a work-out, how do you keep your momentum?
Know when to cut yourself some slack and how. It's not about taking your enthusiasm and running straight into a wall with it.

On the days I'm struggling, I might cut back on what I'm doing, But I will not cut the intensity.

The finish line can be a little closer some days, but it shouldn't change the intensity with which you run through it.

Agassi's Axioms
1. If something doesn't feel right to you, address the problem immediately.
2. When you don't feel like a work-out, cut the duration, not the intensity.
3. Focusing on your opponent undermines your ability to improve yourself.
4. Figure out tonight how you're going to be better tomorrow.

By Mike Zimmerman