Legendary American tennis player Andre Agassi
has reportedly acknowledged in his upcoming autobiography that he used crystal
methamphetamine.
People magazine reported on its Web site that in Agassi's book, Open, he says
he started using crystal meth regularly in the late 1990's.
"I can't speak to addiction, but a lot of people would say that if you're
using anything as an escape, you have a problem," Agassi said in an excerpt
from the book, according to People magazine's Web site.
People reports Agassi's book delves into his troubled marriage to actress
Brooke Shields and his relationship with his current wife, Steffi Graf.
The Times of London reports Agassi made a confession in the book that he lied
to officials from the ATP Tour into believing he took crystal meth by
accident. The newspaper said Agassi reveals in the book that he "secretly
hated playing tennis and lived in fear of his bad-tempered and violent
father."
The Times reports Agassi said he started taking crystal meth in 1997 when his
tennis form was falling off and he was having doubts about his relationship to
Shields.
The 39-year-old Agassi won eight Grand Slam titles during his illustrious
career.
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