There are no free "Let's" or "Re-do's" in life. Make it Count.

You can't count on second chances.

Conditions are never going to be perfect and time will keep ticking away while you wait. Don't waste your opportunities. Have a game plan.

All you can do is prepare...

Well that and Work hard. Train well. Eat healthy. Pray. Keep fighting. Earn every point. Celebrate your wins. Try to learn from your losses. Then do it all over again.

In a nutshell, that's the life of a tennis grinder. That's my life.

Tennis: Merits of Sport

The optimist in me says Tennis is the great equalizer, the great meritocracy of sport - it's code and ideals are suppose to be based on the performance of the better man that day. Rich or poor, young or old, fat or thin - the law of the court determines your fate at the end of the match.

If you have shortcomings in health or in character. Tennis will expose them. It reveals Sin and makes them pay.

• Ever eat a Big Mac and drink a super-size Coke before exercising?
• Want to quit smoking but still stay thin?
• Enjoy alcohol too much sometimes and regret it later?
• Habit of partying too late before a big match?

Trust me - tennis will tell you to your face.

You don't need to appear on Biggest Loser, or buy nicotine patches, or go to AA to get instant feedback that you're doing something wrong to your body. :) Try to seek moderation in all things...

Even to get mentally tougher, feel more confident and learn self-discipline in your daily routine.

Play enough tennis, and you'll learn quick enough. Or for the stubborn enough, pass out trying to fight Biology and Tennis.


The price of true glory will come in blood, sweat and perhaps some tissue damage.There is No way to Buy yourself what is truly worth attaining.

Read the rest...and hope it will inspire you

Agassi Agassi inducted into Tennis Hall of Fame 2011

Andre Agassi was inducted into this year's Tennis Hall of Fame. Winner of the all 4 Tennis Majors and the Olympic Gold medal for the USA, he is a living legend of the game.

As a New Year's resolution, I pledged to finish reading his book, Open: An Autobiography. It wasn't hard, as I just had less than 100 pages left. But the final chapters were so good and the book was so tough to put down, that I completed my resolution on Day 1.

Agassi gear at French Open - LM Head Instinct and Nike BF2's

At the French Open, Agassi used the same racket and shoes that I use today.

Saw this replay on Tennis Channel...notice the classic rubber band dampener and also the diamond stud earring =)

Reading more of his autobiography "Open" really surprises how many similarities we share in common.

I think like a lot of people out there making a living and getting by day to day...we are not always lucky enough to be good at what we love - but rather at some point in "growing up" to fit into society, force ourselves to love what we are good at.


Later in his career, he also used the (Liquidmetal) Head Instinct and wore the Blue & Yellow Nike BF2's

US Open 2006 - Agassi's Farewell

Jacky and Agassi (Farewell)

Over Labor Day weekend 2006, I flew up to NYC for a few days to watch the US Open. The night before, Agassi had just beaten Baghdatis in a thrilling 5 setter match. Although the 3 days/nights of rain outs interrupted play, it also had one major positive -- in that the stadium matches for the next day were packed and fans got to enjoy a lot more tennis on the side courts.

I had some of the best seats at Armstrong and Grandstand courts, courtesy of a good friend Arie who was thoughtful enough to save me a seat on the 3rd row behind the Safin vs Rochus match. It was a terrific contrast of styles and physical sizes. The 5 set Haas/Ginepri match was also a thriller, with Haas wearing the iron man crown this year for consecutive 5-set matches...finally giving way to Davadenko.

The American Express member appreciation awards at the Open were also very spiffy - handed out free metro passes and radios to all card holders.

Outside the Open, I got to explore Flushing/Brooklyn NYC for the first time. We checked out a lot of great Flushing Chinatown restaurants and shops. I had no idea that NYC had a Chinatown other than the one in Manhattan actually, but of course I had to go visit Midtown as well. *The iPaq GPS navigation really came in handy*

Explored some fashion/design colleges with my sister, and happened to stumble upon some shows while we were in the city. Turns out that we were there during Fashion Week!

The Midtown Comics store and MoCCA (museum of cartooning and comic arts) was also a treat to fine in the city.

Overall a very fun trip and lots of souvenirs to bring home =)