A tennis legend has opened up about meeting the Princess of Wales at Wimbledon in 2012, though he was careful not to say too much
Tennis legend Andre Agassi has previously spoken about an encounter with the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, admitting he was careful not to say anything that might cause offence.
The 55-year-old American idol, one of just five men to achieve the career Grand Slam during the Open Era, has been a regular presence at Wimbledon throughout his career and beyond his 2006 retirement.
This year, Agassi returned to SW19 as a BBC commentator. But it was back in 2012 when he first met Kate at the Championships – a tournament he claimed in 1992 after beating compatriot Pete Sampras in the final.
Speaking about their exchange six years later in 2018, Agassi recalled the moment fondly. “She was a complete doll,” Agassi told Hello! Magazine in 2018 after meeting Kate in the Royal Box during the 2012 Wimbledon semi-finals, reports the Express.
He continued: “I really thought she was incredibly pleasant. She was lovely. We didn’t chat a whole lot, but she was lovely. I will not say anything else, because I don’t know what offends people here or not!”
The Princess of Wales maintains a strong connection with Wimbledon, and this year she handed out the silverware to men’s and women’s singles champions Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek, respectively.
Following his victory, Sinner discussed his interaction with Kate and her family at the final, proving somewhat more open than Agassi when describing how their meeting unfolded.
“In the beginning, I didn’t know what to say,” Sinner said during his post-match press conference, in which he discussed meeting members of the Royal Family.
“It’s difficult to understand, you know, how you can talk. I always try to talk very natural. I asked the kids if they play tennis and asked them what kind of rackets they play with, these kind of things.
“It was amazing. I believe for us tennis players, it’s so nice to have them watching us because it makes it even more special.
“You see how much they care about tennis and the sport itself. It’s very prestigious. I’ve been lucky to meet [the Princess of Wales] and the whole family, and it was a very nice moment.”
Agassi is widely regarded as one of the finest male players in the history of the sport. He turned professional at just 16 and accumulated 60 ATP Tour singles titles throughout a career spanning two decades.
His trophy cabinet includes eight Grand Slam victories – four Australian Opens, one French Open, Wimbledon and two US Opens. He also secured gold in the singles competition at the 1996 Atlanta-based Olympic Games.
