No Place Like 'Home': Agassi dominated DC

Each week, Baseline will take a look at a player who has thrived at one of the stops on the ATP and WTA tours during their career. (Photos: Getty Images)

Over the course of his career, one that saw him gain induction into the Hall of Fame and win a career Grand Slam among his many accomplishments, the summer hard-court tournament in Washington, D.C., played an important role in the legacy of Andre Agassi.

Making his debut there as a 17-year-old in 1987, the American lost in the opening round and didn’t return for three years. During that gap, he experienced a roller-coaster ride results-wise: rising to No. 3 in the world in 1988 behind six titles and two Grand Slam semifinals; questions about his commitment to the game in ’89; and a resurgence in the opening half of 1990, one that saw him reach his first major final at the French Open.

After losing that match at Roland Garros, Agassi skipped the grass-court season and kicked off his hard-court campaign in Washington. There, he stormed to the title, his third of the year, by winning every match in straight sets. That included victories against compatriots Michael Chang and Jim Grabb in the last two rounds.

In 1991, Agassi once again lost in the final of the French Open, but this time, would go on to play Wimbledon for only the second time in his career. After reaching the quarterfinals there, he moved on to Washington and defended his title, marking the first time he had won an event in consecutive years.

Agassi lost in the first round in D.C. in 1992 to the veteran, Kevin Curren. That loss wasn’t exactly that unexpected: After all, it came on the heels of his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, the major many thought he was least likely to have a breakthrough.

In 1993, struggling with a wrist injury and motivation, Agassi lost his second match in Washington to Aaron Krickstein and fell at the same stage a year later to Brett Steven. Agassi quickly put that loss behind him, proven by him winning his second career major at the US Open a few weeks later as an unseeded player.

His 1995 Washington win, where he beat Stefan Edberg in the final, kicked off a summer stretch for the ages, but one that ultimately ended in disappointment. Ranked No. 1 in the world, Agassi won his next three tournaments in a row, with his run coming to an end at the hands of Pete Sampras in the US Open finals.

The next two years were plagued by inconsistency and injury for the American, reflected in early-round losses in Washington. Working his way back up from the depths of the game once again in 1998, Agassi claimed the D.C. title for a fourth time, beating Scott Draper in the final and adding fuel to his comeback. He won every match in straight sets at the tournament, the third time he had done so.

Coming off the completion of the career Grand Slam at the French Open and a Wimbledon final in 1999, Agassi’s comeback was solidified by this point. Stepping onto the court in D.C. for the start of the summer hard-court swing, Agassi reached a new milestone in his career as he took his fifth title there, the first time he had won the same event that many times. After defeating Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the final, he would soon go on to win the US Open that summer.

Agassi’s winning streak in Washington finals came to an end in the new millennium when Alex Corretja stopped him in the 2000 championship match. Over the next three years, he lost at the semifinal stage, before skipping the tournament in 2005. Returning in 2006, with retirement right around the corner, Agassi lost his opening match to Andrea Stoppini in straight sets.

It was a surprising end for the 36-year-old at the tournament, but to this day, he still stands as its most prolific title-winner.