Tennis stars take cues from Andre Agassi's giving spirit

Before Andy Roddick started to make noise on the men's tour, the brash, impatient future No. 1-ranked player got a schooling from one of the game's elder statesmen.

But the lesson wasn't about comportment or professionalism. The topic was philanthropy. And the messenger was Andre Agassi.

"Andre was the person who was in my ear more than anybody else as far as that's what you need to do," Roddick recalls.

These days, everyone who's anyone in tennis — and some who struggle to fit that description — has established a charitable organization. They range from little-known players such as doubles specialist Eric Butorac to household ones such as Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic.

Whether directly or from afar, it's not a stretch to say most were influenced by Agassi. He's the pied piper of giving back and a role model for athletes across an array of individual and team sports.

"Andre really blazed the way," says Bob Bryan, who with brother Mike Bryan established the non-profit Bryan Bros. Foundation in 2008 to support youth in Southern California. "He's set a great example for all the young Americans to start their foundations," Mike says.

Indeed, giving has become so ingrained in the sport's culture that the ATP Tour awards annual gifts to deserving player charities.

When it comes to parlaying sports and celebrity into greater good, Agassi has few peers.

His work building charter schools in his native Las Vegas and across the USA and his star-studded money-raising gala have been a source of envy and inspiration.

Picking up ideas

Recognizing the limits of philanthropic funding after launching his highly acclaimed academy in Vegas, Agassi more recently teamed up with private investors via his Turner-Agassi Charter School Facilities Fund. It will have completed 39 charter schools this year in a $550 million deployment.

"Many have come before me that inspired me," says Agassi, 44, citing Arthur Ashe and Billie Jean King. "The way they have used their platform to make social change was my inspiration."

Once a tennis bad boy known for his rebellious streak, Agassi, who is married to Steffi Graf and the father of two children, has led mostly by example. He also has generously offered his time, experience and knowledge to many athletes.

For instance, he flew in to play for the Bryans' first charity exhibition six years ago. Former No. 1 Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil attended Agassi's event in Vegas, which has featured entertainers from Elton John to Barbra Streisand to Jerry Seinfeld.

"I saw stuff I really liked and tried to pick up and improve in my foundation," says Kuerten, who runs a charity aimed at keeping children off the streets with after-school sports and arts programs.

The biggest influence might not be that many have followed in Agassi's footsteps, it's that they have done so at a young age. He launched the not-for-profit Andre Agassi Foundation for Education in 1994 when he was 24.

Roddick, who at 17 or 18 was an occasional practice partner of Agassi's, remembers nervously asking Agassi if he could do something over, what it would be. The answer stunned him.

"He said his biggest regret was not starting his foundation earlier," says Roddick, who retired in 2012 and is a regular on the Fox Sports Live show. "For someone who has accomplished as much as he has philanthropically, that hit home," adds Roddick, whose philanthropic organization offers free after-school and summer programs for disadvantaged children. "We started mine six months after that."

Ditto Roger Federer, 33, who set up his foundation in 2003, the same year he won the first of his record 17 Grand Slam tournament titles. He said Agassi was a model for his Roger Federer Foundation, which is focused on educating youth in his native Switzerland and in South Africa, where his mother was born.

"That definitely inspired me to start sort of younger and sort of learn my way into it and then try to make it bigger, so I could help as many kids as possible now in the situation with my projects I support in Africa," Federer says.

Power to give back

A confluence of other factors has fueled the foundation spree. Chief among them: huge gains in earning power and a global reach that far exceeds previous eras.

"This is the first generation that has the money to do it — in a big way," WTA founder and gender-equality advocate King says. "And it's the first generation with lots of exposure."

There are cautionary tales, says Trevor Neilson, co-founder and president of consultancy Global Philanthropy Group.

The stereotypical athlete foundation is a "half-baked effort run by an athlete's mom, girlfriend or wife," notes Neilson, whose clients include Microsoft founder Bill Gates and U2 lead singer and activist Bono.

Most aren't necessarily scandalous, just low performing.

"With Andre, you can see how powerful it can be when they create a foundation at a height of their success," Neilson said. "He's built a network. He has credibility. He's used his assets beyond just his money. Nobody has had an impact like Agassi."

While Agassi has spawned a generation of tennis philanthropists, the eight-time Grand Slam champion's reach extends beyond the sport that made him famous.

Those who have traveled to pick his brain include retired golfer Annika Sorenstam and Major League Baseball player Torii Hunter.

Many others have collaborated or worked directly with him, among them former NBA stars Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutombo and Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux.

"Athletes have a rare opportunity," Agassi says. "My advice to any athlete would be: If you're not an expert, put people around you that are. You have the ability to facilitate and galvanize those people. You have the ability to create that synergy. That's really what I've done."

Darren Cahill, the former tennis pro and ESPN analyst who lives in Las Vegas and coached Agassi at the end of his career, says it's hard to describe Agassi's impact.

"In time, he's probably going to be known better for what he's done outside the tennis court than what he's achieved inside the tennis court, which is a remarkable feat, considering he's one of the all-time greats," Cahill says.

Charitable group

The ATP ACES for Charity program awards grants to charitable causes. Some of the charities supported by players that it has recognized:

John Isner: Hosts an annual charity event to support the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Leander Paes: Supports the Killing Fields to Tennis Courts Foundation, which puts courts in areas cleared of land mines planted by the former Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia.

Novak Djokovic: The Novak Djokovic Foundation supports childhood development and inclusive preschool education.

Janko Tipsarevic: Čika Boca, a support group for families affected by youth cancer.

Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi: His Stop War Start Tennis is dedicated to promoting peace through tennis.

Alejandro Falla: Tennis for Colombia provides academic scholarships for children.

Tommy Robredo: His foundation organizes events for disabled people, mainly wheelchair tennis.

Olivier Rochus: Tennis for Africa offers assistance to children and families in need.

Sergiy Stakhovsky: For each of his aces, Ace the Cancer gave a donation to the National Institute of Cancer Ukraine.

Source: ATP Tour