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If you are a tennis fan or not, it was hard to watch Andre Agassi lose his final pro tennis match. After winning a 31/2 hour match against Andre Pavel the other night, but with this evident back pain, his match against Benjamin Becker was more than he could handle. Thanks for a good cry Andre.

“The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the scoreboard doesn’t say is what it is I’ve found,” Agassi told the crowd, tears streaming down his cheeks, his voice cracking with emotion. “Over the last 21 years, I’ve found loyalty. You have pulled for me on the court and also in life. I have found inspiration. You have willed me to succeed sometimes even in my lowest moments.”

“If I wanted to quit,” Agassi said, “I would have done that a long time ago. I didn’t come here to quit. …

“I just credit the doctors that I was able to get out there today. It’s been such a day-by-day battle. Sure enough, it was real early where I wasn’t feeling so good,” he said, then smiled and added: “That all doesn’t matter anymore.”

“It felt amazing. Nothing I’ve ever experienced before. I was overwhelmed with how they (the fans) embraced me at the end,” Agassi said. “They saw me through my career. They’ve seen me through this, as well.”

“I’m going to wake up tomorrow and start with not caring how I feel,” Agassi said. That’s going to feel great.”

With fans surrounding his car — several yelling, “Thank you, Andre!” — he climbed into the back, joining his brother, trainer and coach. As they pulled away, Agassi turned to wave goodbye, to his tournament, to his fans, to his career.

I couldn’t have said it any better myself.

Adieu, Andre: Agassi’s career ends [CNN]

Written by Lauren Burch