Andre Agassi's secret drug addiction battle that wrecked marriage with famous wife

Andre Agassi and Brooke Shields were two of the hottest stars in the 90s and their marriage seemed like the ultimate power couple pairing - but behind closed doors, a storm was brewing

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Tennis icon Andre Agassi's whirlwind romance with Hollywood actress Brooke Shields appeared to be a match made in celebrity heaven when they married in 1997. Yet beneath the sparkle and fame, a troubling storm was brewing - one driven by Agassi's hidden struggle with crystal meth, which ultimately destroyed their marriage.

Their relationship began in the mid-1990s, when Agassi was at the peak of his tennis career and Shields was a celebrated actress known for movies like The Blue Lagoon and Endless Love. Shields has looked back on the early stages fondly, admitting it felt "good to feel smaller than another" because Agassi was "so famous and number one in the world."

But problems quickly emerged. Agassi's performance declined dramatically - he fell to 141st in the rankings after losing his passion for tennis - and his personal life descended into disorder. In the same year they wed, Agassi turned to crystal meth in a desperate attempt to numb his unhappiness.

In a startling admission in his 2009 autobiography 'Open', Agassi revealed the depth of his struggle, explaining: "It was the first time in my life [I'd taken drugs]. Twenty-seven years old. Ranked 141 in the world. And in a marriage that I shouldn't be in.

"My decision was 'Why not? Can't feel any worse.' There was a sadness that came with it initially, followed by the energy and a chemically induced reconnection to life."

What began as experimentation spiralled into a perilous dependency. Agassi admitted: "I did it way too many [times]. I wouldn't be able to put a number on it... I did it for a good part of 1997."

Shields was caught off guard by the confession. In her 2014 memoir 'There Was a Little Girl', she wrote: "He explained to me that for the first whole part of our relationship, he had been addicted to crystal meth."

The addiction drove a wedge between them emotionally. Agassi told Shields he had no plans to pursue therapy and even turned down her personal support - and soon she realised their marriage could not survive.

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"He alienated me when he lost and was on to the next tournament after he won. We were drifting apart," she recalled. "I was the one who had supported him unconditionally... Why would this have been any different? I would have been his biggest advocate and supporter."

Their conflicting schedules worsened the distance - Shields was filming her sitcom Suddenly Susan, while Agassi was traveling around the world for tournaments. "For the next two years, we saw very little of each other," she said.

Agassi's troubles worsened when he failed an ATP Tour drug test. Ashamed and panicked, he lied to officials in a letter, claiming he ingested drugs accidentally. "I wrote a letter filled with lies, because I was ashamed," he admitted. Remarkably, he avoided suspension, which he described as a "second chance" he vowed to honour daily.

However, the secrecy further strained their marriage. Shields offered steadfast support in other matters, like when Agassi shared his hair loss and reliance on hairpieces. Yet Agassi refused couples counselling, leaving Shields feeling alone and unsupported.

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By 1999, the fairytale had ended. After just two years, they divorced. Following the split, both moved forward – Agassi staged a remarkable comeback, winning five additional Grand Slams between 1999 and 2004, and married fellow tennis pro Steffi Graf, with whom he has two children - while Shields married producer Chris Henchy, the father of her two daughters.

Years later, Shields has reflected on the positives, praising Agassi for helping her separate from her overbearing mother "lovingly." Still, she admitted in her documentary Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, "I've never reconnected with him."

Agassi, meanwhile, has transformed his suffering into meaningful work through philanthropy, highlighting compassion for those struggling with addiction. Their story endures as a cautionary example of fame, love, and the hidden battles that can destroy even the strongest relationships.