Football
Reuters 18y

Tennis-Agassi to return at Stella Artois tournament

LONDON, May 1 - Andre Agassi will return from a
three-month absence to play at the Stella Artois grasscourt
tournament in London next month, tournament organisers confirmed
on Monday.

The 36-year-old former world number one decided to skip this
year's claycourt season to rest a nagging back injury that
forced him out of the Nasdaq-100 Open in March.

"The wear and tear of the claycourt season is something that
has set me back in the past in terms of the grasscourt season,
and the grass is something that I don't want to miss again," the
Las Vegan said in a statement.

Agassi's last match was a defeat to German Tommy Haas at
Indian Wells in March,

The eight-times Grand Slam champion reached the semi-final
of the Stella Artois in 2003 and his decision to play is a major
boost for the pre-Wimbledon warm-up event that also includes
world number two Rafael Nadal of Spain.

"Andre always brings a little bit of extra magic. His
decision to return to the Stella Artois is a wonderful bonus for
our spectators," said tournament director Ian Wight.

Defending champion Andy Roddick and three-times former
winner Lleyton Hewitt are also playing in the event, which
begins on June 12.

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