This last week I felt old for the first time in my life. I know that I'm not old but I felt it. For 17 of the last 21 years I have watched Andre Agassi play at the U.S. Open tennis tournament and earlier this week he retired in his 21st Open. Like so many I have felt a connection with him for more than a decade. In the early years it was simply his flamboyance and aggressive style of play that made me root for him.

Later, however, when he dropped from a top ten rank to more than 130th in the world I remember wanting him to straighten up and fix what was wrong. It was obvious his personal problems were adversely affecting his on-court performance. He wasn't working as hard at tennis as he once had and his personal demons were winning. It was painful time and again seeing him lose to players he should have easily beaten.

Still, I watched and hoped and then gradually he began to change. He fixed what was wrong in his personal life and vanquished his demons. He changed his game from flamboyant and a bit lucky to mature, consistent brilliance; carefully measured and delivered. He overwhelmed his opponents with his fitness, intelligence and preparation. He began looking outward and used his celebrity to help others. As he matured he began to win with greater regularity until finally obtaining the number one rank in the world and becoming the greatest player of my generation. He remains only one of five people to have won a career grand slam (Wimbledon, U.S. Open, French Open, Australian Open).

He was forced to retire due to a serious chronic back injury and announced this year's would be his last U.S. Open. He beat two excellent players (including world number eight Baghdatis) before succumbing to the pain in his third match. When he finally lost and began his retirement I felt suddenly old for the first time in my life. All those years rooting for Andre and all those years striving myself to overcome my own demons. I often remember major events in my life based on what Andre did that year in the tennis tour. My college years: Andre wins U.S. open (1994); venturing out into a startup company: Andre wins French Open (1999).

I know it may sound silly. I'm not the kind of person who is easily impressed with celebrity. I'm not the kind to engage in hero worship. For me, with Andre it is different. I have grown older as he has grown older. He has now transitioned to a new phase in his life, retiring from tennis. His retirement reminds me that I also continue to grow older and transition from one phase in life to another. Andre has inspired me by his own struggle to overcome himself and his trials. As I watched him end his career with humility and grace he inspired me again to tackle my own life transitions with equal quality. Goodbye Andre. I will miss watching you.