Agassi plans to play in Legg Mason

Eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi will bring his farewell tour through Washington to compete in the Legg Mason Tennis Classic.

Agassi, who announced in June his plans to retire after this year’s U.S. Open, confirmed with tournament officials that he plans to play in the Legg Mason.

“Andre has been so supportive of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic over the years and we have been so fortunate that he has decided to compete once again,” Legg Mason tournament director Jeff Newman said. “We are so honored that he is coming down.”

This will mark Agassi’s 17th appearance in the Washington tournament. Legg Mason has been a sponsor for 13 of those years.

Agassi is one of only five players to win all four Grand Slam events and was last ranked No.1 in the world in 2003. He is 866-271 in singles matches in his 20-year career. After winning 60 professional singles titles, Agassi has won more than $31 million in prize money.

But since announcing his plans to retire, Agassi has lacked his usual on-court dominance. He has gone 6-5 this year and most recently fell in the round of 32 at Wimbledon in straight sets against Rafael Nadal.

Agassi, who is a five-time Legg Mason champion, will join a field including 15 of the top 50 players in the world. This year’s participants include former champions Andy Roddick (2005), Lleyton Hewitt (2004), Tim Henman (2003) and James Blake (2002). The world’s top doubles team and 2006 Australian Open and Wimbledon champions, Bob and Mike Bryan, will headline the doubles’ field.

“Washington tennis fans are in for a real treat,” Newman said. “This is one of the best players’ fields we have ever had.”

The Legg Mason, which will be held from July 29 to Aug. 6 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center, is one of six stops on the U.S. Open Series. The Series boasts a total purse of $7.175 million.

The final rounds of this year’s tournament will be broadcast on ESPN2.