Player tributes to Andre Agassi

LONDON, July 1 (Reuters) Following is a selection of tributes to 1992 Wimbledon champion Andre Agassi, who played his last match at the All England Club today.

ROGER FEDERER: ''We are losing a big legend of the game, so it's never pleasant. But he's had a terrific career. I was lucky enough to play against him.

''It is an incredible achievement to win all four grand slams.'' LLEYTON HEWITT: ''Tennis owes him a lot, purely because he's such a marketable guy worldwide. He's been a great personality for our sport.

''Especially coming as a young kid into the tennis world, I guess wearing funky clothes, the earrings, long hair. It was a different image than tennis players normally have. That really helped the sport.'' KIM CLIJSTERS: ''I sometimes get goose bumps just by watching him play because the attention he had in his eyes, I don't think you see that a lot in any player when he's really focused.

That's been incredible to see.

''Just that backhand. If I could just hit one of those backhands down the line like he hits them sometimes, I would be the happiest girl in the world.'' ANDY RODDICK: ''The moments I remember are the spandex and the mullet. And the match (1992 Wimbledon final) with (Goran) Ivanisevic here I think was the first time I actually sat down and watched a full five-set match.

''I think about him dropping to 141 and making it back to number one in the world. I think he was the ultimate guy as far as proving people wrong over and over again when they kind of stuck a fork in him.'' MARAT SAFIN: ''He was the first guy who made tennis a show and entertainment. He achieved a lot of grand slams and everything but he made this entertainment with his looks, with his pants, with the fashion that he brought into tennis.

''He was the first guy who played with (sun) glasses, he had short hair, long hair, earrings. What he's missing is tattoos.

But he made a show on the court. He had such charisma.

''Agassi is Agassi. It's like a brand.'' TIM HENMAN: ''Even last year in September at the U.S. Open, to be playing the way he was at 35, was just fantastic. I certainly don't think he's got anything left to prove in the game.'' AMELIE MAURESMO: ''He's achieved so much in his career. I think for me the moment that comes to mind when I think about him was when he won the French Open in 1999.

''The way he came back into that match because after two sets everybody was expecting him to go down and miss this great opportunity he had to win the Grand Slam.'' REUTERS PM KP2119