(UPDATED) THE LOW DOWN: Agassi's meth admission

In his forthcoming autobiography "Open" Andre Agassi admits to using crystal meth in 1997.

The first mention of this revelation was in a tweet by Sports Illustrated writer Richard Deitsch earlier today and was later confirmed by The New York Daily News who spoke to a publicist at Knopf, publisher of the book. Incidentally, the tweet by Deitsch has since been removed but was published here. Gotta love the internets.

Many people have found it to be surprising, even shocking, to hear this news. I wonder if it's the type of drug, crystal meth, that has people confounded. Maybe we'd all feel a little more indifferent if it was marijuana, or even cocaine, Andre admitted to using. We're used to those drugs in tennis.

Athletes are normal, albeit gifted, people living extraordinary lives which just means they have greater access to things we could or would do if given the opportunity. We don't like to like to imagine our heroes are prone to the same struggles and pitfalls we're all confronted with in our own lives. But they are.

I'd be more surprised if I peeked in and found only good, clean living over the span of an athlete's lifetime. This news? Not so much.

"Open" will be released on November 9.

UPDATE: Andre admits to lying to ATP officials after testing positive for crystal meth saying he ingested it by drinking from an associate's "spiked soda." The ATP reviewed the case and threw it out. He also admits he's always secretly hated playing tennis but lived in fear of his violent father.

UPDATE #2: Andre was asked about fan reaction to his drug use - "I was worried for a moment, but not for long. ... I wore my heart on my sleeve and my emotions were always written on my face. I was actually excited about telling the world the whole story." (via People.com)

UPDATE #3: WADA wants an explanation.

(Photo: Knopf)