"It was pretty special and a huge honour for me. I can't even imagine what all needs to be considered in making the adjustment, but it was great," said Agassi, seeded three this year, after beating Harel Levy of Israel 6-0, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the second round of this year's grass court Grand Slam.

Traditionally, it is the defending champion who gets the tournament underway but last year's winner Goran Ivanisevic is absent injured as is 2001 runner-up Pat Rafter.

Seven-time champion Pete Sampras had been the sentimental favourite to be handed the role of first up on centre court but his match with Britain's Martin Lee was pushed back in order to allow the American more time to recover from a rib injury.

Agassi said he felt for Ivanisevic and remembered how he struggled to be fit for the 1993 championships to defend the title he'd won the previous year.

"I thought we were going to have a moment of silence for Goran out there," joked Agassi.

"But it's too bad for him not being able to make it. Coming back is a special part of winning. The year after I won, I was injured and didn't play the French Open.

"In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have played here but the experience of being out there and walking out there was very special."

It hasn't always been unrequited love for Agassi here. After making his debut in 1987, he refused to appear in the next three seasons.

But now as an elder statesman of the tour and only the fifth man in history to have won all four Grand Slams, Agassi is smitten by the place and has become the player everyone else wants to be.

"This is the greatest tournament in the world and if you could pick one to win you would be crazy not to go for this one. On top of that it's a big accomplishment for me to be still out there 10 years later.

"I always thought that 1992 was the middle of my career," added Agassi who was the subject of some very flattering remarks from Britain's Tim Henman - the man whom many think will be champion this year.

Henman said Agassi was an inspiration in the way he keeps going year in, year out.

Agassi added: "It's a huge compliment that anybody would use me as a role model for anything, but the key to surviving is to stay healthy and avoid injury.

"It's hard to keep yourself healthy inside one year, let alone 15 or 20 years."

Agassi will face either Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand or Jack Brasington of the United States in the second round.