Andre Agassi has pleaded for compassion from critics over his taking of crystal methamphetamine, saying he “needed help” to fight depression in 1997.

In a television interview regarding his admission of taking methamphetamine, Agassi became emotional when interviewer Katie Couric read him the words of Martina Navratilova, who compared Agassi to Roger Clemens, a star baseball pitcher who has denied wrongdoing despite links to performance-enhancing drugs.

“It’s what you don’t want to hear,” Agassi said.

“I would hope with that would come some compassion that maybe this person doesn’t need condemnation. Maybe this person could stand a little help.

“Because that was at a time in my life when I needed help. I had a problem, and there might be many other athletes out there that test positive for recreational drugs that have a problem.

“So I would ask for some compassion.”