Former tennis champion Andre Agassi salutes the crowd during the opening ceremony at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, August 31, 2009.[Xinhua/Reuters Photo]

Andre Agassi pleaded for compassion in a TV interview in response to criticism of his crystal meth use while depressed in 1997.

Agassi, who revealled drug taking in his new autobiography incurring a wave of criticism, told TV's "60 Minutes" he needed help when he took the drug.

"It's what you don't want to hear. I would hope along with that would come some compassion that maybe this person doesn't need condemnation," Agassi said to the interviewer.

"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," added he.

In his book "Open", which goes on sale on Monday, the eight-time Grand Slam champion says he used crystal meth in 1997 and failed a drug test, a result he says was thrown out after he lied by saying he unwittingly took the substance.

But Agassi told "60 Minutes" he has no regrets about his disclosures.