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Agassi Moves to the Semis in the US Open

Elster88 Sep 08 2005 12:15 PM Edited 4 time(s), most recently on Sep 08 2005 12:23 PM

While the Mets are away, something else is going on next door. [url]http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/usopen05/columns/story?id=2155310[/url] Andre wins one for the ages By Greg Garber ESPN.com NEW YORK -- He was down two sets and a break in the third set, down and almost completely out, but Andre Agassi kept swinging. Agassi described his U.S. Open experience so far as 'surreal.' At 35, he has everything for which a man could dream: an unshakable tennis legacy, a gorgeous family and a not-so-small fortune. But, for whatever reason, it is not enough. Agassi continues to live for these fleeting moments, when the world is watching and the stadium is roaring. It happens less and less these days -- a sciatic nerve has curtailed his ability to play for long stretches -- but when it happens it is a beautiful thing. It lifts Agassi, transporting him to a familiar place, a place far away. As Wednesday night turned into Thursday morning, he carried the more than 23,000 delirious spectators in Arthur Ashe Stadium with him. In a shades-of-Jimmy Connors comeback, Agassi stunned wildcard James Blake 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (6) in a gut-wrenching quarterfinal match that ended at 1:09 a.m. ET. With Blake serving for the match at 5-4 in the fifth, Agassi -- functioning on pure adrenaline -- somehow summoned a break of serve to level the match, clearing the way for the ultimate tie-breaker. At 6-all, Agassi hit a backhand passing shot past a startled Blake, then followed it with a forehand service return that managed to clip the baseline. As Agassi took his customary bows to the four sides of the stadium, the smile on his face could not have been broader. "I don't know if I've ever felt this good here," said Agassi, who is playing in his 20th U.S. Open and completed his 93rd match. "All the support means the world to me. "This is what you work so hard for. It's just authentic competition. Letting it fly and letting it just be about tennis." Said Blake, who embraced his friend at the net after the match, "I generally don't have much fun losing, but this one was a lot of fun to play. This was incredible." Agassi now meets unseeded Robby Ginepri in a All-American semifinal on Saturday. Earlier, Ginepri took out No. 8 seed Guillermo Coria 4-6, 6-1, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5. Blake has always been a stylish player, with and speed and grace and a sweet forehand. His backhand, however, was problematic and he was inconsistent when the points meant something. For 10 straight matches, Blake had been playing like someone else. He has served like a champion, ripped winners from both sides and made some terrific volleys and even a few ridiculous half-volleys. Against great odds, he came into his own at the age of 25. The fractured vertebrae in his neck, suffered in May 2004, were only the beginning. In a horrifying span of five weeks, he also lost his father Thomas to cancer and contracted a debilitating virus that froze his face and left him weak and dizzy. His ranking went south, falling all the way to No. 210, so far the United States Tennis Association had to give him a wildcard into the tournament. Blake roared through the draw, disposing of No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal along the way. But somehow, you sensed it would be different against Agassi, who entered the match 18-1 against unseeded Americans. Blake had beaten Agassi only once in four previous matches, but it was a career-changing win. He took Agassi out in the straight sets in the semifinals at Washington in 2002 on the way to his first career ATP victory. Agassi, meanwhile, had been embarrassed in the first round at Roland Garros when his sciatic nerve rendered him unplayable and was forced to miss Wimbledon. He has returned slowly and surely and worked hard to place himself in this situation. For the first two sets, it was not a contest. Blake won them by identical 6-3 scores in a scant 62 minutes. There were times when Agassi seemed out of sorts, baffled. In the ninth game of the first set, with Blake on a tear in which he won 14 of 16 points, Agassi swung at a Blake service return -- and missed it entirely. Blake was up a break in the third set, at 3-2, when something changed. Agassi kept swinging and swinging and Blake seemed to shrink a bit. His serve fell off, his movement became labored and his groundstrokes grew tentative. The eight-time Grand Slam champion sensed this. He won the third and fourth sets, by identical 6-3 counts, and suddenly the pressure shifted to Blake. He weathered it well, but in the end -- the last two points in a match of 318, Agassi was just a little better. "It's pretty amazing, you know, pretty amazing," Agassi said. "Sitting at home during Wimbledon, wondering if you're going to ever play again. "I feel overwhelmed to have a chance to be out here doing this, is just amazing to me." Agassi has steadfastly denied that he will retire at season's end. As long as he can inspire his fans, he says, he will carry on. Agassi was asked afterward if he ever surprised himself. He scratched his gleaming head. "It's all a bit surreal," he said. "I get out there and try to work, and I come off the court and many times in my career I just feel it's been a dream. "It's all surprising to me." Greg Garber is a senior writer for ESPN.com. _____________________________ This post had the designation 160) Kaz Matsui

Elster88 Sep 08 2005 12:17 PM

Hey, how come my picture doesn't work? I used <img src=http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2005/tennis/specials/us_open/2005/09/07/open.wednesday.ap/tx_agassi_smile_all align=right>. _____________________________ This post had the designation 160) Kaz Matsui

metirish Sep 08 2005 12:21 PM

Elster88 Sep 08 2005 12:32 PM

I didn't know the last set could go to a tie-breaker. I thought they played it out. _____________________________ This post had the designation 160) Kaz Matsui

metirish Sep 08 2005 12:36 PM

It's the only major that does that I think, I saw most of the first two sets, kinda shocked that he came back to win,great stuff.

Elster88 Sep 10 2005 12:45 PM

IMT: Agassi vs Ginepri, 9/10/05 Agassi up a break 3-1 in the first set. Ginepri serving at 40-30. ____________________________ This post had the designation 159) Bob Shaw

Elster88 Sep 10 2005 12:54 PM

Ginepri wins 8 of 9 points and gets the break back. Agassi serving at 3-4. ____________________________ This post had the designation 159) Bob Shaw

Elster88 Sep 10 2005 01:04 PM

Agassi, serving at 5-4, had three set points at 40-0 and almost blew it, until Ginepri missed a shot when it was 40-30. Agassi wins the first set. ____________________________ This post had the designation 159) Bob Shaw

Elster88 Sep 10 2005 01:30 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Sep 10 2005 07:28 PM

After exchanging break points, Agassi saves seven break points in one game that included eight dueces, to win the game. Ginepri serving at 3-3 in the second, down a set. ____________________________ This was Elster88's last post with the designation 159) Bob Shaw

Elster88 Sep 10 2005 01:57 PM

Ginepri breaks Agassi at 6-5 to win the second set. ____________________________ This post had the designation 158) Mark Carreon

Elster88 Sep 10 2005 07:31 PM

Agassi wins in five sets....but I guess no one on this forum really cares about tennis. I don't usually either, but I'm watching Agassi. ____________________________ This post had the designation 158) Mark Carreon

ScarletKnight41 Sep 10 2005 07:42 PM

My son was watching a little of it at his friend's house. I haven't really gotten into tennis since Jimmy Connors played. He was fun to watch.

Rockin' Doc Sep 10 2005 09:00 PM

I generally don't watch tennis, but I watched some of Agassi's quarterfinals match with James Blake. Rivetting tennis of a high level. It was great to watch.

Centerfield Sep 11 2005 09:57 PM

Agassi's road ends where pretty much everyone else's ends lately. The 35 year old bows out in 4 sets to defending champ Roger Federer.

Elster88 Sep 12 2005 09:16 AM

Agassi played well. He was tied at a set apiece, and at one point was up a break in the third set, 4-2. But when they got to the tie break in the third set Federer demolished him 7-1. Then he easily won the fourth set.

Rockin' Doc Sep 12 2005 12:58 PM

I watched the first 2 sets, before parental responsibilities interupted my viewing. I wasn't at all surprised upon returning home to see the Federer had won. As well as Agassi was playing, I just had a feeling that he wouldn't be able to keep it up for the duration of the match. Federer woudd not continue to make unforced errors with his backhand all day.