Agassi swipes Saretta - 網球

Agassi swipes Saretta
By Matthew Cronin
Sunday, June 1, 2003

Andre Agassi played only five matches on clay before arriving in Paris
this season, but it looks like the 1999 Roland-Garros champion's intense
off-court training regimen has paid off, as he stomped young Brazilian
Flavio Saretta 6-2 6-1 7-5 to gain the quarter finals on Sunday.

After nearly being knocked out of the tournament in the second round by
free-swinging Croat Mario Ancic, the 33-year-old second seed has been
all business in his last two matches, sweeping aside the talented Xavier
Malisse in the third round and then completely controlling Saretta.

"It's basically like a new life," Agassi said. "I've found my comfort
zone out there, striking the ball well, moving and feeling pretty
comfortable."

Instead of grinding in Europe prior to Roland-Garros, Agassi chose to run
the sand dunes behind his house in Las Vegas. He knew that a lack of match
play could hurt him, but believed his lower body needed to be more toned
than his game.

"It was a physical approach I took," Agassi said. "I was in the gym and
on the hills, trying to get my legs and wind because physically I think
it's the most demanding of the tournaments."

Agassi was so relentless from inside the baseline that he forced Saretta
to run to the Eiffel Tower and back. On one such trip around the court,
the 22-year-old's shoes fell apart.

After two straight set victories, Agassi now is primed for an assault of
the title. But he'll have three significant mountains to climb before he
gets there, including one of two very competent dirtballers from
Argentina, Guillermo Coria or Mariano Zabaleta. Coria led two sets to one
when play was suspended at 9pm due to bad light.

"As far as I'm concerned anyone that speaks Spanish or Portuguese are
good wins," Agassi said.

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