Marathon man Agassi goes to U.S. Open final - 網球

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By STEVE WILSTEIN, AP National Writer
September 10, 2005

NEW YORK (AP) -- With a spry, childlike skip at the end to blow kisses to the
crowd, Andre Agassi showed he still has legs and spirit aplenty, even if he
is the oldest Grand Slam finalist in 31 years.

The seemingly ageless marathon man had more energy than a buffer, younger
mirror image of himself in baseliner Robby Ginepri to win a third straight
five-setter at the U.S. Open on a broiling Saturday afternoon and give
himself a shot at a ninth Grand Slam title.

Agassi delivered an exclamation point to the 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 triumph
with a 120 mph ace, his 17th of the match, on his last serve, shook hands
with Ginepri, then bounded happily onto the court to make his trademark
kisses and bows to the 23,582 fans giving him an ovation in packed Arthur
Ashe Stadium.

``Oh, how do you find words for what this means? This has been some of the
greatest memories I've ever had on the court,'' Agassi said. ``I'll have
these memories the rest of my life. Being in the finals at 35 just means
you're going to have to put up with me a lot longer.''

Agassi's wife, Steffi Graf, and children Jaden and Jaz were among those
watching him raise his game once again in a fifth set -- the first time in
his 20-year career he's had to play three five-setters in a row.

The owner of U.S. Open titles in 1994 and '99, Agassi will meet the winner of
the second semifinal -- defending champion Roger Federer or 2001 champ
Lleyton Hewitt.

``He's still got it,'' said the 22-year-old Ginepri. ``That's why he's still
going at age 35. He still believes that he can compete with anybody.''

Agassi is the oldest Grand Slam finalist since Ken Rosewall, at 39, reached
the U.S. Open and Wimbledon finals in 1974. Agassi has to hope he doesn't
suffer the same fate as Rosewall did in the U.S. Open that year in the final
against Jimmy Connors, who beat him 6-1, 6-0, 6-1.

``I might surprise you a little bit,'' said Agassi, whose back has not
affected him this tournament after rendering him helpless with sciatic nerve
pain in a first-round loss at the French Open and causing him to miss
Wimbledon. ``I feel good. I'm certainly going to be looking forward to it.
Mentally just being out there is going to take care of that. Physically I'll
be able to make somebody earn it, that's for sure.''

Agassi's trainer, Gil Reyes, pushed him to the limit to recover from the back
injury and withstand the punishment of long matches.

``He's being tested and today he was ready for the test,'' Reyes said.
``Andre right now is having to fight off Blake, Ginepri, Roddick, Nadal, all
these young guns. But don't forget he also had to find a way to fight off
McEnroe, Connors, Lendl, Edberg. He fought these guys as well for titles and
that's a champion. He stayed the course, navigated the course and found his
place in the game.''

Agassi brought his B-game to the semifinal in the first few sets, missing
more than usual with his backhand, but still showing enough savvy to run the
46th-ranked American around the court as the temperature rose into the 80s.

They offered little contrast to each other -- two right-handed baseliners,
each with a two-fisted backhand. The differences were more superficial --
Agassi walking pigeon-toed between points, Ginepri bowlegged; Agassi in
traditional white, Ginepri in a sleeveless aqua blue shirt that showed off
his thick arm muscles. Agassi wore a white cap with the bill forward over his
bald scalp, Ginepri wore his white cap backward over his dark, wavy hair.

Beyond that, they both had endured long matches before they faced each other.
Yet Ginepri, who had never gone beyond the fourth round of a Grand Slam
event, summoned enough stamina to break Agassi in the seventh game of the
fourth set, push the match to the limit and become the first man in the Open
era to play four straight five-setters.

``Robby's improved a lot,'' Agassi said. ``He's gotten a lot smarter with his
game. ... I was very impressed with how he's improved since last time I've
played him.''

Agassi guzzled his pink rehydration drink as he sat on the sideline, then
jogged out for what could have been his last set of the tournament and his
career. He has said he won't decide whether to retire until the end of the
year, so no one, not even he, knew if this might be his final set at the
Open.

If it was, Agassi didn't want to go quietly. He whipped his red racket and
jumped on Ginepri's serves in the sixth game, got two break points, and
cashed in on the second with a perfect drop shot that Ginepri chased from the
baseline but couldn't get before the ball bounced twice.

That 4-2 lead was all the edge Agassi needed. He held serve with the help of
two aces to make it 5-2, then after Ginepri held, Agassi closed out the
2-hour, 47-minute match at love with his final ace.

``I've said before, I don't know how I'm going to go out,'' Agassi said. ``I
know one thing, if I'm out there playing well and giving something back to
the sport, it's going to be hard not to give it more.''

Agassi's older brother, Phil, said he wouldn't bet on him quitting the game
anytime soon.

``He amazes me how far down he can dig,'' Phil Agassi said. ``He can do that
better than anyone I've ever seen. It doesn't surprise me, but it amazes me.

``Andre was for a time fighting his own personal battles, whatever they were,
and wasn't putting his whole heart into the tennis. The way I see it in his
eyes, this is just frosting.''



Updated on Saturday, Sep 10, 2005 5:38 pm EDT

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