All eyes on Agassi in men’s semis
By SANDRA HARWITT
.c The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) – Although Roger Federer is the defending champion and
No. 1 seed, most eyes will be on Andre Agassi in the U.S. Open
semifinals.
Agassi, 35, is the senior citizen among Saturday’s four
semifinalists. He’s 13 years older than his opponent, fellow American
Robby Ginepri, and 11 years older than Federer and Lleyton Hewitt, who
will play each other in a repeat of last year’s final.
Only Ginepri is an unfamiliar face at this stage of the Open, with
Agassi winning the title here in 1994 and ’99, Hewitt winning in 2001,
and Federer taking last year’s trophy.
The seventh-seeded Agassi has won eight career Grand Slam titles, and
if he’s able to usher Ginepri aside as he’s done in their three
previous meetings, he will be playing in his 15th career Grand Slam
final.
That would make him the oldest Grand Slam finalist since 39-year-old
Ken Rosewall lost the 1974 U.S. Open to Jimmy Connors.
The appearance of Agassi in the semifinal is impressive considering
that a sciatic nerve injury in his back crippled him in the first
round of the French Open, and forced him to skip Wimbledon. He came
back in July, winning his 60th career title at his first summer stop
in Los Angeles.
“I always worry about health – is everything holding up?” Agassi
said Thursday, a day after his five-set quarterfinal win over James
Blake. “Mentally, it’s hard to get fatigued with the love I’ve been
shown here.
“I’ve gotten through two five-setters, and feel surprisingly good.
It’s a sprint now around the turn and down the homestretch. I’ll be in
position to give it a good run.”
Ginepri, 22, who spent a lot of physical and emotional energy in three
successive five-set matches to reach the semifinal, didn’t hesitate to
pay homage to Agassi ahead of their semifinal.
“He’s the king,” said Ginepri, who won his second career title at
Indianapolis in July. “He’s done so much for the game. He’s been
inspirational to so many people. I’ve loved watching him growing up
and play the game.
“Hopefully this won’t be his last run here, but I wouldn’t mind to be
the one to take him out from the Open.”
If the 46th-ranked Ginepri upsets Agassi, he will become the lowest
ranked U.S. Open finalist since rankings began in 1973.
Federer, who won his third consecutive Wimbledon title in July, has
beaten Hewitt in their last eight meetings dating back to a
fourth-round encounter at the 2004 Australian Open.
Federer knows that he continually frustrates the third-seeded Hewitt,
but suggested it would be inadvisable for the Australian to try to
change his style in hopes of beating him.
“He could, you know. But then again, he could even run into the knife
more brutally,” Federer said, laughing.
“I don’t think we can afford to change our games just because of a
particular opponent you play,” added Federer, who has won five of the
last nine Grand Slams. “He’s good enough with his base to beat me on
a day when I’m not on.
“Maybe now that he’s a married man and getting a baby, maybe that’s
going to help him to be a little bit more relaxed and maybe it’s not
everything just to beat me. He’s definitely put himself into positions
all the time. If he beats me, right away he’s in contention for No. 1
in the world or he can win a big tournament again.”
As feisty as Hewitt can be, he’s also realistic. He’s only won two of
the last 23 sets during his losing streak to Federer.
“He’s obviously the favorite,” Hewitt said. “It doesn’t get easier.
There’s no doubt I’ve got to go out there and execute what I want to
do and play extremely well to go with him. It’s a matter of hanging in
there with him and trying to put as much pressure as possible.
“There’s been no secret formula. No one’s been able to find the exact
formula to topple him just yet.”
09/09/05 19:19 EDT