[News]Agassi wins 800th career singles match
Agassi wins 800th career singles match at Mercedes-Benz Cup
July 14, 2004
AP - Jul 14, 12:17 am EDT
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Andre Agassi won the 800th singles match of his
career Tuesday night, beating Alex Bogomolov Jr. 6-3, 6-1 in the
first round of the Merecedes-Benz Cup at UCLA.
The 34-year-old Agassi is just the sixth player to reach 800 on
the ATP Tour since the advent of the Open era in 1968, along with
Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl, Guillermo Vilas, John McEnroe and
Stefan Edberg, who joined the group in September 1996.
``That's quite a group of guys to be in there with,'' said Agassi,
whose first win was a 6-4, 6-2 decision over John Austin at
La Quinta, Calif., in 1986, when he was 15.
``They probably accomplished it in half the time that it took me,
but regardless, it feels good. It's special. I don't really think of
the 800 wins as they're going along. But any time you sort of
accomplish something that only some of the best have done,
it's pretty special.''
Getting No. 800, however, had taken him even longer than expected.
He lost his previous four matches, three in the first rounds of
tournaments. He also withdrew from Wimbledon to rest a chronic
right hip injury.
This tournament's top seed and a three-time champion, Agassi quickly
dispelled any upset thoughts Bogomolov might have entertained by
racing to a 3-0 lead in the first set.
``I felt good as far as my movement,'' Agassi said after the
54-minute match and a brief on-court ceremony. ``I thought I was
going to be a little bit more tentative, but I trusted my legs
and pushed through it and I felt good. I felt like for the match
I made a lot of good decisions. But I know it can only get better.''
He also acknowledged that his hip problem could resurface.
``I can't just play one good match and get my hopes up,'' Agassi said.
``I'm just taking it slow.''
Earlier Tuesday, No. 2 seed Paradorn Srichaphan ousted defending
champion Wayne Ferreira 6-3, 7-6 (4). In other matches, Greg Rusedski
beat No. 7 seed Taylor Dent 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-2; Mardy Fish (3)
eliminated Jan Vacek 7-6 (5), 6-2; Sjeng Schalken beat
Gregory Carraz 6-4, 6-4; Julien Benneteau ousted Mark Philippoussis
6-1, 7-5; and Wesley Moodie defeated Zach Fleishman, 6-4, 6-2.
Cyril Saulnier also won when No. 6 seed Vincent Spadea was forced to
retire due to back spasms after losing the first set 6-4.
Srichaphan, cheered on by a contingent of Thai fans clad in
red shirts, fought off three set points on his serve to force the
tiebreaker, then claimed the victory with a service winner.
``I was playing really well today,'' said Srichaphan, who saved all
four break points he faced in the 83-minute match. ``I was moving
well and that was getting me to the ball so I could set up
(for his shots).''
Rusedski, idle during the first half the year because of a drug
controversy he has grown tired of talking about, said ``the only way
to fight back is to win matches and play good tennis.''
Rusedski failed a drug test in July 2003, but was exonerated in
March because he took supplements supplied by ATP trainers.
The left-hander, fresh off a tournament win Sunday in Newport, R.I.,
got all three of his service breaks against Dent in the third set
to gain control.
``I returned well from the first ball to the last -- especially well
in the third set,'' Rusedski said. ``I felt like I was playing well
and I struck the ball well. Last weekend gave me a lot of confidence.''
--
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