All Eyes Will Be on Agassi in Open Semis
By SANDRA HARWITT, For The Associated Press
NEW YORK - Although Roger Federer is the defending champion and No. 1 seed,
all 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 epic 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.
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