|
|
|
| September 11, 2005 | Sunday | Sha’aban 6, 1426 |
Federer, Agassi bid for dream finale
NEW YORK, Sept 10: Roger Federer and Andre Agassi will be looking to set up a dream final at the US Open when they play their respective semifinals on Saturday at Flushing Meadows.
The men’s semifinals, though, are likely to capture most of the attention on Super Saturday.
World number one Federer takes on Australian third seed Lleyton Hewitt in a repeat of last year’s final, which the Swiss won 6-0, 7-6, 6-0.
Hewitt has lost to the eventual champion in his last seven Grand Slam events and has also lost his last eight meetings with the world number one.
Agassi, who is appearing in his 20th consecutive US Open, will open the day’s proceedings with a semifinal against fellow American Robby Ginepri.
The tennis gods appear to have decided that Agassi, champion in 1994 and 1999, must first prove he is still the best player in America before he can attempt to become the oldest man to win the US Open since Ken Rosewall in 1970.
Having beaten compatriot James Blake in an unforgettable quarterfinal, the 35-year-old eight-time Grand Slam champion must play another US young gun, Ginepri, in the semifinals.
Agassi, aiming to reach his sixth final at Flushing Meadows, will be hot favourite against a 22-year-old ranked only 46 and experiencing his first Grand Slam semifinal.
If Blake’s performance was anything to go by, though, Ginepri will not be over-awed despite facing a living tennis legend who will have the overwhelming backing of the Arthur Ashe Court crowd.
After a back problem wrecked his summer, Agassi is almost as surprised as Ginepri to have reached the last four.
Ginepri, who has reached the last four by winning three consecutive five-setters, has lost all three of their previous meetings in straight sets, including two defeats at Flushing Meadows.
He knows what to expect.
Hewitt, meanwhile, has lost his last eight matches against the Swiss having once held a 7-2 advantage in their head-to-head.
In last year’s final the Australian was embarrassed 6-0, 7-6, 6-0 by Federer and this year he was beaten again in straights sets by him in the Wimbledon semifinals.
Hewitt managed to avoid Federer in the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open, only to lose to Russian Marat Safin. No wonder the 2001 US Open champion’s frustration is growing.
Despite being overwhelming favourite, Federer is taking nothing for granted.
“I’ve been standing in his way and I think he knows that,” said the Swiss. “The more chances he gets, the more chances there are that he’s also going to beat me. That we’ll see on Saturday again.”—Reuters
|
|
|
|
