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| September 05, 2006 | Tuesday | Sha'aban 11, 1427 |
German qualifier sends Agassi into tearful retirement
NEW YORK, Sept 4: Andre Agassi's glittering career came to a tearful conclusion when he lost in four sets to German qualifier Benjamin Becker in the US Open third round on Sunday.
Becker, the world No 112 who is playing just his second Grand Slam event, sent the 36-year-old Agassi into retirement with a 7-5, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5 victory at Arthur Ashe Stadium.Agassi, one of only five men to win a career Grand Slam, struggled with a chronic back injury that severely limited his mobility and at times yelped from the pain.When Becker's 27th ace ended the match, Agassi was unable to control his emotions and began sobbing uncontrollably in his courtside chair.
“You have given me your shoulders to stand on to reach for my dreams, dreams I could never have reached without you,” the American told the crowd.
“Over the last 21 years, I have found you, and I will take you and the memory of you with me for the rest of my life.”
Several seeded players were knocked out on the final day of the first week, including Argentine No 4 David Nalbandian on the men's side and Russian No 5 Nadia Petrova on the women's.
Top seed Roger Federer and No 2 Rafael Nadal continued their march toward the final by securing straight-sets victories in the third round.
Former champion Lindsay Davenport saved two match points before beating Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik to join women's top seed Amelie Mauresmo in the next round.
On the men's side, No 5 James Blake, No 9 Andy Roddick, 15th seed Lleyton Hewitt and No 17 Andy Murray all advanced.
But all eyes were on Agassi, who had announced at Wimbledon that the Open would be the final tournament of his remarkable career.
The Las Vegas native fought gamely but ultimately lost to the 25-year-old Becker, who drilled 82 winners with an apparent gameplan not to rally with his more experience opponent.
Agassi needed several cortisone injections over the last week to deal with his back pain. After a stirring five-set triumph over Marcos Baghdatis on Friday, he was in no shape for a repeat performance.
The sold-out crowd cheered wildly for Agassi but the eight-time Grand Slam winner could not move effectively enough to handle Becker's big shots.
Becker, a former NCAA singles champion at Baylor University who faces Roddick in the fourth round, said he was determined to stay focused despite the crowd noise.
Nalbandian lost his second-round match to former U.S. Open champion Marat Safin 6-3, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 7-6 in a three-hour, 52-minute marathon, while Petrova was sent packing 7-5, 6-7, 6-3 by France's Tatiana Golovin.
With new coach Jimmy Connors cheering him on, Roddick went the distance to subdue big-hitting Fernando Verdasco of Spain, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 6-2.
Davenport played well below her best but still reached the fourth round after a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 victory over Srebotnik.
The American 10th seed won the decisive tiebreaker 7-5 after saving two match points in the 12th game of the third set.
Sunday’s results:
Men’s singles:
Third round: 5-James Blake (US) beat Carlos Moya (Spain) 6-4, 7-6 (8-6), 2-6, 6-3; 1-Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat Vince Spadea (US) 6-3, 6-3, 6-0; Marc Gicquel (France) beat 21-Gaston Gaudio (Argentina) 6-0, 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-3); 7-Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) beat Lukasz Kubot (Poland) 6-4, 6-1, 6-1; 12-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) beat 23-Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) 6-7 (2-7), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; 2-Rafael Nadal (Spain) beat Wesley Moodie (South Africa) 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-4); 9-Andy Roddick (US) beat 22-Fernando Verdasco (Spain) 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2; 17-Andy Murray (Britain) beat 10-Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2; 25-Richard Gasquet (France) beat Marco Chiudinelli (Switzerland) 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-2); 15-Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) beat 20-Novak Djokovic (Serbia & Montenegro) 6-3, 6-1, 6-2; Jiri Novak (Czech Republic) beat Xavier Malisse (Belgium) 6-7 (6-8), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4; Benjamin Becker (Germany) beat Andre Agassi (US) 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-5; Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) beat 11-David Ferrer (Spain) 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4; 6-Tommy Robredo (Spain) beat Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
Second round: Marat Safin (Russia) beat 4-David Nalbandian (Argentina) 6-3, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6); 26-Olivier Rochus (Belgium) beat Ryan Sweeting (US) 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0.
Women’s singles:
Third round: 3-Maria Sharapova (Russia) beat 32-Elena Likhovtseva (Russia) 6-3, 6-2; 1-Amelie Mauresmo (France) beat Mara Santangelo (Italy) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2; 24-Na Li (China) beat 13-Mary Pierce (France) 4-6, 6-0, 6-0; Serena Williams (US) beat 16-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) 6-2, 6-4; 27-Tatiana Golovin (France) beat 5-Nadia Petrova (Russia) 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3; 10-Lindsay Davenport (US) beat 22-Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5); Virginie Razzano (France) beat Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) 7-5, 6-2; 23-Anna Chakvetadze (Russia) beat Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) 6-4, 6-3; 12-Dinara Safina (Russia) beat Jarmila Gajdosova (Slovakia) 6-3, 6-0; 7-Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) beat 26-Marion Bartoli (France) 0-6, 6-3, 6-3.—Reuters
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