NEW YORK, Sept 8: Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras showed the veteran’s touch in lethal fashion Saturday as both booked into a beyond-the-odds final at the $16.1 million US Open.

The Sunday battle of over-30 aces will be the saving grace for the tennis year of both men. Sampras has not won a title since Wimbledon, 2000. Agassi’s last major was the 2001 Australian Open.

Agassi completed the lineup at the home Grand Slam, stunning defending champion and world number 1 Lleyton Hewit, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (1-7, 6-2 as the American dug deep to rally with two breaks in the fourth set to claim victory amid the frenzied cheers of 23,000 fans packed to the rafters at Arthur Ashe stadium.

Sampras preserved serve in comprehensive fashion, reaching a a third straight New York final as he held off Holland’s Sjeng Schalken 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.

The dream finale for a pair who have played 33 times will be a repeat of the 1990 title match at the venue, when Sampras claimed the first of his 13 Grand Slam singles crowns at the expense of a man who would prove to be his lifetime rival.

The 32-year-old evergreen Agassi, 45-7 this year with four titles, recovered from a break down in each of the first two sets to impose his forehand-heavy return game on the 21-year-old Australian who plays in the same style. Hewitt took the third in an attempt to get his own back.

Agassi sledgehammered through the fourth to victory riding the crowd energy and his own second wind.

Sampras did not drop serve once during his win over Schalken in two hours, 23 minutes, while breaking the Dutchman twice in the third set.

The victory followed winning results this week over Greg Rusedski, Tommy Haas and young heir Andy Roddick in a surprisingly easy semi- final on Thursday.

Sampras is the first man to reach a third consecutive Open final since Ivan Lendl completed his stretch of eight consecutive men’s singles finals from 1982-1989.

For the whole of the Open Era, only three men have played in three consecutive finals at the event.

Against Schlaken, Sampras fired over 23 aces. He broke the 25- year-old Dutchman for good in the final game after a tense hold the game previously which featured three double-faults and a concluding ace.

Agassi’s heavy forehand and superb fitness took a toll on Hewitt, with the veteran recovering in the opening set to break twice and take the early lead on his first opportunity.

It was the same story in the second set. Agassi fell to 0-2, but broke the Australian Wimbledon champion straight back. The American, a seven-time champion at majors, lost serve in the eighth game; again he recovered with a break-back.

The extraordinary tit-for-tat again played out in the tenth and 11th game to eventually force a tie-breaker. Agassi won a close decider when Hewitt netted a forehand to trail two sets to love.

In the third, the tables turned for Agassi as the Hewitt resistance stiffened.

The top seed who had beaten all Americans comers at Grand Slams in his six previous attempts dropped to 0-3, losing the second game on his eighth double-fault.

With girlfriend Kim Clijsters willing him on from the stands next to his parents, Hewitt recovered from 1-4 down and broke Agassi for 3-4, then held to level, 4-all. Another break of the veteran for 6-5 and a hold sent it into another decider.

The Agassi attack faded fast, with Hewitt reaching 5-0 and taking his first set of the afternoon to make a match of it.—dpa