Tennis US OpenThe landlord has been calling time on Andre Agassi for a couple of years or more now but the old boy refuses to shuffle off home. Under the blazing floodlights of the Arthur Ashe Stadium, around 20,000 Americans cherished him like an antique as he came back from two sets down to defeat his fellow American James Blake 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 with the clock slipping past one on Thursday morning.
Agassi is now one win away from his sixth US Open final, the player standing in his way being yet another American, the 22-year-old Florida-born Robby Ginepri who will be stepping into unknown territory.
Before this week Ginepri had not strayed beyond the last 16 at a grand slam event in 13 attempts and he lost in the first round at all of this year's previous three majors. His ranking went into free-fall and his clothing sponsor, with a discreet cough and a chill smile, decided against renewing his contract. Drastic action was needed and Ginepri duly hired a sports psychologist and a new fitness trainer.
It is inculcated into all Americans from the moment they draw breath that hard work will bring its reward and Ginepri will now show anybody who asks the pudding containing the proof.
Until the July tournament in Indianapolis he had a miserable 10-14 record for the year; since then he has won 19 and lost three, with Roger Federer being the last man to beat him.
"I was hoping it would have clicked by the end of the year but it seems to be falling into place already," said Ginepri.
It has not come easily. Ginepri's quarter-final victory over Guillermo Coria of Argentina took five sets, as did his previous two wins over France's Richard Gasquet and Tommy Haas of Germany. "I'm just dead right now. I don't know how I got through it," he said after beating Coria.
"I would like to think I might have taken something out of Andre's legs," said Blake. With Andy Roddick having lost in the first round, these two Americans have stepped up in his absence.
Blake's third-round win over Spain's Rafael Nadal, the world number two, brought huge acclaim and, although the Flushing Meadows crowd loves nothing better than a hero-villain scenario, they were as even- handed as was possible in the Blake-Agassi match.
Initially Blake swept all before him and by the beginning of the third set Agassi, almost 10-years his senior, was rushing around like a wet hen.
Yet all the time his analytical brain was ticking. "James is a guy that runs on high octane," said Agassi. "He's a fighter jet, he burns the fuel fast and furious."
Knowing he was being hit into oblivion, Agassi went for broke and Blake crumpled. "He started ripping my second serve. He played unbelievable."
In the remaining women's quarter-final Russia's Elena Dementieva, last year's beaten finalist, saved a match point against Lindsay Davenport to win 6-1, 3-6, 7-6. In today's semi-finals she will play Mary Pierce of France, with Belgium's Kim Clijsters meeting Maria Sharapova of Russia.
Mens Singles Quarter-final: (7) Andre Agassi (USA) bt James Blake (USA) 3-6 3-6 6-3 6-3 7-6 (8-6).
Womens Singles Quarter-final: (6) Elena Dementieva (Rus) bt (2) Lindsay Davenport (USA) 6-1 3-6 7-6 (8-6).
Men's Doubles Semi-final: (1) Jonas Bjorkman (Swe) & Max Mirnyi (Blr) bt (4) Wayne Black (Zim) & Kevin Ullyett (Zim) 5-7 7-5 6-2.
Mixed Doubles Final: Daniela Hantuchova (Svk) & Mahesh Bhupathi (Ind) bt Katarina Srebotnik (Slo) & Nenad Zimonjic (Ser) 6-4 6-2.
