It was one of Andre Agassi’s finest performances in a US Open final, and it was the latest unmistakable sign of Roger Federer’s tennis greatness that Agassi still lost in four sets.
Agassi, now 35 had been through this before as a younger man: giving his all and finding himself with the runner-up’s silverware at the US Open against a clutch-serving, great opponent with a beauty of a running forehand.
But Federer, who is from Switzerland, has moved seamlessly into the larger-than-life space left behind by Pete Sampras. Agassi’s now -retired rival. And at 24, Federer is going places with his smooth-moving talent that Sampras never managed to reach.
The top-seeded Federer did not play his best on that Sunday’s 6-3,6-2,7-69 (1), 6-1 victory, but he played close enough to his best in the critical phases of the third and fourth sets to win his second consecutive US Open and run his record in Grand Slam finals to 6-0.
“It is disappointing to lose, but the first thing you have to do is assess why you lose, and I just lost to a guy who’s better,” Agassi said. “There’s only so long you can dent it. He’s the best I’ve ever played against.”
Agassi speaks from plenty of hard won, or better put, hard -lost experience. This defeat was his eighth straight against Federer, and though it was considerably closer than his three lopsided losses earlier this year, he was still fortunate to win a game in the final set.
Agassi was soon back in his customary role of explaining Federer’s phenomenal talent, something he does well, “There are other guys, and I’ve played a lot of them for so many years,” Agassi said. “There’s a safety zone- a place to get to. There’s something to focus on. But anything you try to do, he potentially has an answer for, and it’s just a function of when he starts pulling the triggers necessary to get you to change that decision. He plays the game in a very special way. I haven’t seen it before.”
Federer is well aware of his special powers, and though he generally does an effective job of negotiating the delicate line between honesty and diplomacy, it is becoming increasingly difficult for him to avoid the obvious. He is the first man in the 37-year Open era to win his last 23 finals and the first in the Open era to win Wimbledon and the US Open back to back in consecutive years. He also reached the semifinals at the other two Grand Slams events this year, the Australian Open and the French Open.
“I had to play my best match again of the tournament,” Federer said in his postmatch comments on the court. “Unfortunately, it happened that I play my best again in the final as usual. I don’t Know how I do it, but it definitely feels great every single tie.”
Over the years, and there have been 20 of them now at the Open, Agassi has often been tight-lipped and caustic in defeat. But there was no trace of bitterness in his voice after this Grand Slam final, his first since he won the Australian Open in 2003 and quite possibly his last. He arrived here with a suspect back, having lost in the first round at the French Open and withdrawn from Wimbledon. But he fought his way through a draw that opened up nicely for him and reached the final by beating three unseeded yet undeniably dangerous shotmakers in a row in five sets: Xavier Malisse, James Blake and Robby Ginepri.
Old enough to appreciate the significance of this latest run, Agassi walked on the court before each match soaking in the atmosphere, making eye contact with fans in the stands, some of whom with memories good enough to recall his long-haired, quick-tempered younger years, when he did now-unimaginable things like spitting on the Australian chair umpire Wayne McKewen, But the ambivalence has evolved in-to genuine warmth, and as Agassi’s name was announced during the warm-u with Federer, most of the 24,797 fans in attendance rose to their feet and applauded, and there was more of the same after match point.
“Over the last 20 years I’ve come full circle,” Agassi said. “It’s been an amazing journey and discovery of each other as I’ve grown up out here. And to be here at an age where I can take in that sort of love and be at an age where I can embrace it is a tremendous feeling.” T Agassi’s credit, this match was not defined by nostalgia. It was one of the highest-quality four-set matches of the season. It brimmed with low – trajectory, high-velocity winners, timely first serves and lunging defense. With Agassi leading by 4-2 in the third set. It was beginning to seem possible, if still not probable, that he would win third US Open singles title.
But in the next game on Agassi’s serve, Federer hit a huge forehand winner at 30-30. He moved forward on the next point, when one of Agassi’s shots clipped the net and landed short, and carved a topspin backhand crosscourt to break Agassi’s serve.
Federer then won the next service game at love to get back to 4-4. The bar was rising, and though Agassi managed to; leap high enough to stay with it by saving four break points on his serve at 5-5, they were soon in a tiebreaker.
Agassi won the opening point with a more effective than lovely backhand drop shot, but on the next point he missed a forehand return off a high – bouncing second serve and moaned in disappointment. It was a big hint of what was to come as Federer reeled off the next six points, taking a two-sets-to-one lead with a back-hand return winner down the line.
It had happened so quickly that the fans needed more time to realize that their favorite had lost control of his destiny. But Federer quickly hammered the point home by winning the first five games of the fourth set and jerking his older opponent into the corners.
“He’s the only gut I’ve ever played against where you hold serve to go 1-0, and you’re thinking, “all right! Good!” Agassi said later, getting a laugh from his audience. “And I’m not just making fun of it. I’m literally telling you the way it is. He can hurt you at any point.”
With the barometer reading spiking, Agassi postponed the inevitable at 0-5 in the final set by saving two match points. But Federer made up for lost time in the final game by holding at love, finishing off his latest victory with a kick serve that Agassi struck long.
It remains to be seen whether Agassi will hit another shot in a US Open. He has required to calm the lower back pain caused by inflamed sciatic nerve. He was the oldest man in the singles draw here and the oldest finalist in a Grand Slam event since Ken Rosewall reached the final here in 1974 at age 39. But Agassi made it clear that, despite the fact that his back was tightening on him again during the award ceremony, that he would like to continue playing next season. “As of now, my intention is to keep working and keep doing hat it is I do, do,” he said. “You know, the only thing better than the last 20 years will be the last 21 years.”
It will be a tough act of his own to follow. Even in defeat, this run in New York was one of the most irresistible of his career, and when it was over, he signed a few autographs and made his way off the court and into the tunnel, where his 3-year old son, Jaden Gil, was waiting for his customary postmatch hug.
“Daddy, who did you play with?’ Jaden said.
It could have been a long answer, but Agassi chose to keep it simple:”Somebody with long hair,: he said.
– Christopher Clarey via sportstar
