Indian Wells, Mar 21: Andre Agassi and Roger Federer go through to the semi-finals of the Pacific Life Open. Fifth seed Andre Agassi produced a superb display of all round tennis to beat Guillermo Coria 6-4 7-5 at the Pacific Life Open on Thursday (March 18) and set up a semi-final with top seed Roger Federer. World number one Federer eased past Argentina's Juan-Ignacio Chela 6-2 6-1 in the first of the men's quarter-final matches. Agassi's willingness to charge to the net earned him the win over 21-year-old Coria, who matched the American groundstroke for groundstroke during most of the contest.

With fourth seed Coria serving at 5-4 down in the first set, Agassi wowed the a record night crowd of 13,395 when he pulled the Argentine up to net with a perfectly placed drop shot and then lifted a deft topspin lob over his opponent's head.


Agassi then won the set when he forced Coria into a forehand error. The 2001 champion broke Coria to 6-5 in the second set and won the contest when with a 122mph ace.


Agassi and Federer have played five times, with the American winning their first three contests and Federer winning their last two, both at the Tennis Masters Cup Houston, which he went on to win.


Bureau Report