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US Open: Agassi slips into semis before rain plays spoilsport
New York, Sep 03: Rain washed out much of the schedule at Tuesday`s U.S. Open but Andre Agassi managed to slip into the next round.
New York, Sep 03: Rain washed out much of the schedule at Tuesday's U.S. Open but Andre Agassi managed to slip into the next round.
Top seed Andre Agassi weathered terrible conditions and an explosive Taylor Dent to reach the U.S. Open quarter-finals when his opponent retired injured. Agassi was leading 6-7 6-4 7-5 when Dent, struggling with a torn thigh muscle, finally threw in the towel. World number one Agassi will next play either Swede Jonas Bjorkman or Argentine fifth seed Guillermo Coria who were due to play later on Tuesday. Agassi and Dent's match was the first to finish after drizzle all-but obliterated play at the hardcourt grand slam for a second successive day. Starting their rain-delayed match seven hours late, little could separate the pair in a disjointed first set. Neck-and-neck in early stages, Agassi finally broke through and had been poised to serve for the first set while leading 5-4 when play was halted for the first time by tournament referee Brian Earley.
The players were left waiting 35 minutes for the weather to clear and, when they returned, Dent hit back and won the opener on a tiebreak as the delay seemed to affect Agassi and his measured baseline style more than his chip-and-charging compatriot.
After Dent won the tiebreak, Earley called the pair off court once more as drizzle swirled around the arena. After another half-hour delay, they returned and this time Agassi hit back. He broke twice to Dent's single break to take the set 6-4 and level the match.
Still, however, Agassi was not entirely comfortable with Dent's barnstorming style as the younger of the two Americans smashed high-risk shots from the back of the court, came to the net behind his own returns and serve-volleyed at every opportunity.
Dent began to struggle with his right thigh injury, however, and his movement became hampered as the match wore on. An ATP trainer strapped it for him and he soldiered on.
The pair shared two breaks apiece as they locked at 3-3 before Agassi held to nose ahead 4-3 with some aggressive net play of his own on the two-hour mark.
Dent pegged him back, levelling for 4-4 with a high forehand volley. Neck-and-neck the pair forged forward. Agassi nudging into the lead, Dent pegging him back until at 5-6 he netted a backhand volley to hand Agassi a two-set-to-one lead. Dent immediately hobbled to the net and retired.
Bureau Report
Top seed Andre Agassi weathered terrible conditions and an explosive Taylor Dent to reach the U.S. Open quarter-finals when his opponent retired injured. Agassi was leading 6-7 6-4 7-5 when Dent, struggling with a torn thigh muscle, finally threw in the towel. World number one Agassi will next play either Swede Jonas Bjorkman or Argentine fifth seed Guillermo Coria who were due to play later on Tuesday. Agassi and Dent's match was the first to finish after drizzle all-but obliterated play at the hardcourt grand slam for a second successive day. Starting their rain-delayed match seven hours late, little could separate the pair in a disjointed first set. Neck-and-neck in early stages, Agassi finally broke through and had been poised to serve for the first set while leading 5-4 when play was halted for the first time by tournament referee Brian Earley.
The players were left waiting 35 minutes for the weather to clear and, when they returned, Dent hit back and won the opener on a tiebreak as the delay seemed to affect Agassi and his measured baseline style more than his chip-and-charging compatriot.
After Dent won the tiebreak, Earley called the pair off court once more as drizzle swirled around the arena. After another half-hour delay, they returned and this time Agassi hit back. He broke twice to Dent's single break to take the set 6-4 and level the match.
Still, however, Agassi was not entirely comfortable with Dent's barnstorming style as the younger of the two Americans smashed high-risk shots from the back of the court, came to the net behind his own returns and serve-volleyed at every opportunity.
Dent began to struggle with his right thigh injury, however, and his movement became hampered as the match wore on. An ATP trainer strapped it for him and he soldiered on.
The pair shared two breaks apiece as they locked at 3-3 before Agassi held to nose ahead 4-3 with some aggressive net play of his own on the two-hour mark.
Dent pegged him back, levelling for 4-4 with a high forehand volley. Neck-and-neck the pair forged forward. Agassi nudging into the lead, Dent pegging him back until at 5-6 he netted a backhand volley to hand Agassi a two-set-to-one lead. Dent immediately hobbled to the net and retired.
Bureau Report