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Biggest surprise about Agassi`s exit, his cool
Paris, June 04: Andre Agassi has reached the French Open semifinals only once in the past 11 years, so his loss in the quarterfinals wasn`t a shock.
Paris, June 04: Andre Agassi has reached the French Open semifinals only once in the past 11 years, so his loss in the quarterfinals wasn't a shock.
The bigger surprise was that Agassi took the defeat so well. The winner of eight grand slam titles has long been regarded as a sore loser. He stomped out of Roland Garros without talking to the media after being upset in 2000, and he hit a ball at a lineswoman after losing at Wimbledon the following year.
But Agassi took defeat graciously yesterday, when seventh-seeded Guillermo Coria of Argentina outplayed him 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-4.
"It's disappointing from a standpoint of not being able to win," Agassi said. "But some losses are easier to swallow based on what you feel you did or didn't do.... He played the bigger points well and executed better. He deserved to win."
Coria won thanks to better groundstrokes, better tactics and superior speed. He took the lead in every set and showed plenty of poise at the finish.
When Agassi sailed a forehand out on match point, Coria briefly fell to his knees, then ran to the net. He put his arm around Agassi, the player he idolised growing up in Argentina, before burying his head on the net cord.
"He's right up there with the best clay-courters," Agassi said. "Today he really was hitting a good variety of shots and executing real well."
In a matchup of two first-time grand slam semifinalists tomorrow, Coria will play unseeded Martin Verkerk of the Netherlands. The Dutchman hit 27 aces to upset 1998 champion Carlos Moya of Spain 6-3 6-4 5-7 4-6 8-6.
Bureau Report
The bigger surprise was that Agassi took the defeat so well. The winner of eight grand slam titles has long been regarded as a sore loser. He stomped out of Roland Garros without talking to the media after being upset in 2000, and he hit a ball at a lineswoman after losing at Wimbledon the following year.
But Agassi took defeat graciously yesterday, when seventh-seeded Guillermo Coria of Argentina outplayed him 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-4.
"It's disappointing from a standpoint of not being able to win," Agassi said. "But some losses are easier to swallow based on what you feel you did or didn't do.... He played the bigger points well and executed better. He deserved to win."
Coria won thanks to better groundstrokes, better tactics and superior speed. He took the lead in every set and showed plenty of poise at the finish.
When Agassi sailed a forehand out on match point, Coria briefly fell to his knees, then ran to the net. He put his arm around Agassi, the player he idolised growing up in Argentina, before burying his head on the net cord.
"He's right up there with the best clay-courters," Agassi said. "Today he really was hitting a good variety of shots and executing real well."
In a matchup of two first-time grand slam semifinalists tomorrow, Coria will play unseeded Martin Verkerk of the Netherlands. The Dutchman hit 27 aces to upset 1998 champion Carlos Moya of Spain 6-3 6-4 5-7 4-6 8-6.
Bureau Report