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Thursday, March 30, 2000

Agassi overcomes sloppy play to defeat Henman

Associated Press
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla.- The ball floated to Andre Agassi's backhand side, offering him a fat target.
   Tim Henman charged the net one last time, desperate to pressure a mistake, but by now it was clear Agassi couldn't be rattled. He calmly yanked his shot crosscourt for a winner, then punched the air with both fists to celebrate the knockout.
   With considerable cool and a little luck, Agassi overcame four match points in a sloppy but thrilling tiebreaker Wednesday to edge Henman 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (10) in the quarterfinals of the Ericsson Open.
   "To win a match like that, you feel kind of proud," Agassi said.
   Henman, rushing to the net at every opportunity, was one point from an upset victory at 6-5, 8-7, 9-8 and 10-9 in the tiebreaker. He served once with a match point and squandered that chance by double-faulting into the bottom of the net.
   "It wasn't the ideal time," Henman said. "But that's the way it goes."
   Agassi had a match point at 7-6 but punched an easy return into the net. He then shanked a forehand at 7-7 but escaped and won the final three points.
   "I got a little lucky," Agassi said. "I knew he'd put pressure on me. That's why he's so good."
   In women's play, top-seeded Martina Hingis and No. 7 Monica Seles easily advanced and will meet in the semifinals Thursday. Hingis, the 1997 champion, eliminated Amanda Coetzer 6-3, 6-1. Seles, seeking her third title at Key Biscayne but her first since 1991, beat Amy Frazier 6-0, 6-3.
   Agassi's grueling victory in hot, humid weather was his second in as many days. He said he felt fine afterward, although his right leg bothered him during the 2-hour, 37-minute duel.
   "It wasn't an easy match," he said. "It was a fight for both of us."
   Agassi, bidding for his fourth Key Biscayne title, will have a well-deserved day off before playing in the semifinals Friday against sixth-seeded Gustavo Kuerten or unseeded Wayne Ferreira.
   "From the outside, it seems like being in the semifinals is not much of a big deal," Agassi said. "I've got news for you. Playing in the semis, I'm feeling pretty excited.
   "I'm in position to play my best tennis. I don't feel like it has happened yet."
   Two other Americans play in the quarterfinals Thursday. Second-seeded Pete Sampras faces No. 9 Nicolas Lapentti, and unseeded Jan-Michael Gambill plays No. 14 Lleyton Hewitt, whose 24-2 record is the best this year on the ATP Tour.
   Agassi struggled through a poor second set, the first he has lost in the tournament, then rallied from a 5-3 deficit in the third set. He was 0-for-8 on break-point chances in the final set before hitting a backhand return for a winner to make the score 5-5.
   The 10th-seeded Henman finished with 14 aces to two for Agassi. Henman also won more games and more points.
   "I suppose I didn't win the most important ones," Henman said. "It's very disappointing. I played a good match, but at this level it's about winning and losing."

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