NEW YORK -- Defying age and heat, marathon man Andre Agassi outlasted a buffer, younger mirror image of himself in baseliner Robby Ginepri to win a third straight five-setter at the U.S. Open and become the oldest Grand Slam finalist in 31 years.
Agassi delivered an exclamation point to the 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 triumph with a 120 mph ace, his 17th of the match, on his last serve, shook hands with Ginepri, then skipped as spryly as a child onto the court to blow kisses and bow to 23,582 fans in packed Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Agassi's wife, Steffi Graf, and children Jaden and Jaz were among those watching the seemingly ageless Agassi raise his game once again in a fifth set -- the first time in his 20-year career he's had to play three five-setters in a row.
The winner of eight Grand Slam titles, including the U.S. Open in 1994 and '99, Agassi will meet the winner of the second semifinal: defending champion Roger Federer or 2001 champ Lleyton Hewitt.
"The momentum Robby had going into the fifth, to me, you never know, it might be last set I play here at U.S. Open," the 35-year-old Agassi said, drawing loud, good-natured boos from fans who don't want to see him retire. "It's hard to know when it's your last time, and you want it to be everything you've got. In the fifth set, I just kept working hard."
Agassi is the oldest Grand Slam finalist since Ken Rosewall, at 39, reached the U.S. Open and Wimbledon finals in 1974. Agassi has to hope he doesn't suffer the same fate as Rosewall did in the U.S. Open that year in the final against Jimmy Connors, who beat him 6-1, 6-0, 6-1.
Ginepri and Agassi exchanged breaks in the fourth and fifth games of the second set, but Agassi saved seven break points in the sixth game to pull even at 3-3. Although he had a right to be discouraged, Ginepri saved a break point in the next game and broke Agassi in the 12th game to take the set and even the match.
Agassi broke his opponent in the third game of the third set, which he claimed with another break in the ninth game when Ginepri pushed a forehand wide. Ginepri claimed a 4-3 lead in the fourth set with a break and held thereafter to force a decisive set.
In the fifth set, both players held until the sixth game, which Agassi snatched with a backhand dropshot winner. He held at love for a 5-2 lead, and after Ginepri held, Agassi closed out the match at love with an ace.
Agassi improved to 3-0 here and 4-0 lifetime against Ginepri, who was playing his fourth consecutive five-set match.
Would have been nice to see him win today. I'm not much of a tennis watcher, but saw the match between Agassi and Blake this week, don't think you could ask for a better match
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Agassi beats Ginepri, advances to U.S. Open final
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