Agassi proves No. 1 rules

By Associated Press,
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 28, 2003

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HOUSTON - Andre Agassi celebrated his first day as the oldest men's player ranked No. 1 in the world with a comeback victory over Andy Roddick in the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships on Sunday.

Agassi supplanted Lleyton Hewitt on Saturday night as No. 1, but had to work hard to beat Roddick 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. It was the 58th career title for Agassi, who turns 33 on Tuesday.

Down one set and a break in the third game of the second set, Agassi rallied from triple-break point to hold serve. He broke Roddick, the two-time defending champion, in the sixth and eighth games to force the third set.

"I'm still numb, to be honest," Agassi said. "Andy kept me from getting comfortable for most of the match. Early in the second set, I made some big points and closed out the match. Sometimes it's better to be lucky."

Both stayed on serve in the third set until the fifth game, when Agassi broke through with a backhand drop-shot winner that bounced just over the net. Agassi is 23-1 this season and captured his fourth title of the year.

Roddick, 0-4 against Agassi, was trying to become the first Clay Court three-peat winner since Bobby Riggs in 1936-38.

Sisters sweep Czechs

LOWELL, Mass. - The Williams sisters were a nation unto themselves. They beat all five opponents they faced from the Czech Republic without dropping a set, sending the United States into the Fed Cup quarterfinals.

"My serve was cooking a little more," top-ranked Serena Williams said after the clinching victory. "It's a wonderful experience. I really love it. Go USA."

The United States took a 2-0 lead Saturday, and Williams needed just 50 minutes to beat Klara Koukalova 6-2, 6-2 and put the Americans into the next round in July, when they face Italy.

She gave the United States an unbeatable lead in the best-of-five competition. Venus Williams defeated Iveta Benesova 6-3, 6-2 in the last singles, and the sisters completed the 5-0 weekend sweep with a 6-0, 6-1 doubles victory in 44 minutes, beating Daja Bedanova and Eva Birnerova.

They joined teammates Meghann Shaughnessy and Alexandra Stevenson in parading the U.S. flag around the Tsongas Arena court after the clinching match.

The outcome was in stark contrast to last year when U.S. captain Billie Jean King kicked Jennifer Capriati off the team for practice violations. That resulted in the team forfeiting the first match against Austria, which won 3-2.

OPEN SEAT GODO: Carlos Moya won in Barcelona, Spain, when Marat Safin quit in the fourth set, citing fatigue. It was the first time in the tournament's 51-year history the final had been settled by a withdrawal. Safin trailed 2-1 in sets and was down 3-0 when he stopped.

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