Mark Philippoussis serves 46 winners to tie a Wimbledon record, halting Andre Agassi's bid to become the oldest champion.
By Associated Press
Published July 1, 2003
WIMBLEDON, England - Crack!
That's what Andre Agassi heard on the way out of Wimbledon, the sound of Mark Philippoussis' racket smacking serve after unreachable serve Monday.
Undaunted by the game's greatest returner, who also is No. 1 in the world and has eight Grand Slam titles, the unseeded Philippoussis hit a record-tying 46 aces to upset Agassi 6-3, 2-6, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-4 in the fourth round.
"So little can decide each set that it's pretty frustrating at times," said Agassi, the 1992 champion. "I felt like I made him earn it. I made him play the big shot at the crucial time, and he came up with it."
His exit means zero past winners are in the quarterfinals; that has not been the case at the All England Club since 1973, when a player boycott diluted the field.
For Philippoussis, who had lost six straight against Agassi, this represents a return to the big time. Once ranked No. 8 and the 1998 U.S. Open runner-up, he fell out of the top 100 in 2001 after a series of left knee injuries. But he always has had that booming serve.
Broken twice in the second set Monday, Philippoussis won his last 16 service games, saving nine break points. Only Goran Ivanisevic in 1997 had as many aces in a Wimbledon match.
"The great thing about the serve is you've got the ball in your hands. You can take your time, no one can rush you. You're in control," the 48th-ranked Australian said. "Even on the second serves, I went for them. Against a guy like Andre, you have to."
He earned his fourth trip to the quarterfinals, having made it that far in 1998-2000. He lost each time, once to Agassi, twice to Pete Sampras.
Philippoussis, who surfs four hours a day when home in San Diego, faces a less-distinguished foe next: Alexander Popp, who is ranked 198th and beat Olivier Rochus 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
With defending champion Lleyton Hewitt a first-round loser, and second-seeded Agassi gone, it is the first time in the Open era neither No. 1 nor 2 made the last eight.
"I had nothing to lose," Philippoussis said. "Everyone was expecting him to win. That's a great position to be in."
Agassi appeared to be in great shape after taking the tiebreaker by adjusting to a 115 mph offering, reaching wide and - letting out an "Aaahhh!" - ripping a cross-court forehand return winner.
But, like Agassi, Philippoussis knows how to fashion a comeback. At Wimbledon in 1999, the 6-foot-4 Philippoussis, then 22, took the opening set off Sampras but hurt his left knee and quit.
His 2002 season ended in August, after hurting the same knee during the U.S. Open. About a month ago, Philippoussis dumped coach Peter McNamara and returned to working with his father, Nick, who taught him to play tennis at age 6.
"We went back to basics, simple as that," Philippoussis said. "That's my thought process on court - just think about what I used to do when I was younger."
He cranked second serves up to 120 mph and surprised Agassi with quick winners. In the second set, Philippoussis broke to 2-0 in a game that featured four aces (Agassi finished with 10), six deuces and six break points. Philippoussis finally converted with a backhand that landed right at the baseline; Agassi, caught off guard, shanked a forehand.
Agassi had three break points at 4-2, but Philippoussis produced five straight service winners. Acknowledged Agassi: "Not much I could have done."
The fifth set was similar. Philippoussis picked up the lone break in the seventh game when he drilled a shot deep and Agassi's backhand sailed long. Philippoussis had to bear down in the next game, facing two break points, one set up by a double fault (he had 12). Again, Philippoussis' serve saved him: service winner at 128 mph, ace at 129 mph, ace at 128 mph.
"He's always had the game," said Andy Roddick, who beat No. 12 Paradorn Srichaphan 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. "As long as you have a serve like his, you're going to be in matches."
While Philippoussis' problems were physical, Agassi went through a period where tennis wasn't a priority. In 1997, his ranking dipped to 141st, and he resorted to minor-league tournaments.
Recommitted, he worked his way back to win four more majors and at 33 was hoping to become the oldest Wimbledon champion in the Open era. While many of his contemporaries are calling it quits, Agassi plans to return at 34.
"Why wouldn't I be back? I'm still a tennis player," Agassi said. "This is the place to be."
AMERICAN EDGE: Five Russian women were in the fourth round for the first time in Grand Slam history. One made the quarterfinals. Three of the four Americans in the final 16 played Russians - and all won.
"It just shows the Americans are still on top of the Russians," Lindsay Davenport said, laughing. She was the only American not playing a Russian on Monday.
Top-seeded Serena Williams beat Elena Dementieva 6-2, 6-2; sister Venus Williams topped Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 6-3, and Jennifer Capriati defeated Anastasia Myskina 6-2, 6-3.
One Russian made it to the quarters - with Svetlana Kuznetsova winning 6-1, 2-6, 7-5 over compatriot Maria Sharapova, a 16-year-old who lives and trains in Bradenton.
Venus Williams had to be the most satisfied. She won a grudge match with Zvonareva, who stunned her in the French Open's fourth round.
"Venus was unbelievable today," Zvonareva said. "She didn't give me chances."
Davenport will try to snap a five-match losing streak today against Venus; Capriati has lost seven straight against Serena.
"The level will jump quite a bit (today) - the level of opponents," Davenport said. "The top players have gone through relatively unscathed so far."
HENMANIA CONTINUES: Tim Henman is getting the Brits excited again. His fourth-round match against last year's finalist, David Nalbandian, was shown prime time on British TV - displacing the BBC's evening news and delaying popular soap opera EastEnders.
Spurred by cheers from the Centre Court crowd and those watching the big screen on nearby Henman Hill, Henman reached his seventh quarterfinal in eight years 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-3.
"The third set was always crucial and I won it mentally," he said. "It was a struggle but I wasn't going to give in and the last four games of the match the noise and the atmosphere was incredible."
Henman is bidding to be the first British man to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936.
