Tennis

Classic Agassi still keeps us guessing

By KEITH NIEBUHR
Published August 2, 2005

Go ahead and admit it.

You wrote off Andre Agassi .

You thought he was done. Finished. Washed up. Ready to walk away from the game.

Well, as the saying goes ... not so fast my friend.

Agassi's title Sunday at the Mercedes-Benz Cup in Los Angeles - the 60th of his career - is a sign that when healthy (he had just missed two months with a sciatic nerve problem) Agassi still can win tournaments.

It also was fairly predictable.

After Agassi withdrew from Wimbledon, some speculated his career was over. But with Agassi, one has to expect the unexpected. For years, he has resurrected his game just as others have counted him out, so perhaps we should have seen this coming.

Yet, the timing of his latest triumph is particularly intriguing.

With the U.S. Open (Aug. 29-Sept. 11) around the corner, many no doubt are wondering if, at 35, Agassi can find the magic to claim one more major (he has eight). Though the odds don't appear to be in his favor, he could have a chance and here's why:

Easy early-rounders. Though Agassi is incredibly fit, he doesn't have the stamina of a teenager. Thus, he needs a few quick matches along the way so he can conserve his energy for potential showdowns against players such as Roger Federer and Andy Roddick .

His health. If Agassi is 100 percent, he probably is as good as any player in the field ... except Federer. Though some seem to think he's old news, Agassi is ranked No. 6 in the world, so he must be doing something right.

The fans. Agassi is the most beloved player on the ATP Tour, and if the New York crowd gets the sense he might be playing in his final major, they could make things difficult for his opponents.

The draw. Many Grand Slam titles are paved by favorable brackets, and the best thing for Agassi would be to have Federer in the opposite half of the draw. His odds of beating a Lleyton Hewitt , Rafael Nadal or Roddick in the semifinals seems more likely than him toppling Federer, who never seems fazed by the moment. The other guys might be. In a perfect world for Agassi, Federer would lose to a youngster like Nadal.

His mind, his heart. When focused, Agassi is practically unbeatable. One has to believe if he can make a run, he would gain confidence with every match, a la Jimmy Connors in 1991.

ACES AND FAULTS: Regarding the blue courts used in the U.S. Open Series this year for the first time, Kim Clijsters said, "I like it. For me personally, I feel like I can see the ball better." If others agree, look for it to stay in place next year. ... Clijsters' win over Venus Williams on Sunday for the Bank of the West championship pushed her to No. 10 in the rankings. She began the year at No. 22 after an injury-plagued 2004. ... Nadal has qualified for the ATP Tour's Tennis Masters Cup, becoming the youngest player (he's 19) in more than a decade to reach the prestigious $4.45-million eight-player season finale. Federer, the world No. 1, is the only other qualifier thus far. ... Without much fanfare, 2004 French Open champ Gaston Gaudio has won five ATP titles this season, all on clay. ... No. 16 Joachim Johansson , a semifinalist at the 2004 U.S. Open, had season-ending shoulder surgery on July 27 in his native Sweden.

STAT OF THE WEEK: Federer and Nadal each have eight titles this year. But while each of Nadal's victories has been on clay, Federer has five on hardcourts, two on grass and one on clay.

LAST WORD: "I just feel even if I'm playing terribly, if I have enough energy to challenge the person with my speed, that's enough to win." - Williams after losing to Clijsters.

--Times staff writer Keith Niebuhr can be reached at 813 226-3350 or online at niebuhr@sptimes.com

[Last modified August 2, 2005, 03:00:22]