Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA

Ron Cioffi/TR.net

THE TennisReporters.net NEWSLETTER: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, No. 99

Agassi will try to defuse Federer
Andre: 'If I can hit my shots aggressively and play to the standard I know I can,
I have every intention of winning the match."

By Matthew Cronin, TennisReporters.net

FROM THE US OPEN – Andre Agassi's quest for the impossible dream will hit a major roadblock on Wednesday in the form of top-ranked Roger Federer. No 34-year-old has ever won the US Open in 30 years, much less knock out a dominant man who some believe will end up being the greatest player ever.

But if anyone can do it, it's Agassi in New York. He's the most popular player of all time, will have the crowd of 25,000 screaming and urging him on to victory. He's not as good as Federer right now, but – on a given Wednesday evening if he brings his best – has a real possibility of shaking the Swiss and melting him down like a bar of Godiva chocolate under a hot Las Vegas sun. But Andre knows this is not a popularity contest and if he can't bruise Federer early and often, the crowd may never get into the match.

"I'm going to have to establish a lot from the basic X's and O's before that's a factor," Agassi said. "I think that going out there in a big environment is something that he has proven to be the best at this year. I'm going to try to give something for the crowd to cheer about. But that's going to start with me."

Agassi has had a cakewalk of a draw this year, as if it was he who was the chef created the recipe for his success at the US open. He hasn't lost a set in four matches against underwhelming opponents and now he's as fresh as he's ever been coming into the quarters. Federer's draw has been a little tougher, but he's managed it well. He's hasn't played great, but has been very mentally tough in getting done what he needed to in order to advance to the quarters.

WALKOVER WILL HELP ROGER
On Monday, he received a walkover when Andre Pavel pulled out with an injury. In all likelihood, Federer would have crushed the Romanian, but it would have been nice for him to get the work in instead of having four days off when a little rust could appear on his racket frame. But he'd rather be physically and mentally fresh for the biggest match of his young and storied career in NYC.

"That's definitely something I'm looking forward to," Federer said. "I've never really played the real big matches here at the Open, especially night sessions. So this is a big occasion for me, to actually prove myself, deserving to be on the big stage, beating the best at the most important moment. This is a quarterfinal everybody has been looking up to. Hopefully we can fulfill the hopes of a good match."

Given how much both of them want to win the match, the quality of the contest isn't really in question. What is up to debate is whether Agassi can get into Federer's weaker backhand side and keep him from feeling like he can pull off any shot at any given moment. Like Gustavo Kuerten did to Federer at Roland Garros, Agassi has to force Federer to start shaking his head early in frustration.

"His biggest weapons are his forehand and his movement," Agassi said. "He's a really explosive mover. His forehand is just nasty. He does a lot of things really well. He does a few things really great. That makes him quite a tough player. Federer's one of those guys that just plays the game on his own terms in a way that others just can't. That's his style, and it's very unique."

ANDRE'S FINE LINE
Agassi constantly discusses the fine line between being too aggressive and too conservative. He wins matches by wearing opponents down with cleanly struck, deep ground strokes. When he's on, he and Lleyton Hewitt make fewer unforced errors than anyone out there. But brilliant players with bigger weapons like the great Pete Sampras and Federer can have their way with Agassi if they are on. With Federer's shot making and ability to change tactics on the fly, it's hard to simply coax errors out of him. You have to bring it on in a big way.

"I go out there with the intention of having to play my best tennis, there's no question about it," Agassi said. "That's the good news playing him, if that is good news. The good news is there's not a whole lot of thinking. You better shoot for your best stuff right away, not take your foot off the pedal. When you see him dance around, hit a forehand winner, I know that I didn't walk that line very well that point. And when I press and just miss the line, know that I didn't walk that line very well. But if I can hit my shots aggressively and play to the standard I know I can, I have every intention of winning the match."

So does the 23-year-old Swiss, who after dropping his first three career matches to Agassi (including a straight-set loss to him at the ‘01 US Open), has won their last three, all on outdoor hard courts. Agassi played Federer tough in their only meeting this year, a three-set loss in the semis of Indian Wells. But Federer has a much better serve than he once did and no longer just relies on a slice backhand. He has a number of go-to shots and clearly doesn't fear the eight-time Grand Slam champion.

"I'll change it up, so it doesn't suit him too much," Federer said. "But I will have to go against his attacking game by playing aggressive myself. This is also the game kind of I like to play. I think it's going to be a good contrast - me trying to mix it up, and him trying to not overpower me but always get a hit, hit it harder, longer and stronger, until I go away. That's the matches we've had in the past and this is what I'm expecting again in the next one. … So I'm ready to do a lot of running."

Before the tournament began, it appeared that this would definitely be Agassi's last US Open. Now he's begun to schedule tournaments for next year, so there's a fair chance that we may see him around as a 35-year-old in 2005. Whatever the case, this is his last great chance to win his third US Open title.

"There's nothing more you ask for than to play a big event against the best player in this environment," Agassi said. "It's time to bring the best tennis."