The Scoop: SUNDAY, AUGUST 8

Mauresmo moves to No. 2, Agassi in ecstasy again
Andre: 'It's been a bit of a struggle for me this year. It's amazing'

By Matthew Cronin, TennisReporters.net

Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA

Agassi is now 17-4 in Masters Series finals.

It was the kind of Sunday when you thought there was no way that Andre Agassi was going to survive the third set, that Lleyton Hewitt had him just where he wanted him.

They had split the first two sets of the Western & Southern Financial Groups Masters final, Agassi winning the first behind some stellar play and Hewitt meat grinding through the second. The 34-year-old had played late into the night the evening before, needing to a third-set tiebreak to repel Andy Roddick, while the 22-year-old had cruised past Tommy Robredo in the afternoon.

But what has been largely forgotten in the last 18 months while Agassi has failed to win a crown is what a terrific shot maker he is and when he's believing in himself, how airtight his game can be. He forced Hewitt to try to be a better player than he is and as a result, the usually steady Australian hit himself out of the match in a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 loss. So now just three weeks before the first flags are raised high at Flushing Meadows, Agassi has become a legitimate US Open contender again.

"Lleyton's more of a counter puncher than me," said Agassi, who became the oldest player since a 37-year-old Jimmy Connors won Toulouse in 1989, "He has faster wheels and absorbs pace better. He wanted to settled into using his legs and I didn't want to be too aggressive. It was cat and mouse and I made a few good decisions at the right time. It couldn't have come at a better time for me. I am overwhelmed. It's been a bit of a struggle for me this year. It's amazing."

Agassi has been a virtual non-factor on tour since Indian Wells in March, but he kept cautioning his doubters that in full health, he still could play with the young guns. But after he was taken down by Tommy Haas in LA and Jurgen Melzer in Toronto, it was hard to take him seriously. But in Cincinnati, Agassi rediscovered his relentlessly accurate game and legendary confidence, taking out an impressive list of Slam champs in succession: Carlos Moya, Roddick and Hewitt. "I have shown here that if I let my game go I can give the guys a lot to deal with," said Agassi. "I only wish the Open was next week." He also might be wishing that it was only two-out-of-three there.

Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA

Can Amelie make it to No. 1?

Mauresmo Mauls Likhovtseva
What is about the WTA Tour that produces such awful finals? For the third week in a row, a high-profile women's final was a down-and-dirty fleabag, as Amelie Mauresmo won the Rogers Cup in Montreal with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Elena Likhovtseva. That mauling follows Lindsay Davenport's successive wipeouts of Serena Williams in Carson and Anastasia Myskina at Carlsbad. Thank goodness that the memories of the vintage Davenport-Venus Williams final at Stanford still ring clearly.

Mauresmo will jump to a career-best No. 2 in the rankings, ahead of Davenport and Myskina, whose level against Likhovtseva in the semis was seriously disappointing. But give credit to the Frenchwoman, who was upset by Alicia Molik in her first match on hard courts at Carlsbad and then produced a much higher level in Montreal, winning three three-setters. First, she survived Tamarine Tanasugarn in the second round, then she cut Elena Bovina in the third round and then she barely knocked off Karolina Sprem in the quarters. Mauresmo then out-slugged two Russians: Vera Zvonareva and the veteran Likhovtseva, who's appearance in a Tier 1 final was stunning, given that she had become a virtual doubles specialist the past three years.

"It's a great achievement, but I want to get to that final spot, that No. 1 rank," Mauresmo said. "That's my goal for two years, two-and-a-half years now. I want to achieve that. It just shows that I'm on the right track, that all the efforts that I put into that goal are worth it and it pays off and it's going to come very soon, I hope."

That opportunity could come at the Olympics, although top-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne will also compete there and has no points to defend in Athens.

Other notes: Myskina is suing GQ and its photographer for $8 million for selling topless photos of her to a Russian magazine without permission. Myskina appeared in GQ in a Lady Godiva pose nearly two years ago. Elena Dementieva and Daniela Hantuchova also appeared in the issue. Ironically, Myskina was a substitute for Jelena Dokic, who according to sources, twice blew off the opportunity to appear in the shoot. Bet Myskina isn't too pleased she bailed the WTA out now.

Men 1. Andy Roddick 155 2. Andre Agassi 108 3. Roger Federer 100 4. Nicolas Kiefer 97 5. Lleyton Hewitt 85 6. Tommy Haas 60

Women 1. (T) Lindsay Davenport 100     (T) Amelie Mauresmo 100 3. Elena Likhovtseva 70 4. (T) Venus Williams 57     (T) Vera Zvonareva 57 6. Anastasia Myskina 45

US Open Series Standings
The US Open Series has been great for TV ratings, even though the Acura Classic in Carlsbad hasn't signed on yet. Here's the bonus points leader after Cincy and Montreal. Had Carlsbad counted, Davenport would be a clear No. 1 and Zvonareva and Myskina would be three and four.