Agassi again

American reaches fourth final as Ferreira flops

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Andre Agassi isn't making any room for young title aspirants just yet.

Instead, he's hoping his Australian Open run will coax at least one other former Grand Slam champion out of retirement.

The 32-year-old American strolled into the final of the Australian Open on Thursday, outclassing South African veteran Wayne Ferreira 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.

On Sunday he'll play his 14th Grand Slam final and will start strong favorite to win the eighth of his career against either Andy Roddick or Rainer Schuettler.

Although Agassi's most recent Grand Slam title was here in 2001, it took a special performance from Pete Sampras to deny him in the 2002 U.S. Open final.

After dismantling Ferreira for the 11th time in as many meetings, Agassi was asked if he was getting better.

"I can't be that objective about myself to be that honest," he said.

But when pressed, Agassi added: "I'm stronger, faster and I have 17 years experience so my vote is probably yes.

"I'm always striving to improve and hopefully I'm accomplishing that."

Things get more difficult with age, Agassi said, "but overall I feel like I've gotten stronger. I move better on the court."

Agassi and his trainer Gil Reyes have increased his fitness workload with his advancing age and his mental edge remains as sharp as ever.

"It's my motivation that I can always improve," Agassi said. "That's where I'm fueled by so I want to believe I'm better, you know?"

Agassi is not afraid to celebrate his victories. The trademark bow and kiss to the four points of the center court arena might look tacky from a younger, less successful player. From Agassi it delights.

Winning "is a great thing," he said. "This is what you play for. These are the moments you remember most, so it's very special for me."

Nor is Agassi afraid to publicly confront his mortality, saying his arrival in the decider here is sweeter than his debut final in 1990.

"Oh, no question about it," he said. "I think you appreciate everything in life more. I think everything has deeper roots in your own heart and mind. Opportunities get fewer so they become more special. They become more disappointing, more enjoyable."

He probably felt the enjoyable ones had disappeared for good five years ago. After winning the first of his Australian Opens and making the U.S. Open final in 1995 he went into free fall. His ranking slipped as low as 141 in 1997 and there were no Grand Slam finals for three years, until his emotional victory at Roland Garros in 1999.

"Experience tells me that not a single day's promised to us," Agassi said. "(A Slam) is something I want every year. I wanted it bad last year and I had one opportunity for it."

Agassi travels as a part of a tight knit group which has made this title assault a team effort, bonded by a series of deals.

Out of this comes the news that he will partner his wife Steffi Graf, who won 22 Grand Slam singles titles before retiring three years ago, in mixed doubles at the French Open, should he win Sunday.

That was her part of the deal, and, as Agassi puts it: "She's a team player". Coach Darren Cahill must have his head shaved and Reyes must drink an Agassi made margarita.

"You know if we're in the trenches together, then we're in the trenches," Agassi said. "We got to all pay the price, whatever that might mean, any given week."

Agassi's task is obvious.

"We need everybody to have something on the line," he said. "I've spent two weeks down here with a lot on the line every day."

And he's loving every minute.

 

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