Post by annie on Apr 20, 2005 9:20:32 GMT 3
I know I know.....Marat is not playing there but I HAD to post this article....Agassi so reminded me of someone we all know 
Agassi, Roddick advance in Clay Court Championships
By MICHAEL A. LUTZ, AP Sports Writer
April 19, 2005
HOUSTON (AP) -- Andre Agassi received a court violation for smashing his racket and then rallied in a second-set tiebreaker to beat Michal Tabara 6-2, 7-6 (5) Tuesday night in a first-round match of the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships.
The top three seeds in the tournament advanced Tuesday as No. 1 Andy Roddick beat qualifier Matias Boeker 6-2, 6-3, and defending champion and third-seeded Tommy Haas eliminated Kristof Vliegen 6-3, 7-5.
The second-seeded Agassi broke his racket after the first point of the tiebreaker when Tabara hit a forehand winner.
``It was probably a healthy combination of reasons,'' Agassi said of his outburst. ``I was really frustrated through most of the middle of the second set. I had some 0-30 chances and never felt I stepped up.''
After breaking his racket, Agassi gave it to a young fan.
``I've had better moments,'' Agassi said.
Agassi fell behind 1-4 in the tiebreaker and he made it 5-5 with a service winner. He gained match point on Tabara's forehand error and Tabara's backhand sailed wide to end the match.
Agassi struggled most of the match, coming up with crowd-pleasing shots and then hitting unforced errors.
In the sixth game of the second set, Agassi had four double-faults, faced two break points and hit a perfect lob and a pinpoint drop shot in finally holding serve.
``Day after tomorrow should be a lot better,'' Agassi said.
Roddick needed just 58 minutes to beat Boeker.
``I played well considering it was for the first time in a tournament match in three weeks,'' Roddick said. ``I moved pretty well and sneaked out a couple of points.''
Boeker, playing against a top 10 player for the first time, was shaky at the beginning and had his biggest moment when he won seven of the first eight points of the second set and broke Roddick in the opening game.
Boeker then took a 40-0 lead in the second game before Roddick broke back. Each player held until the eighth game, when Roddick broke on Boeker's errant backhand.
Roddick ended it quickly in the ninth game with three aces and a service winner.
``I think I was more anxious and nervous at the start,'' Boeker said. ``I'd played a couple of sets against Andy and so I knew what to expect. I'm not too used to these situations. I had a chance to give him a match a couple of times in the second set.''
Boeker, ranked 175th in the world, thinks the experience of playing Roddick will be a benefit.
``It's always going to help,'' he said. ``You feel more confident when you play in the smaller tournaments.''
Roddick will play Robby Ginepri in the second round.
Haas fell behind 1-3 in the second set but he broke Vliegen in the fifth game and again in the 11th. He closed it out in the 12th after Vliegen hit three errors.
``He started to go for more shots in the second set,'' Haas said. ``He played some good shots. He broke me but I broke back and in the end I hit some pretty good shots to win.''
Fifth-seeded Taylor Dent withdrew because of an ankle injury.
Agassi, Roddick advance in Clay Court Championships
By MICHAEL A. LUTZ, AP Sports Writer
April 19, 2005
HOUSTON (AP) -- Andre Agassi received a court violation for smashing his racket and then rallied in a second-set tiebreaker to beat Michal Tabara 6-2, 7-6 (5) Tuesday night in a first-round match of the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships.
The top three seeds in the tournament advanced Tuesday as No. 1 Andy Roddick beat qualifier Matias Boeker 6-2, 6-3, and defending champion and third-seeded Tommy Haas eliminated Kristof Vliegen 6-3, 7-5.
The second-seeded Agassi broke his racket after the first point of the tiebreaker when Tabara hit a forehand winner.
``It was probably a healthy combination of reasons,'' Agassi said of his outburst. ``I was really frustrated through most of the middle of the second set. I had some 0-30 chances and never felt I stepped up.''
After breaking his racket, Agassi gave it to a young fan.
``I've had better moments,'' Agassi said.
Agassi fell behind 1-4 in the tiebreaker and he made it 5-5 with a service winner. He gained match point on Tabara's forehand error and Tabara's backhand sailed wide to end the match.
Agassi struggled most of the match, coming up with crowd-pleasing shots and then hitting unforced errors.
In the sixth game of the second set, Agassi had four double-faults, faced two break points and hit a perfect lob and a pinpoint drop shot in finally holding serve.
``Day after tomorrow should be a lot better,'' Agassi said.
Roddick needed just 58 minutes to beat Boeker.
``I played well considering it was for the first time in a tournament match in three weeks,'' Roddick said. ``I moved pretty well and sneaked out a couple of points.''
Boeker, playing against a top 10 player for the first time, was shaky at the beginning and had his biggest moment when he won seven of the first eight points of the second set and broke Roddick in the opening game.
Boeker then took a 40-0 lead in the second game before Roddick broke back. Each player held until the eighth game, when Roddick broke on Boeker's errant backhand.
Roddick ended it quickly in the ninth game with three aces and a service winner.
``I think I was more anxious and nervous at the start,'' Boeker said. ``I'd played a couple of sets against Andy and so I knew what to expect. I'm not too used to these situations. I had a chance to give him a match a couple of times in the second set.''
Boeker, ranked 175th in the world, thinks the experience of playing Roddick will be a benefit.
``It's always going to help,'' he said. ``You feel more confident when you play in the smaller tournaments.''
Roddick will play Robby Ginepri in the second round.
Haas fell behind 1-3 in the second set but he broke Vliegen in the fifth game and again in the 11th. He closed it out in the 12th after Vliegen hit three errors.
``He started to go for more shots in the second set,'' Haas said. ``He played some good shots. He broke me but I broke back and in the end I hit some pretty good shots to win.''
Fifth-seeded Taylor Dent withdrew because of an ankle injury.
;D
