Agassi Stays Hot at ATP Los Angeles

Posted on July 16, 2004

Top seeded Andre Agassi continued to show improved and renewed form Thursday night as he posted a 7-6(4), 6-2, win over Frenchman Julien Benneteau to advance to the quarterfinals for the eighth time in nine tries at Los Angeles.

Agassi, who won the LA title in 1998, 2001 and 2002 served three aces in the final game, and the 34-year-old American has now won 21 of his last 22 matches at the UCLA Tennis Center. His lone loss was to some guy named Pete Sampras in the 1999 final.

“The first set I felt in control, meaning I like the way it was going and getting up a break,” said Agassi, who is seeking his first title since April of 2003 at Houston. “I missed a few first serves that game, and he hit a few good shots and he got the break back. Then it turned into a nip and tuck set, but I stepped it up in the breaker and hit some good shots.”

The win for Agassi was his 801st of his career, and it sets up a tantalizing meeting with German star Tommy Haas, who crushed Kenneth Carlsen 6-2, 6-0. Agassi has won four of six meeting with Haas, but the two haven’t met in over two years. At least on the court, that is.

Two seeds were not as fortunate as Agassi on Thursday, as No. 2 seed Paradorn Srichaphan was upset by big-serving Jeff “Battleship” Morrison, and fifth-seeded Sjeng Schalken fell in three sets to Wesley Moodie “Blues” of South Africa.

Today’s quarterfinal line-up boasts Mardy “The” Fish vs. Cyril Saulnier, “Goofy” Greg Rusedski vs. Nicolas Kiefer, Agassi vs. Haas and in a battle of two players vying for the their first ATP semifinal, it’s Moodie vs. Morrison.