Agassi Pulls, Davenport Bakes Two Bagels at Indian Wells

Posted on March 19, 2005

Davenport Bakes Two Bagels, Clijsters Advances to Final at WTA Indian Wells

Lindsay Davenport ended her 0-2 streak against Maria Sharapova in spectacular fashion Friday, double bageling the Wimbledon winner 6-0, 6-0 to advance to the final at the WTA stop in Indian Wells.

"There are days when I go out on the court and I feel like I can't miss a ball," Sharapova said. "Today was just one of those days when you're playing terrible and she's just hitting every single ball as hard as she can, on the line."

Sharapova sprayed balls throughout the match and was let down by her normally-damaging return of serve.

"It was kind of a weird sensation, an odd position to be in, to win a match against such a good player and not have lost a game," Davenport said. "I felt like I played well and handled the conditions really well. She didn't play well. Not really much to say."

In the final Davenport will face unseeded former No. 1 Kim Clijsters, who defeated Elena Dementieva 6-4, 6-2.

"This is probably the happiest I've been to be in the final," Clijsters said. "I think in the year 2003, you know, I was enjoying all that, but I think you only realize how much it means if you haven't had it for a while, I think. If you've been off for so long, they tell you it might be tough to get back and you might not be able to compete again. This definitely means a lot more. It sort of says, "See, I can do it.""

Clijsters will be shooting for her sixth consecutive win over Davenport, and leads the career series 8-6.

Roddick Wins, Agassi Defaults with Injury at ATP Indian Wells

The marquee match-up between Andre Agassi and Lleyton Hewitt in the quarterfinals at the ATP stop in Indian Wells came to an anticlimactic end Friday when the American pulled from the match with an injured toe.

"When I woke up (Friday morning), it was blown up like a balloon, twice the size," Agassi said. "I was pretty shocked by what I saw. I can't bend it or move on it. It's just impossible for me to do anything. This is certainly not the way you want to see any tournament go, for the sake of all those involved."

Agassi said he was scheduled to have the toe undergo an MRI.

"I am disappointed that Andre had to pull out today," Hewitt said. "We have had a lot of good, tough matches in the past. I have to look at the positive side as well. This just put me into another semifinals at Indian Wells."

In the semis Hewitt will face Andy Roddick who came back for a 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-1 win over Carlos Moya.

"I felt good even after I lost the first set," said Roddick who threw down 13 aces and was effective at the net. "I was hitting the ball well and I'm glad I stuck it out."

Winners in the doubles semifinals were (1) Knowles/Nestor (d. (3) Bjorkman/Mirnyi, coming from a set down) and Aussies (7) Arthurs/Hanley (d. (4) Bryan/Bryan, coming from a set down).

Saturday's match-ups are (1) Federer vs. (14) Canas (the Argentine won their lone meeting in 2002) and (3) Roddick vs. (2) Hewitt (Aussie leads 5-1), and in the doubles final (1)Knowles/Nestor vs. (7) Arthurs/Hanley.