Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi
Andre Kirk Agassiis an American retired professional tennis player and former World No. 1, who was one of the game's most dominant players from the early 1990s to the mid-2000s. Generally considered by critics and fellow players to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Agassi had been called the greatest service returner in the history of the game. Described by the BBC upon his retirement as "perhaps the biggest worldwide star in the sport's history", Agassi...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionTennis Player
Date of Birth29 April 1970
CityLas Vegas, NV
CountryUnited States of America
I kept my head down and kept wanting to make him earn it. In the third and fourth set, I felt I was a bit living on the edge with my serve. But then in the fifth, I settled down a little bit on my service games and put enough pressure on him to get that break.
I can live with losing, I can't live with not taking my chance. I wasn't happy about being in a fifth after being up two sets to love, but I did know I was going to make him earn it.
I was going to make him earn it, ... He was going to have to play another great set.
Most people have weaknesses, ... Federer doesn't have weaknesses. So that equates to a problem. I mean, I could lie, I could say something else, but he's earned that respect.
It's not ideal to have three five-setters going into a final, ... but I felt pretty decent out there in the fifth set. I stepped it up when I needed to. It's not ideal but it's a great problem to have. I'd sign up for the chance to be in the finals anytime. And I might just surprise you. Mentally, just being out there will take care of that. Physically, I'll be able to make someone earn it.
He went through a stretch where I was lucky if I was in every third point on his serve, but I just said to myself I wanted to make him earn it and I finally got a chance in the fifth set.
I might surprise you a little bit, ... I feel good. I'm certainly going to be looking forward to it. Mentally just being out there is going to take care of that. Physically I'll be able to make somebody earn it, that's for sure.
I never felt like I was going to win this match but somehow I just found the way,
I never considered being able to get back to the top again ever, ... But that wasn't important to me. What was important to me was to make a decision for a way of life: to get the most out of myself every day.
In my 20 years in professional tennis, this is one of the most exciting things to happen for players, fans and television viewers. This new technology will add a whole new dimension to the game.
I knew it was on the bubble of getting really tough.
I knew I was in a tussle at that point.
It's not a function of how fast it is because a lot of guys can serve it 135-plus, ... The trajectory is the main issue because you're lunging, but then it's up. You're sort of diving, but then you can't reach it, even if you dive perfectly and on cue.
Each set my quality picked up, and in the fourth set we were both playing well.