AGASSI STEPS UP GAME TO REACH FINALS WILL FACE MULLER IN QUEST FOR 4TH L.A. CHAMPIONSHIP.Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer Andre Agassi Andre Kirk Agassi (born April 29 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada) is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player from the United States who won eight Grand Slam singles tournaments and an Olympic gold medal in singles. came into the week not knowing what to expect at the Mercedes-Benz Cup. He didn't know how rusty he would be from not having played in more than two months, or how his 35-year-old body would respond to its first extended physical play since receiving the latest cortisone cortisone (kôr`tĭsōn'), steroid hormone whose main physiological effect is on carbohydrate metabolism. It is synthesized from cholesterol in the outer layer, or cortex, of the adrenal gland under the stimulation of adrenocorticotropic shot for a nerve condition in his back. Agassi took each day as a test, and each day he has gotten better. Playing his best tennis of the week, Agassi beat Juan Ignacio Chela Juan Ignacio Chela (born August 30, 1979, Buenos Aires, Argentina) is a professional male tennis player from Argentina. His strongest surface is slow hardcourt, but like most Argentine players he is comfortable on clay. of Argentina 6-4, 6-2 Saturday in the semifinals at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX . ``It's been a great week that I couldn't have expected,'' Agassi said. ``There's always an urgency to win. I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. what there is to prove anymore, but that doesn't change my intensity.'' Agassi will try to win his first title of the year today at 2 p.m. against Gilles Muller of Luxembourg, a 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-1 upset winner over second-seeded Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia in the night match. A victory would be Agassi's fourth Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. championship, tying him for most L.A. titles along with Jimmy Connors James Scott "Jimmy" Connors (born September 2, 1952 in East St. Louis, Illinois) is a former World Number 1 American tennis champion who was the top player for 160 consecutive weeks from July of 1974 to August of 1977. , Roy Emerson Roy Stanley Emerson (born November 3 1936) is a former Australian tennis player who won 12 Grand Slam singles titles and 16 Grand Slam men's doubles titles. He is the only male player to have won singles and doubles titles at all four Grand Slam tournaments. and Frank Parker This article is about the tennis player. For the singer, see Frank Parker (singer). Frank ("Frankie") Andrew Parker (born on January 31, 1916 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA – July 24, 1997) was an American male tennis player. . This is the 79th year of the tournament. Agassi won in 1998, 2001 and 2002. ``It's a great environment for me out there, the surface, the conditions and the support,'' said Agassi, who is from Las Vegas Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. but used to live in Los Angeles. ``It feels like my backyard.'' Chela che·la n. pl. che·lae A pincerlike claw of a crustacean or arachnid, such as a lobster, crab, or scorpion. [New Latin ch , ranked 47th in the world, got Agassi's attention early and had the eight-time grand slam grand slam n. 1. The winning of all the tricks during the play of one hand in bridge and other whist-derived card games. 2. Sports The winning of all the major or specified events, especially on a professional circuit. winner on his heels a few times to begin the match. After surviving a couple of service deficits, Agassi broke when Chela hit a backhand wide in the seventh game. ``I was playing very well at the beginning but then Andre picked up his game and I just lost it,'' Chela said through an interpreter. Agassi broke the first game of the second set and cruised to the victory, hitting his 20th ace of the tournament to finish off the match. ``He came out firing,'' Agassi said. ``When I sort of weathered that storm, you can play aggressive and you can play low percentage. He missed some shots that he was going for a little too much, I thought. I ran with the momentum a little bit.'' This was the first tournament for both players since the French Open in May. Chela was out with a groin injury. Muller used his big serve to survive two match points in the second set, then finished off Hrbaty by winning the final 16 points of the third set. ``In my first-round match, I was four (match) points down so I wasn't scared when it was 15-40,'' Muller said of the 12th game of the second set. ``I thought that I could have two good serves.'' In the quarterfinals, it was Hrbaty who got through seven match points to shock Ricardo Mello. With players like Andy Roddick, Taylor Dent and Nicolas Kiefer dropping out of the tournament with injuries, Agassi has made it through to the finals without having to play a top-40 player. The highest-ranked player he faced was Paradorn Srichaphan in the quarterfinals. ``It's rare, but I suppose it depends which tournament it is,'' Agassi said. ``A lot of guys can win matches out here so it's not unreasonable to think that can happen.'' Agassi said he was interested in seeing how his body would respond after playing a difficult 1 hour, 52 minute match Friday against Paradorn. Not only did he have no issues but he looked more agile along the baseline than at any time this week. ``To feel that good and move around against a guy who was letting it fly is a great feeling for me,'' Agassi said. ``It gives me a lot of confidence, certainly for (the final) but also as this summer unfolds.'' Matthew Kredell, (818) 713-3607 matthew.kredell(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 3 photos, 2 boxes Photo: (1 -- color) Argentina's Juan Ignacio Chela, left, reacts after missing a shot against Andre Agassi, right, who won 6-4, 6-2 to advance to the final. (2 -- 3) Andre Agassi returns a shot against Argentina's Juan Ignacio Chela in Saturday's Mercedes-Benz Cup semifinal. Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer Box: (1) MERCEDES-BENZ CUP (2) HAPPY RETURNS |
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