Three-time winner Andre Agassi took just 88 minutes to reach the Australian Open final with an easy straight sets victory over South Africa’s Wayne Ferreira on Thursday.
The American second seed pounded the unseeded Ferreira 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 to make his fourth Open final in seven trips to Australia.
Agassi will play the winner of Friday’s other semi-final between compatriot and ninth seed Andy Roddick or German 31st seed Rainer Schuettler in the final.
The seven time Grand Slam champion was in immaculate touch on Thursday, breaking 31-year-old Ferreira’s service six times and crunching 32 winners to 21. He served at a high 73%.
Agassi stretched his record over Ferreira to 11-0 and once again attacked the South African’s backhand to set up his comprehensive victory.
The Las Vegan has now won 20 consecutive matches at the Australian Open.
As the two-time defending champion, Agassi withdrew on the opening morning of last year’s Open with a wrist injury.
His last defeat on the Melbourne Rebound Ace hardcourts was in four sets to fellow American Vince Spadea in 1999.
Agassi has lost only 43 games on his way to the final and has been on court for a total of 10 hours 35 minutes.
Asked by television commentator John McEnroe how he made playing tennis look so ridiculously easy, 32-year-old Agassi said: ”I just work hard to make it look that way. I made great starts to each sets tonight and took control of the points.”
Agassi said that he was playing the best tennis of his career because he was ”stronger, faster and had 17 years of experience”.
”I’m ready to go on Sunday, my tennis is where it needs to be,” he said.
Agassi has spruced up his challenge to become only the fourth man to win four Australian titles by making a bet with his wife and 22 singles Grand Slam champion Steffi Graf to partner her in the mixed doubles at the French Open in June, if he wins the final. – Sapa-AFP