They are on the cusp of a dream final at the United States Open, but first Roger Federer must confirm his domination over Lleyton Hewitt and then Andre Agassi needs to put down the challenge of upstart Robby Ginepri.
A Federer-Agassi final under the lights on Sunday would potentially be the tennis match of the year — the sport’s supreme talent against the ageing legend.
They have taken differing paths to get to Saturday’s semifinals.
The 35-year-old Agassi has hit the headlines with a vengeance as he gears himself up for what could be one last tilt at the prize that matters most to him. His quarterfinal win over James Blake was one for the ages.
Federer has been low key, the biggest flap coming when he actually lost a set to Nicolas Kiefer in the fourth round.
Agassi has won 75 matches in 20 straight years at the US Open, more than anyone other than Jimmy Connors. He is expected to add his 76th against the unseeded Ginepri, a player who was outside the world top 100 just a few months ago.
But Agassi is wary and aware that the 22-year-old Ginepri has started to fulfil some of the promise that he showed as an outstanding junior.
”I really don’t know what to expect of him,” he said. ”Regardless, it’s going to be an opportunity for both of us to go out there and play some great tennis and to hopefully make some magic happen this weekend.”
Ginepri has already lost twice to Agassi at the US Open under lights, both times in straight sets, and he says he knows what to expect.
”It’s going to be a tough, gruelling match. He’s the king and I know that I have to take the opportunities if they are there to stand any chance.”
Top seed and title-holder Federer has won his past eight games in a row against Hewitt, including last year’s US Open final when he outclassed the Australian 6-0, 7-6, 6-0.
And if the semifinals are anything to go by, he will make it nine in a row on Saturday.
Federer played his best tennis of the fortnight to dispatch old nemesis David Nalbandian, while Hewitt was almost unrecognisable in limping to a five-set win over the modest Jarkko Nieminen of Finland.
The Swiss star is exuding confidence once again and knows that Hewitt will have to come up with something different, something more aggressive, if he is to turn the tide in their encounters.
”He could [try something different], but then again he could even run into the knife more brutally,” he said. ”He has [coach] Roger Rasheed in his corner. They’ll make up their minds how they think they should play me.
”He knows he’s not that far away. I know if I’m not on top of my game, I can lose to Lleyton and he knows that. I expect a tough match.”
Hewitt, who scorched Pete Sampras in straight sets to win the 2001 US Open title, was typically downbeat.
”There’s no secret formula. No one has been able to find the exact formula to topple him just yet,” he said.
But the Australian takes heart from the second-set tie break he forced against his fellow 24-year-old in last year’s final.
”I wouldn’t mind if that had been the first set, though. I have to try to put a bit of pressure on him early on rather that give him a set start,” he said. — Sapa-AFP