All of you who missed Agassi-Baghdatis Saga at US Open this evening are simply unfortunate !! For here, I just witnessed one of those astonishing and rare moments of sports and life.
Agassi declared to retire after this grand slam. I came home early today to watch this match, expecting it to be end of Andre Agassi, given that he was up agaist the 21 year, World No 8, him being unseeded, aged 36.
Strangely, match started quite strong for Agassi and soon he was leading by two sets to nil. Marcus Baghdatis never looked like fighting for it until now. Here comes the third set, heating up the rallies, and Baghdatis getting his "touch" back, fighting for each point. After saving two break points, the Cypriot pony-tailed man started firing. And third set was his. Fourth set started with Agassi breaking Baghdatis twice, taking four games in a row, and it looked like time to shut the lights. But just not yet. As Baghdatis broke Agassi twice straight to fight back 4-4. Almost drove the next Agassi game for yet another break, served huge and broke the next Agassi game to serve for the set. With smashing deep forehands he held his serve and set [7-5]. Clean slates here, last set decides the match.
Steffi is tense and emotional, biting her lips, walking up and down the lobby. Man!!! whenever I see her I just go mad, she is so wonderful. And here I cheer for the man she loves, whatever makes her happy !! Isn't what they say true love is all about !!
First game of fifth set, Agassi couldn't hold, looks tired. Just then, comes yet another turning point in this already bizarre match. Baghdatis asks for medical time-out and got his thighs massaged. Sitting on his chair Agassi was beginning to realize that this may as well be his last match of career. Tears wet his eyes, while his mind tries to regroup and fight till the end. I remember watching US-open-2005 final between Agassi and Federer, where Agassi gave the champion run for his money. After the refreshing break, re-assured Agassi breaks Baghdatis in the second game, holds third and they are even. In the ninth game, Baghdatis sprains his thigh muscles and limps around the court. It was a freakish mess. Somehow Baghdatis held 5-5, Agassi managed 6-5 and the last game was little bit too tiring for old-21-year , against the young-36-year, and its all over.
Surely it wasn't one of those wonderfully played game, with hoard of unforced errors from both sides, yet, it proved a perfectly balanced one, with loads of effort, emotions, noise, and some wonderful rallies, providing for all the entertainment one can ever expect. I was so nervous in the forth and fifth set, I could even imagine how these guys handle it.
You know, now a days they let you challenge the line calls, two times in set. Post match, John McEnroe [Yeah... the angry young man of Amitabh times] asked Agassi.. 'whenever I used to challenge Umpires, they used to boo me, and here they cheer for you, they want you to challenge the calls, how did you pull that off ??.. Agassi says.. John..you have to be wrong sometime, the problem was you were always right !! ..McEnroe goes glad-glad.
I have never seen noisier crowd in a tennis match, as was there last night. It was as if sachin in india. They cheer for any of his movement or the lack of it. Agassi was tearful, knowing well that these people in New York stay put at 12.30 in night, to watch him play. Sentimentally he states that "watching you guys..reassures my belief in Human Spirit and Life". Same here mate. It doesn't get any better for the Legend's final few pro days.
"Its fun to cheat the end", as one of the commentator puts it.
San Francisco as seen from a ferry travelling across from Alcatraz in Dec 2005.
A foggy afternoon as seen on the hills of Calaveras in Milpitas.
