KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. – Perhaps the only player at the
Ericsson Open who could have given Andre Agassi any difficulty
Sunday was watching from the president's box: Rod Laver.
|  | | Jan-Michael Gambill said he has a lot to learn from Andre Agassi. "I'll hit a ball 100 mph and somehow he fields it back and I'm running for the next one thinking, 'How does he do that?"' Gambill said. |
Even Laver would have had his hands full, partly because he's
62, and partly because Agassi is playing the best tennis of his
life. The latest evidence: a 7-6 (7-4), 6-1, 6-0 drubbing of
Jan-Michael Gambill in the Ericsson final.
"I don't think anybody in the world could have beaten him
today," Gambill said.
The victory makes Agassi the all-time leader in Tennis Masters Series titles with 12. He tied Pete Sampras with a victory against him two weeks ago in the final at Indian Wells, Calif. Agassi has won the three biggest tournaments so far this year -- Key Biscayne, Indian Wells two weeks ago and the Australian Open in January. He's the first man to sweep all three since Sampras
in 1994, and he's a runaway leader in this year's ATP champions
race.
"This is a great point to be right now," said Agassi, who
heads into the clay court season hoping to make a run at his second
French Open title. "I just hope that I continue to be at my best
and make somebody play well to beat me and get a little lucky every
now and then."
Seeded third, Agassi became the first four-time men's champion
here. After surviving a close first set, he dominated
every phase, serving well, keeping Gambill away from the net and
controlling the baseline rallies to sweep the final nine games.
A gracious Gambill raved about his opponent's ability to keep
points going.
"I have a lot to learn from Andre," Gambill said. "He fielded
some balls that I just can't even fathom how he does it. I'll hit a
ball 100 mph and somehow he fields it back and I'm running for the
next one thinking, 'How does he do that?'"
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BACK-TO-BACK
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Andre Agassi is the fifth player to win Tennis
Masters Series titles in Indian Wells and the Ericsson Open in the same
year. The others to accomplish the feat are:
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Player
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Year
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Andre Agassi
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2001*
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Marcelo Rios
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1998
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Pete Sampras
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1994 *
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Michael Chang
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1992
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Jim Courier
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1991
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* Also won the Australian Open
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The No. 19-seeded Gambill recovered from an early 2-0 deficit,
serving well to reach 6-6. But he committed two unforced errors in
the tiebreaker and Agassi seized the opening. A deft drop volley
put him up 4-3, and he smacked a forehand winner and service winner
on the final two points to take the set.
From there the rout was on. Gambill saved five match points on
his way to the final, but Agassi put him away on the first one
Sunday with a forehand crosscourt winner from behind the baseline.
"Andre is maybe the best thinker the game has ever had,"
Gambill said. "He knows the angles. He sees shots other guys just
don't."
Agassi improved to 22-2 this year, his best start since 1995,
when he was 29-2. He said he's a better player than six years ago
because he's a better athlete.
"I'm stronger and faster and move better," he said. "When I
move better, I have more options. And I have a lot more experience
to make good decisions with those options."
Agassi, who turns 31 on April 29, became the oldest Ericsson Open
men's champion. He also won the title in 1990, 1995 and 1996.
Does winning keep him young?
"I feel old when I see mousse in my opponent's hair," Agassi said
in a joking reference to Gambill. "I believe I can do this for a few
more years, but I don't know. I've never been 31 before."
Agassi earned $444,000. Gambill won $233,000 in his first Tennis
Masters Series final.
Because Agassi slumped late last year, he's only third in the
52-week rankings. Marat Safin will overtake Gustavo Kuerten for No.
1 this week, and Gambill will climb to a career-best 16th.
"It's been a great two weeks," said Gambill, 23. "I need to
start thinking of myself as one of the top players if I want to
stay up there where I am."
The men and women both staged all-American finals for the first
time since the inaugural year of the tournament in 1985. Venus
Williams overcame eight match points to edge Jennifer Capriati 4-6,
6-1, 7-6 (4) for the women's title Saturday. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories |
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ALSO SEE
Agassi advances to second consecutive final
Venus saves 8 match points, tops Capriati in epic final
Sunday's results
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