SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Andre Agassi has a huge following in Scottsdale, just as Pete Sampras does. Unlike Sampras, Agassi didn't disappoint his fans.

The top-seeded Agassi handled upset specialist Juan Ignacio Chela 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-1 Friday to move into the semifinals of the Franklin Templeton Tennis Classic.

"He's a real good player," Agassi said about the 22-year-old Argentine, who went from 810th to 71st in ATP placement last year by winning six titles on the Challenger circuit. "He doesn't look fast, but he's getting to a lot of balls. He has a backhand that he's hitting in both directions and a forehand that's very heavy."

Agassi persevered through the 2-hour, 26-minute match less than a day after Wayne Ferreira eliminated third-seeded Sampras, in straight sets.

No. 7 Xavier Malisse, who beat Ferreira 7-5, 6-2, stands between Agassi and his second straight final.

Juan Balcells eliminated Noam Okun 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, and Rainer Schuettler completed the semis field by beating Carlos Moya 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 Friday night.

Agassi lost last week to world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt in the final at San Jose, and he was shaky Friday until he broke Chela in the second and fourth games of the third set.

Chela, playing for his third semifinal in as many weeks, couldn't hold service in the ninth and 11th games of the second set, but broke back each time to force the tiebreaker.

"I was very lucky, because he served twice for the match," Chela said. "But my return was very good today. It was important for me, because Agassi is one of the best players in the world, and I played very well."

Chela recovered from a 3-5 deficit in the tiebreaker by winning four straight points, catching up with a near winner along the line and taking a 6-5 lead when Agassi double-faulted.

On set point, Chela ended it with another backhand, this one at a sharp angle.

But Agassi, a three-time Scottsdale champion (1993-4, 1998) who is looking for his 50th career title, was fresh in the third set after exhausting the younger man with side-to-side rallies on the baseline.

Agassi went ahead 40-30 in the second game when his crosscourt backhand found the corner and the winded Chela's went wide to end a long exchange, and he won his fourth straight point and the game when Chela couldn't keep another backhand in play.

Agassi also won 12 of his first 15 service points in the third set on the way to a 5-0 lead.

"I don't know if I turned it up as much as just maintained," Agassi said. "He seemed like he kind of ran out of steam there a little bit, and I took advantage of it."

Malisse, 21, brings another set of young legs against Agassi.

Malisse, Belgium's No. 1 player for the first time after finishing 33rd last season, broke Ferreira in the 11th game of the first set and the first and seventh games of the second.

"The first set was hard," Malisse said. "I had a lot of break chances early in the games and I finally got one. I think after 7-5 he kind of lost a little bit. It's not like he was throwing rackets or stuff, but maybe not moving as well. I can understand where he was coming from, because there were some bad calls."

He won every point in the 12th, finishing with back-to-back aces.