Agassi, bidding for his ninth Grand Slam title, fell 7-6 (6), 7-6 (6), 5-7, 1-6, 6-3 to an opponent who ousted top-ranked Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals.

Agassi rallied after dropping the first two set but Safin persevered, ending the fourth-seeded American's 26-match winning streak at the Australian Open. Agassi called this ``the toughest day I've had."

"Marat played at an incredibly high level," Agassi said. "I forced him to play at that level the whole time. Sometimes you just need a little luck at the right time. I had chances that went away."

With Agassi serving at 2-1 in the fifth set, Safin broke with a good serve return that Agassi hit wide. He never gave Agassi a chance to break back again, holding the rest of the way and finishing off the match with a backhand winner down the line, ending the match after 3 hours, 42 minutes.

"I don't have the words to describe what I'm feeling now," Safin said. "I don't have anything [left] inside me now."

Safin, the 2000 U.S. Open champion and runner-up at the Australian Open in 2002, came into the tournament ranked No. 86.

Asked if he was playing as well as during his peak, Safin said: "It's so long ago, I don't really remember."

Safin, who turned 24 on Tuesday, will face the winner of Friday's semifinal between second-seeded Roger Federer and No. 3 Juan Carlos Ferrero for the championship.

Fourth-seeded Agassi had two set points before losing the first in a tiebreaker. Safin saved one on his own serve at deuce in the 10th game, when he hit a backhand winner down the line. Agassi's next set point was at 6-5 in the tiebreaker, but Safin saved with a backhand return at Agassi's feet. Safin went ahead 7-6 with a forehand down the line and clinched the set with his 12th ace.

They swapped breaks in the second, and Agassi fended off two break points while serving at 5-6 to force another tiebreaker. He again had a set point at 6-5, but Safin followed with a backhand winner, his 20th ace, and another good serve return that Agassi hit long.

Agassi got one set back by breaking Safin at 5-6 in the third. With the crowd cheering him loudly after he went ahead 15-40 for his first break point of the set, Agassi sent back a service return that Safin jammed into the net.

Safin, known for his temper, was soon muttering to himself after a backhand into the net gave Agassi an early break in the fourth set. Agassi broke again to go up 5-1 and took the set with a serve that Safin couldn't get back.

Safin regained his composure in the deciding set. He made few errors in the fifth, and pumped his fists after hitting the winning shot.

Agassi was the fifth American to lose to Safin, who also beat Brian Vahaly, Todd Martin, James Blake and Roddick.

"I hope I didn't kill their confidence before Davis Cup," Safin said, referring to next week's match between the United States and Austria.

Agassi, who was seeking his ninth Grand Slam title, had won the last three times that he played in the Australian Open, missing only in 2002 while recuperating from wrist surgery.

Safin, a former No. 1 whose ranking tumbled because of wrist problems last year, has proven throughout this tournament that he still has the talent to win big matches.

The unseeded Russian knocked off top-ranked Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals and had 33 aces against Agassi, one of the game's best returners. Just as important, he largely kept his famed temper in check despite the pressure on packed center court.

MELBOURNE (Reuters) -- Russian giant Marat Safin shattered Andre Agassi's dream of a fifth Australian Open title on Thursday, wearing down the American 7-6 7-6 5-7 1-6 6-3 to reach his second final at Melbourne Park.

Agassi, who had won 26 straight matches at Melbourne Park in an unbeaten run stretching back to 1999, was left chasing shadows as Safin had the edge in power, precision and intensity for much of a draining semi-final.

Safin had beaten four Americans on his way to the last four, celebrating his 24th birthday on Tuesday with a pulsating victory over top seed Andy Roddick.

Agassi became his fifth U.S. victim after an astonishing fifth-set meltdown.

Former world number one Safin had looked dead on his feet after Agassi hit back from two sets down, taking the fourth set for the loss of just 14 points.

However, Safin found extra reserves of energy in the final set, forcing Agassi into a wild forehand to break for 3-1.

Screaming at himself in Russian as his legs threatened to give way, Safin held his nerve and finally wrapped up proceedings on his first match point with a pummelling backhand pass after three hours 42 minutes.

"I don't have words to describe how I feel right now. I'm barely standings now," said an exhausted Safin, runner-up here two years ago.

"Andre Agassi is a hell of a player. I don't know how I beat him in five sets. I played the biggest match of my whole life. I came here to win it and now I'm almost there, just one left to go."

THUNDERING ACE

Safin, who has slumped to 86th in the world after an injury-plagued 2003, took the first-set tiebreak 8-6 with a thundering ace down the middle to rattle Agassi.

A chest-thumping Safin again proved stronger on the crunch points in the second-set tiebreak, pouncing on the first chance that came his way with another big backhand to clinch it 8-6.

Agassi won the Australian Open in 1995, 2000, 2001 and 2003, missing the tournament in 2002 with a wrist injury.

Drenched in sweat, the fourth seed made a desperate stand in the third set, taking it 7-5 with sizzling return before steamrolling through the fourth.

But he came up just short against the 2000 U.S. Open champion, who served 33 aces and hit 79 winners to Agassi's 44.

"Marat played at an incredibly high level and he came up with a lot of great shots when he needed to," said a dejected Agassi.

"I had chances in the first two sets, sort of slipped away. You know that's a big hole, two sets to love down. Tonight, I never quite got over that hump."

Safin, seeking to become the first unseeded champion since Mark Edmondson in 1976, will play either world number two Roger Federer or Juan Carlos Ferrero in Sunday's final.

Agassi's longest encore comes to an end

CNN
Thursday January 29, 2004

MELBOURNE (Reuters) -- Andre Agassi may be the great entertainer of tennis but even he knew the show had to end some time.

The American has performed one of the greatest encores in modern sport, winning three of his four Australian Open titles since turning 29, long after his contemporaries had taken their final bows.

But the curtain had to fall eventually and it did on Thursday when he was beaten by Russian Marat Safin 7-6 7-6 5-7 1-6 6-3 in the semi-finals.

It was Agassi's first loss at Melbourne Park in 27 matches dating back to 1999 and he felt the pain sharply.

"It's definitely the toughest day I've had," Agassi said. "It was really close but I felt like I could never quite get over that hump."

The 33-year-old Agassi knows his chances of adding to his eight grand slam titles are beginning to fade.

He is not planning to retire quite yet but like any gambler who visits his home town of Las Vegas, he is starting to hedge his bets.

Instead of giving the crowd a customary wave before returning to the locker room after losing to Safin, Agassi strolled back on to centre court, bowed his head and flashed his famous smile.

"You never know when it's your last, so you want to say bye properly," he explained.

"I have no plans to (retire) but, you know, a year's a long time."

Agassi's career already reads like a Hollywood blockbuster. A prodigious talent who won the biggest prize in the sport then threw it all away, he staged an unlikely comeback to complete his set of all four grand slam titles and become the oldest world number one in history.

A broken marriage and a successful one to former tennis champion Steffi Graf, with whom he has had two children, could not stop the American in his tracks but Safin may have.

Agassi described the loss as more painful than any he had suffered against his great nemesis Pete Sampras, and the fact he was agonisingly close to beating the brooding Russian only made it worse.

He recovered from losing of two close tie-breaks to force the match into a fifth set, only to run out of gas against a man nine years his junior.

"It was really close," Agassi said. "That match could have been straight sets -- both ways.

"I felt like I had the momentum but when a guy has a weapon like that...he can get through so many games without sort of spending that energy and hitting those crucial nervous shots.

"It was a tough one today. Marat played at an incredibly high level and he came up with a lot of great shots when he needed to. I hate it when he does that."

Safin overcomes Agassi

BBC

Russia's Marat Safin reached the Australian Open final with a dramatic victory over defending champion Andre Agassi.
The Russian showed great skill and athleticism to win 7-6 7-6 5-7 1-6 6-3.

Agassi, who is unbeaten in Melbourne since 1999, had points to win the first two sets but fell short in the tie-break both times.

But he claimed the next two sets before Safin broke in the fourth game of the decider and clung on for victory.

"I don't have the words to describe what I 'm feeling right now," said Safin.

"It was a great experience for me, to come back in the fifth set.

"I think I played one of my best matches in my whole life, probably.

"You have to play really great against Andre to beat him. I just couldn't feel any better."

Safin reached the Australian Open final in 2002 but was beaten by Sweden's Thomas Johansson.

"Two years ago, I had problems with myself. I couldn't play my best tennis. I was too nervous, too much under pressure.

"That's why I couldn't pull my best weapons in that final. But coming right now, I'm full of confidence and it's a completely different story."

Marat played at an incredibly high level

Andre Agassi
Safin's win ended Agassi's amazing 26-match unbeaten run in Melbourne.

The American has won the last three Australian Opens he has competed in, missing out only in 2002 while recuperating from wrist surgery.

"Marat played at an incredibly high level," Agassi admitted.

"I forced him to play at that level the whole time. Sometimes you just need a little luck at the right time. I had chances that went away."

The Russian will now face the winner of the second semi-final, between Juan Carlos Ferrero and Roger Federer.

Safin played only 13 tournaments last season because of a wrist injury and saw his ranking drop below 50 for the first time since 1997.

Open-Exhausted Safin hits the high spot
2004-01-29

gotennis.com By Alastair Himmer

MELBOURNE, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Marat Safin said life couldn't get any better after beating champion Andre Agassi in the Australian Open semi-finals on Thursday -- then remembered that he still had a job to do.

His legs wobbling and temper fraying, the Russian giant outhustled Agassi 7-6 7-6 5-7 1-6 6-3 in a stamina-sapping encounter on Rod Laver Arena to set up a final against either Roger Federer or Juan Carlos Ferrero.

"It was a great experience for me... to come back in the fifth set," said an exhausted Safin.

"I think I played one of my best matches in my whole life, probably. You have to play really great against Andre to beat him. I just couldn't feel any better."

The former world number one, whose ranking has slipped to 86 after an injury-riddled 2003, still has unfinished business at the Australian Open after losing to Sweden's Thomas Johansson in the 2002 final.

"Two years ago, I had problems with myself. I couldn't play my best tennis. I was too nervous, too much under pressure," said the big-hitting Russian.

"That's why I couldn't pull my best weapons in that final. But coming right now, I'm full of confidence and it's a completely different story."

Safin, who destroyed Pete Sampras to win the 2000 U.S. Open final, has already made a mockery of his current world ranking.

He insisted he had nothing to fear from either Wimbledon champion Federer or Ferrero, the 2003 French Open winner, in Sunday's final.

"Federer has great talent but Ferrero is also there. You have to be careful with both of them," shrugged Safin.

"But everything is going my way for the moment. I came here to try to win it and I'm almost there. Just one left to go."

Safin will be grateful for an extra day off after a gruelling run to the final which has included three five-setters.

"Tough matches, they take a lot of energy. Mentally, I'm a little bit tired. I mean, tomorrow I'm definitely not going to play tennis," said Safin, who celebrated his 24th birthday by knocking out top seed Andy Roddick on Tuesday.

"So basically an extra day... is really, really helpful. It's not like I'm going to forget how to play tennis in two days."

Agassi's Aussie Open winning streak ended by super Safin

MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP)-

Former world number one Marat Safin of Russia ended Andre Agassi's five-year winning streak at the Australian Open with a pulsating semi-final upset of the reigning champion.

Safin, whose world ranking plunged to 86 last year after an injury-plagued season, advanced to Sunday's final after overcoming a brave Agassi fightback to win 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (8/6), 5-7, 1-6, 6-3 at the Rod Laver Arena.

The 24-year-old's thunderous serve and inspired groundstrokes proved too hot for four-time champion Agassi, 33, who had not lost a match at the Australian Open since his 1999 fourth round exit.

"I don't have the words to describe what I'm feeling right now," an elated Safin said Thursday. "To be on the same court as Andre Agassi and to win in five sets after he came back from 2-0 down, it's great."

Safin, once touted as the greatest player of his generation after a victory over Pete Sampras in the 2000 US Open final and a 2002 Australian Open finalist, sent down 33 aces and 79 winners to overwhelm Agassi in 3hr 42min.

Fourth seed Agassi was the fifth American opponent to fall victim at these championships to Safin, who had thrust himself into title contention with a five-set quarter-final victory over world number one Andy Roddick.

The victory was made all the more remarkable by the fact that Safin had come into the match weary from more than 15 hours of play, while Agassi was relatively fresh from just over seven hours on court.

Safin will now play either Switzerland's Roger Federer or Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain in what will be his third appearance in a Grand Slam final. Federer and Ferrero face each other on Friday.

Safin holds off Agassi to reach final
Jan. 29, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Defending champion Andre Agassi was beaten in the Australian Open semifinals Friday, losing to a surging Marat Safin in five sets.

Agassi, bidding for his ninth Grand Slam title, fell 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (8-6), 5-7, 1-6, 6-3 to an opponent who ousted top-ranked Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals.

Agassi rallied after dropping the first two set but Safin persevered, ending the fourth-seeded American's 26-match winning streak at the Australian Open. Agassi called this "the toughest day I've had."

"Marat played at an incredibly high level," Agassi said. "I forced him to play at that level the whole time. Sometimes you just need a little luck at the right time. I had chances that went away."

Safin next meets the winner of Friday's semifinal between second-seeded Roger Federer and Juan Carlos Ferrero, a showdown for the No. 1 ranking.

Agassi won the title last three times he played at Melbourne Park, missing only in 2002 while recuperating from wrist surgery.

Marat Safin celebrates his well-earned victory after 3 hours, 42 minutes. (AP)
Safin, a former No. 1 and U.S. Open winner whose ranking slipped to 86th with wrist problems last year, proved again he still has the talent to rejoin the tennis elite.

The unseeded Russian had 33 aces against Agassi, one of the game's best serve returners. Just as important, he mostly kept his temper in check.

Asked if he was playing as well as during his peak, Safin said: "It's so long ago, I don't really remember."

"I don't have the words to describe what I'm feeling now," he added. "I don't have anything inside me now."

Agassi and Safin produced high drama in their 3-hour, 42-minute match. Baseline shots that would have been winners against lesser players kept coming back. And coming back.

Agassi had two set points in the first and one in the second, but Safin responded each time. Agassi got one set back by breaking Safin at 5-6. With the crowd cheering him after he went ahead 15-40, Agassi sent back a service return that Safin plunked into the net.

Safin was soon muttering to himself after a backhand into the net gave Agassi an early break in the fourth. Agassi broke again to go up 5-1 and served out to even the match.

Safin broke early in the fifth set and never gave Agassi a chance to break back, finishing the match with a backhand winner down the line.

Agassi was the fifth American to lose to Safin, who also beat Brian Vahaly, Todd Martin, James Blake and Roddick.

"I hope I didn't kill their confidence before Davis Cup," Safin said, referring to next week's match between the United States and Austria.

All three semifinals were played under a closed roof at Rod Laver Arena as light rain fell throughout the day.

It's Safin's party
By Paul Malone
Herald Sun
30jan04

INDOMITABLE Marat Safin last night dropped the curtain on the Andre Agassi era at the Australian Open by winning a semi-final battle of will and stamina.

Safin, Russia's reformed party boy of tennis, ended Agassi's hopes for a fifth Australian Open title with a bold 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (8-6), 5-7, 1-6, 6-3 semi-final upset in which a new-found toughness served as an ally to his phenomenal power tennis.
Australian fans wondered if they had seen the last of a dignified Agassi, 33, after his first loss at Melbourne Park since 1999 to torpedo his pursuit of a 27th consecutive win at the Australian championships.

Safin, the 2002 Australian Open runner-up, will play the winner of tonight's second semi-final between Wimbledon champion Roger Federer and third seed Juan Carlos Ferrero in Sunday's final with the advantage of an extra day of rest.

"I still don't know (how I won). I'm standing," Safin said. "There's one match to go and you try to. I don't have anything inside of me right now, but I hope I will have a great final in me.

"To win in five sets against Andre Agassi after he had been two sets down, that's great."

Agassi smiled for what may prove his final trademark bows for Rod Laver Arena spectators and reflected he had been two points away from the safe harbour of a three-set victory after holding two points for the first set and one in the second set tiebreak.

The American said he wanted to retire on his own terms and will play the 2005 Australian Open if he is still enjoying his tennis and is capable of winning.

Safin ends Agassi's reign
Hindustan Times
Jan 30

Russian Marat Safin scaled the heights to end Andre Agassi's unconquered 26-match reign at the Australian Open with a classic five-set semi-final victory on Thursday.

The 86th-ranked Safin won the opening two sets in tiebreakers of unbearable tension and then weathered a determined Agassi rally to come back and win an epic match, 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (8/6), 5-7, 1-6, 6-3 in 3hr 42min.

Safin's tour de force win ended 33-year-old Agassi's quest for five Australian Open titles and was his first loss here since going down to compatriot Vince Spadea in the round of 16 in the 1999 Slam.

Instead it will be 24-year-old Safin who will play in Sunday's final against either second seed Roger Federer of Switzerland or Spain's world number three Juan Carlos Ferrero, whose semi-final is on Friday.

"I don't have the words to describe what I'm feeling right now," said an elated Safin, who slammed down 33 aces and incredibly didn't give up a double-fault in five sets. "To be on the same court as Andre Agassi and to win in five sets after he came back from 2-0 down, it's great."

"I came here to try and win it and I'm almost there. I have one match left to go. Everything is going my way at the moment."

Safin, who missed large chunks of last season with a left-wrist injury after being a finalist here in 2002, has now knocked out defending champion Agassi and world number one Andy Roddick back-to-back in his march to the final.

It's a third Grand Slam final for unseeded Safin, having beaten Pete Sampras in the 2000 US Open final and losing to Swede Thomas Johansson in the 2002 Australian Open decider.

It was Safin's second win over Agassi in five meetings, his other coming on the red clay of Roland Garros in the first round of the 1998 French Open.

Safin went into the semi-final having spent double the time on court than Agassi (15hr 8min to 7hr 23min) but he still finished the stronger.

"My tennis is all about my fitness. If I'm physically well, then I have no problems with my tennis," said Safin, who worked out with a trainer in Monte Carlo for a solid month in November to prepare for the Open.

It was an absorbing high-quality match with Safin first edging ahead, then Agassi pulling him back in the third and fourth sets, before the Russian finished the stronger in the decider.

Agassi had a set point on Safin's service in the 10th game of the first set but the Russian countered with a backhand winner and a forehand cross-court.

Both players had a set point in the tiebreaker before Safin prevailed at 8/6.

Agassi got the first service break of the match in the third game of the second set with a rasping return winner and was serving for the set at 5-4 and 30-15 but Safin played his best game of the set.

He somehow kept in one fluctuating rally and produced a forehand winner to break back and dent Agassi's confidence.

Safin was running down everything and hitting some blistering forehands as the set went into another high-pressure tiebreaker with Agassi getting and then losing set point at 6-5 and Safin replying with a backhand winner and a 209kmh ace to raise his set point.

An Agassi backhand went out for Safin to take a two sets to love lead.

Agassi magnificently fought out of a hole and broke Safin in the 12th game when the Russian netted off a stinging return to keep Agassi alive in the contest.

The match, which looked a lost cause for Agassi, began shifting the American's way in the fourth set and he broke Safin twice to take it to a fifth set as the Russian began to lose composure and was complaining about line calls.

But there was another twist when Safin broke Agassi's service in the fourth game of the final set and he held two pressure service games to lead 5-2 and be one game from victory.

He had the crowd on its feet roaring as he served for the match and put away a backhand winner on match point to claim a momentous victory.