Andre Agassi has some bad news for the men's draw at the Australian Open: he's feeling comfortable and confident.
Agassi breezed to a 6-2, 6-4 victory yesterday over Wimbledon champion Roger Federer to advance to the final of the tuneup tournament at Kooyong. He will meet the winner of Friday's match between top-ranked Andy Roddick and David Nalbandian.
"This is everything I hoped it to be so far," the eight-time Grand Slam titlist said after needing just over an hour to down the second-ranked Federer, who beat him twice while winning the season-ending Masters Cup in Houston. "I feel real good about the way this year's going."
A victory over Federer "just sort of proves to me that the pieces are in place," Agassi said. "You still need to execute, but it gives you the reassurance that you're ready to get the tournament started."
Agassi has followed wins at Kooyong with wins at the Australian Open three of the last four years, missing out only in 2002 when he was sidelined by a wrist injury.
His holiday training regime went even better this time, and the 33-year-old American is eager to get 2004 off to a big start.
"My best tennis has always come after a break," he said. "I feel I can step on court and make someone play well to beat me."
The birth of his second child with wife Steffi Graf didn't distract Agassi too much, and he called his training time "almost therapy."
"It's only a couple of hours a day," he said. "I can do that while the kids are sleeping."
Agassi came out strong yesterday, breaking Federer in the first game and never letting up. Federer showed the rust of the off-season, with sizzling shots that kissed the lines followed by backhands into the bottom of the net or forehands that sailed long on a warm, sunny day.
With another break to go up 5-2, Agassi held to finish off the first set, then broke Federer again to start the second set. He went up 5-2 again before Federer got his only break to pull within 5-3. Agassi held to wrap up the victory.
Federer said he wasn't worried with just days to go before the season's major, particularly with the loss coming to a strong player like Agassi, but also made clear that he isn't happy yet with his game.
"I'm really trying to get the rhythm," he said. "I will be hitting the practice courts."
Meanwhile, Agassi looks to be in midseason form, with each victory raising his confidence levels.
"You never know when you're going to need it," Agassi said, pointing out that even the early rounds at a Grand Slam tournament can be tough.
In other matches, France's Sebastien Grosjean and American Robby Ginepri evened their records at 1-1 in the round-robin format. The 10th-ranked Grosjean defeated Thomas Johansson of Sweden 6-4 6-2, while Ginepri beat compatriot Taylor Dent 7-5, 6-1.
Adidas International
Top-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne beat seventh-seeded Chanda Rubin 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 yesterday and advanced to the semifinals at the adidas International.
Henin-Hardenne needed a medical timeout after losing the second set to treat a minor sprain of her left ankle and a blister on her right big toe.
"It's great to have a match like this the week before a Grand Slam -- it was a high level of tennis and had a lot of tension," she said. "I had a few nerves but it's natural in the in the second match of the year and very good to be like that before a Grand Slam."
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