Agassi's right sneaker's sole tore away against Novak, so he reached into his bag for a plastic tube of glue and reattached it. That was the biggest blip in another easy victory.
"You never know when you need your best tennis," Agassi said. "That's why it's always best to save it for when you do."
Pierce, a dozen years older than Sharapova, was superb after trailing 3-1 in the third set. The 1995 Australian Open and 2000 French Open champion displayed the powerful groundstrokes she rebuilt after missing months at a time with back and shoulder injuries.
When Sharapova slapped a return into the net on match point, Pierce went to her changeover chair, knelt and prayed.
"I just appreciate it so much more," said Pierce, who faces No. 9 Svetlana Kuznetsova next. "I believe in myself, and it's nice to have that confirmation actually happen in reality."
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