"She's hitting the ball better and harder than when she stopped," Mauresmo said. "She has all the confidence. She has nothing to lose."
Federer erased the only break point he faced and countered Henman's serve-and-volley tactics by winning 18 of 21 points at the net. Federer extended his winning streak to 20 matches and improved to 46-1 since the start of last year's US Open.
He's trying to win his fourth tournament in a row.
"As the No. 1 in the world, you just don't want to give away victories to the other guys," he said. "Then they can say, `I beat the No. 1 player in the world.' At least you want to make it tough for them. This is the motivation I have."
Agassi, at 34 the oldest player in the tournament, is two wins from his 60th title and first since October. He has lost six sets in a row to Federer.
"I'll have to really step it up Friday, that's for sure," Agassi said. "Seeing his form over the last year and a half, I'd say I'd have to be doing a lot of things well, no question about it."
With Dent hampered by a sore ankle in the second set, Agassi pulled away and finished with 24 winners to just seven unforced errors.
"If anybody can beat Roger," Dent said, "Andre can."
Venus Williams will join her sister Serena and top-ranked Lindsay Davenport on the US Fed Cup team for the quarterfinal against Belgium at Delray Beach, Florida on April 23-24.
That trio -- all ranked in the top 10 -- hasn't played Fed Cup together since 1999, when the US won the team event.
Completing the squad is Corina Morariu, who forms the world's No. 2 doubles team with Davenport. They were the runners-up at the Australian Open this year.
Ninth-ranked Venus Williams is 10-1 in Fed Cup play. She last played for the Americans in April 2004.
No. 4 Serena is 6-0 for her career without dropping a set, and No. 1 Davenport is 28-2. They were placed on the roster in February.
Serena has won seven Grand Slam singles titles, Venus four, and Davenport three.
"This is the strongest Fed Cup team we've fielded in years," US captain Zina Garrison said.
With its top two players, Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters, working their way back into form after long layoffs, Belgium will use Els Callens, Kirsten Flipkens, and Evelyne Van Hyfte.
The US has won all three previous Fed Cup matches against Belgium.
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