Not only is Benjamin Becker not related to Boris Becker, they've never even met. Yet the B. Becker that Agassi faced on Sunday sure did serve like "Boom Boom," pounding 27 aces, the last on match point. He won 13 consecutive points on his serve during one stretch.
The fans did all they could to will Agassi to one more win, rising with arms aloft to celebrate when he'd break serve or fight off a break point. They applauded after Becker's faults, a tennis faux pas. They broke into clap-clap-clap choruses of "Let's go, Andre!" at changeovers.
"You can't be that loud," said Becker, who's more accustomed to facing hostile crowds of about 200.
Now he'll get another taste of partisan support: Becker's fourth-round opponent is 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick, who edged No. 22 Fernando Verdasco 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-2.
Agassi leaves the game as an elder statesman, not merely because he was the oldest man in the field, and not merely because of his wins, but also because of his demeanor and extensive charity work.
Through all the in-the-public-eye parts of his personal life and ups and downs of his professional life, he's been one of tennis' most dynamic and popular players.
He leaves with 60 singles titles, including a career Grand Slam, one of only five men to have won each of the sport's premier events -- something his great rival, Pete Sampras, never did, Roger Federer hasn't managed, and players such as John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors didn't accomplish, either.
Agassi's been given credit for changing the way players return serve, and for showing how to dominate from the baseline by using quicker-than-a-blink reflexes to take the ball early. He gets praise, too, for raising tens of millions of dollars for at-risk youths in his hometown of Las Vegas.
In return, tennis has given Agassi much, too: money, fame, influence, and, of course, Graf, herself a 22-time Grand Slam singles champion.
After Agassi shared a private moment with Graf and their children, he entered the locker room to another standing ovation, this one from his fellow players.
"Every person in the draw probably idolized Andre at some point," Roddick said. "He's just revolutionized the sport. ... He's irreplaceable."
After Agassi changed out of his on-court attire and dressed gingerly, he stretched his back on a locker room bench.
"I'm going to wake up tomorrow and start with not caring how I feel," Agassi said. "That's going to feel great."
With fans surrounding his car -- several yelling, "Thank you, Andre!" -- he climbed into the back, joining his brother, trainer and coach. As they pulled away, Agassi turned to wave goodbye, to his tournament, to his fans, to his career.
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