Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Agassi prevails in long match

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Las Vegan Agassi, struggling to recover the form that made him an Olympic gold medalist last summer, was stretched to three sets by Magnus Norman of Sweden 4-6, 6-7 (7-4), 6-3 in the second round of the Sybase Open.

In the two-hour, 25-minute match, which didn't end until after midnight today, Agassi had trouble with his own forehand and with Norman's powerful service. Norman is ranked 93rd in the world while Agassi is 12th.

In an earlier match, Michael Chang of Henderson defeated Sargis Sargsian 6-3, 6-4.

At one point, Norman had nine service aces to Agassi's one. Agassi trailed 3-1 in the second-set tiebreaker before rallying back.

"Swedes are hitting the ball big these days, and he was getting some tomahawk hacks at it," Agassi said. "But I thought I played well. I just had to try to maintain some control over the points and change up the pace. It can be a very delicate thing to do."

Agassi also went to deuce six times before finally taking the set that put him up 5-4.

In the third set, Agassi broke Norman at 4-2, again winning at deuce.

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