Andre Agassi vs James Blake

 Can you say legend? 

At 6-6 in the fifth set, before the tiebreaker that would decide which player would move on to the semifinal's, James Blake just stood back with a smile on his face and took it all in.  It was 1:15am eastern time and 20,000 fans were still in the crowd.  The tiebreak went the distance with Andre Agassi pulling it out 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6(8-6).  Agassi now faces another American, Robby Ginepri who dispatched Guillermo Coria in five sets of his own, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5. 

Agassi looked set to get thrown off the court in just over an hour.  He lost the first two sets in an about seventy-five minutes and looked all of the 35-year-old he is.  But in the blink of an eye, he turned it around.  He started seeing the ball more clearly, got a bounce in his step and with his never say die attitude, just willed himself to victory.  In just as much time as Blake had won the first two sets, Agassi won the next two.  In the fifth set, Blake went up a break and looked set to serve it out at 5-4. 

Again Agassi returned amazingly.  As the match commentators put it 'If Agassi is going to go down, he is going to go down swinging.'  Well, he didn't go down.  His groundstrokes were crisper than ever when he needed them most.  At 6-5 in the tiebreak, Agassi had a serve for the match.  The players went back and forth Blake nailed a phenominal forehand winner down the line to bring the score to 6-6.  Agassi went up 7-6 on a beautiful backhand passing shot then blasted a forehand winner of his own to win the match and bring a massive smile to his face. 

 I will never forget Blake's smile in the fifth set before the tiebreak.

It's hard to root against Blake with all that has happened to him in the past 18 months.  It's all been discussed; his father passing away, breaking his neck, not able to practice for five minutes just 12 months ago, etc.  After the match, Blake went up to Agassi, shook his hand, gave him a hug and said 'I've never had so much fun losing.' 

Nothing better than a tiebreak in the fifth set to decide which American would move on to face another American (Ginepri) in the semifinal's.  Tennis the way it ought to be played.