Top-seeded Andre Agassi out-slugged Juan Ignacio Chela 7-5 6-7 6-1 to advance to the semifinals at the $400,000 Scottsdale Classic on Friday. "It was a high quality match all the way around," said Agassi after his first meeting with the hard-hitting 22-year-old Argentine.
"There were a lot of rallies and we were both looking to control the points. But in the third set, he seemed to run out of steam a little bit and I took advantage of it," Agassi added.
Though Chela was mentally-drained and physically fatigued after falling short in his third straight quarter-final in as many weeks, he was still satisfied with the effort he showed against the former world number one. "I am very happy and that is important to me," he said. "It gives me confidence because I won a set against Andre and he is one of the best players in the world."
Agassi and Chela put on a brilliant display of shot-making in their two-hour, 26-minute dogfight, but the three-time desert champion wore down Chela with his unrelenting ground game. The American mixed his normal style of play with several deft drop shots to set up a semi-final meeting against Xavier Malisse.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
