Nadal next challenge for Agassi in Wimbledon farewell

By Bill Scott Jun 29, 2006, 17:22 GMT

Andre Agassi of USA returns to Andreas Seppi of Italy during their second round match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Thursday 29 June 2006. EPA/GERRY PENNY

London - Crowd favourite Andre Agassi lined up a sentimental match-up of generations Thursday as he won into a third-round contest with Rafael Nadal at the Wimbledon Championships.

Agassi, the 1992 champion who is playing the event for his 14th and final time, got the snap back into his game with a defeat of Italian Andreas Seppi 6-4, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4.

Young gun Nadal, crowned the king of clay for his total dominance of the surface over the past two seasons, came from two sets to love down for only the second time in his career 6-7 (4-7), 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-5, 6-4 over qualifier Robert Kendrick.

The second seed also achieved a successful fightback last October at home when he beat Ivan Ljubicic for the Madrid Masters title.

'I played well all the match, with very good attitude,' said the two-time French Open champion. 'From two sets down I tried to put him under pressure, I played with my best attitude.

'It's a very important win, I'm very happy.'

Agassi, who has seen it all on court at age 36, will be keen to prove himself against the 20-year-old world number 2, whose grasp of the grass game is still in its infancy - but improving fast.

'He's very confident, great competitor,' said the veteran with 46 Wimbledon victories. 'Needless to say, very talented and fit. It's gonna be a hard match.'

The May-December pair have played only once, with Nadal bulling to the title last summer on hard court in Montreal over the American.

'It will be an exciting match,' said Nadal. 'I'll enjoy it and prepare well. This match could be positive for me.

'I'll have to play my best tennis to win.'

For his part, after scraping through the first round over a Serb, Agassi was pleased with his progress. 'That was a considerable improvement,' said the holder of all four Grand Slam titles.

'I felt much better today. I was in a better rhythm and the game was a lot slower. It's always a good sign when you're seeing things unfold and playing at a tempo that you feel like you're dictating.'

In nearly two and a half hours, Agassi overcame a patchy 43 unforced errors, breaking the 68th-ranked Seppi three times and losing serve once.

Playing well after the back problems which are forcing his hand over retirement was a tonic for icon Agassi.

'It's been too long since I've just felt good and was in a place where I could at least enjoy what's going on out there, the competition and the focus,' he explained

'That's been my goal, just to find my game so I can at least bring it. Today, I was a lot closer to that.'

Fellow American Mardy Fish joined Agassi in advancing as the victim of two wrist surgeries confirmed his game is back with a 6-2, 6-0, 6-1 defeat of Dutchman Melle Van Gemerden.

In the women's draw, holder Venus Williams flirted with an early upset loss before winning five games in a row in the second set as Lisa Raymod served for the second-round upset.

That scenario never came to pass, with three-time champion Williams squeezing out a 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 6-2 victory.

The only seed to lose early was Swiss number 8 Patty Schnyder, dropped by Severine Bremond of France 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Number 4 Maria Sharapova rolled over American Ashley Harkleroad 6-2, 6-2 while Russian seventh seed Elena Dementieva rallied past Meghann Shaughnessy 5-7, 6-3, 7-5.

Ninth seed Anastasia Myskina made it a Russian hat-trick with her demolition of German Martina Muller 6-2, 6-1.