NEW YORK, 9 September 2005 — Andre Agassi, 35 years young, took a pounding for two sets from James Blake, pounced on him for two more, then survived a tiebreaker in a wondrous five-set drama reminiscent of Jimmy Connors’ legendary run to the US Open semifinals at 39.

Rendered helpless at the start by Blake’s dazzling speed and precision, Agassi asserted himself against his fellow American in the third set, turned the match around and looked fresher at the end of a 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (6) triumph that put him in the semis - two wins from capturing the title he won in 1994 and ‘99.

“It couldn’t have been more fun to lose,” Blake told Agassi as they embraced at the net and were given a long standing ovation in a still-packed Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“At 1:15 in the morning for 20,000 people to still be here, I wasn’t the winner, tennis was,” Agassi told the crowd. “I don’t know if I’ve ever felt this good here before.”

Awaiting Agassi on Saturday will be American Davis Cup teammate Robby Ginepri, an unsung, unseeded 22-year-old who reached his first major semifinal. “Saturday is going to be a blast,” Agassi said. “The whole weekend is going to be a blast.”

Ginepri gutted his way out of trouble and got the gift of Guillermo Coria’s 13th and 14th double-faults on the last two points to win his third straight five-setter against a seeded player, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, and guarantee that an American will play in the final.

“It’s all a big blur right now,” Agassi said of his 2-hour, 51-minute duel with Blake, which ended with Agassi’s final forehand winner smacking the sideline. “It’s always great when the end of a match is decided by quality shots and somebody winning it instead of somebody losing it.

At 25, 10 years younger than Agassi, Blake was faster, sharper and stronger - for two sets. The difference between them wasn’t age. It was Blake playing in a magical zone, clicking in every aspect of his game while Agassi played merely good, decent tennis.

That changed in the third set, when Agassi raised his game and Blake fell back to earth. In the fifth set, Blake recovered enough to break Agassi for a 3-2 lead, then had a chance to serve out the match at 5-4. But Agassi crushed a couple of returns and broke back. They played on to the tiebreak, where Agassi won on his second match point.

Blake said he felt as good as possible after a loss. “I fought my heart out, did everything I could,” he said. “He played a little too good. He really started going for broke on some of those, and champions make those. I’m happy for the game of tennis. This match was hyped four or five days ago and I feel like at least it lived up to it.”

Almost as crazy was top-ranked Lindsay Davenport, the 1998 champion, getting thumped in the first set by last year’s finalist, sixth-seeded Elena Dementieva, and losing a match of epic sloppiness, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (6).

Dementieva will play Friday against No. 12 Mary Pierce, the 2000 French Open and 1995 Australian winner who advanced to her first US Open semifinals by beating fellow Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo 6-4, 6-1.

Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova completed a career mixed doubles Grand Slam here yesterday, teaming with Indian doubles expert Mahesh Bhupathi to win the US Open title.

The pair, who saved a match point against China’s Sun Tiantian and her Swedish partner Simon Aspelin in the first round, defeated Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik and Serbian Nenad Zimonjic 6-4, 6-2 to lift the trophy.

“I feel fantastic,” said Hantuchova, ranked 19th in the world in singles. “It’s something really special.” The 22-year-old won her first Grand Slam mixed doubles title at Wimbledon in 2001 with Leos Friedl.

She teammed with Zimbabwe’s Wayne Ullyet to claim the Australian Open mixed crown the following year, and won with France’s Fabrice Santoro at Roland Garros in July, defeating the formidable duo of Martina Navratilova and Leander Paes in the final.