NEW YORK. 7 September 2003 — Juan Carlos Ferrero defeated top seed Andre Agassi 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 Saturday in a US Open semifinal, a triumph that ensured the Spaniard will replace Agassi as world No. 1 after the Grand Slam event. French Open champion Ferrero is assured of taking over the top spot in the ATP rankings regardless of what else happens here after eliminating Agassi, the reigning Australian Open champion and an eight-time Grand Slam winner.
Meanwhile, Justine Henin-Hardenne is expected to have recovered in time to play in the evening’s US Open women’s final, the WTA said. The second seed is due to face top-seeded fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters. Henin-Hardenne was put on a drip on Friday night after suffering dehydration following her semi-final victory. She was treated by medical staff after cramping during her late-night win over American Jennifer Capriati.
“I worked a lot for this No. 1,” Ferrero said. “I’m really happy to be No. 1. It’s my first time and I’m going to work really hard to stay No. 1.”
Ferrero, never past the fourth round here in four prior attempts, called the victory his greatest ever on a hardcourt surface. Third seed Ferrero, 23, advanced to today’s championship match against the winner of a semifinal between fourth seed Andy Roddick and 13th-seeded David Nalbandian.
Ferrero has never played Roddick and lost his only match against Nalbandian last year on clay at Estoril. The final will be Ferrero’s fourth match in as many days, an unprecedented Grand Slam tennis marathon caused by four days of rain that prompted officials to cram together the last rounds with no rest days to keep a final on Sunday
Agassi watched contemporaries Pete Sampras and Michael Chang retire during the fortnight but has no plans to follow them into the sunset. “Something would have to change drastically for me not to be back,” Agassi said. “Hard as it is for me to admit it, I’m probably going to suck it up and do it again
Clijsters, Henin Produce
All-Belgian Finale
Justine Henin-Hardenne fought her way into an all-Belgian US Open women’s final against Kim Clijsters — provided she can find the strength to play after a grueling Grand Slam semifinal triumph. The French Open champion rallied from the brink of defeat to oust US sixth seed Jennifer Capriati 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7 4) on Friday, booking a title match spot against world No. 1 Clijsters.
Her epic match lasted three hours and three minutes, exactly two hours more than Clijsters needed to dispatch US third seed Lindsay Davenport 6-2, 6-3. Henin-Hardenne suffered left leg cramps late in the third set but shrugged off the pain and taunts from a Capriati-backing crowd to win.
The second seed reflected after the match that she should have called for aid from a trainer. “I did a big mistake because I needed the trainer,” Henin-Hardenne said. “I think it’s the last time I make this kind of mistake. I made a big mistake for sure.”
Henin-Hardenne received intravenous fluids to treat her dehydration and was to be examined before facing Clijsters. “I’m so tired,” Henin-Hardenne said. “I gave everything I had. I was cramping on my serve. I just did my best. It was very close. I don’t think much about the final right now. I think I’ll have a good rest.” Clijsters is the only world No. 1 without a Grand Slam title, a status she hopes to end in her third Grand Slam final. Clijsters lost to Capriati in the 2001 French Open final and to Henin-Hardenne in June’s French Open final. “There has been a lot of talk about that but those things don’t really bother me,” Clijsters said. “The No. 1 spot is something no one can take from me. A lot of people forget I’m only 20 years old. I hope I’ll get to play a few more years and create some more chances to get through.” After losing before Belgian royalty at the Roland Garros final, Clijsters expects the all-Belgian Slam final to be even batter the second time around. Capriati, heartbroken after choking while serving for the match in the second and third sets, had time to offer best wishes for her conqueror. “I hope Justine feels better,” Capriati said. “There’s not much rest time and Kim had a pretty easy time. It comes down to how Justine can come back
On Friday, Agassi and Ferrero advanced to the semifinal showdown while Andy Roddick won his 17th match in a row to set a date with David Nalbandian. Eight-time Grand Slam champion Agassi beat Argentine fifth-seeded Guillermo Coria 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 and Spanish third seed Ferrero won eight of the last nine games to oust Australian sixth seed Lleyton Hewitt 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7 5), 6-1. US fourth seed Roddick fired 15 aces to down Dutch 12th seed Sjeng Schalken 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 while Argentina’s 13th seed Nalbandian outdueled 21st-ranked Moroccan Younes El Aynaoui 7-6 (7 2), 6-2, 3-6, 7-5.
Roddick reached his third Slam semifinal of the year but first at the US Open, where he lost quarterfinals to eventual champions the past two years. A first Grand Slam title is within his reach, but he has work yet to grasp it. “Of course you think about it. You can’t really not think about it,” Roddick said. “But at the same time, it’s so close but you’re so far.” Roddick’s win streak is the ATP’s longest of the year and includes titles at Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Montreal. Since pairing with former Agassi coach Brad Gilbert in early June, Roddick has lost only twice. “Going in, I felt like I should make a good run. I wasn’t hoping I would make a good run,” Roddick said.
