Agassi Bows Out To Nadal

A legend took his final bows. In an emotional final match at Wimbledon before a capacity Centre Court, Andre Agassi said goodbye after falling in straight sets Saturday to Rafael Nadal 7-6 (5), 6-2, 6-4.

Though the eight-time slam winner whose run of greatness began in London 14 years ago was on the losing side, the emotional 36 year-old American was given a deserving sendoff by the spectators.

The 1992 winner performed admirably but ran into a buzzsaw against the 20 year-old Nadal. It was almost symbolic like a passing of the torch. One great champion at the end of the road who redefined his career by working extra hard and grinding it out against a champion 16 years younger who is bigger, stronger, quicker and relentless.

In a well played first set which lasted over an hour, neither combatant gave an inch. Slugging it out from the baseline, each took turns hitting winners and holding serve to force a pivotal tiebreak. In a set which he saved all four break points, Agassi was in position to cease early control. A minibreak up at 5-2, it vanished quickly when his resilient opponent fought back to take the last five points in stunning fashion.

After Nadal held serve twice for 4-5, he caught a break when Agassi misfired a forehand wide down the line to level the score. That's when the biggest point of the match took place. With Agassi in a winning position at the net, the No. 2 seed came up with a magnificent crosscourt forehand pass on the dead run to go a minibreak up 6-5. The opportunistic Spaniard made no mistake serving one of his 18 aces to claim the set.

Possibly demoralized, Agassi never fully recovered. Dropping his serve right away in the opening game of the second set, he struggled to keep pace with an aggressive Nadal who punished the Las Vegas native by running down every shot and slugging kniving groundstrokes from both forehand and backhand which helped generate 44 winners.

Facing no pressure on his serve from one of the game's greatest returners, Nadal continued to apply the heat on Agassi, getting a second break to coast to a two set lead.

Despite the situation looking bleak, the charasmatic Agassi didn't go down without a fight. But with each player deadlocked three all in the third set, Nadal finally recorded his third break in the seventh game to pull in front.

After each player exchanged service holds, all that was left was for the two-time French Open winner to serve out the match. Though Agassi valiantly fought off one match point to loud cheers, there was nothing he could do about Nadal's final ace out wide. The energetic Spaniard raised his arms before jogging to the net to congratulate Agassi on his 14th and final Wimbledon.

In an emotional scene, BBC reporter Sue Barker interviewed both players on the historic conclusion to the American's final match on Centre Court.

Before each spoke, the crowd gave Agassi a standing ovation. In anticipation of his traditional four bows, an emotional Agassi gave his legions of supporters what they wanted to even more applause which included his classy opponent taking part.

"One of the best players in history, he is unbelievable," expressed an appreciative Nadal to more cheers.

"There's no question it's been a lot of incredible years here," the tearful former champion told Barker at courtside. "I'll never be able to repay everyone here for how you've embraced me over the years and I thank you for that."

"If you dream about being a professional tennis player, then you dream about being right here. Wimbledon is it for us. I've had the privilege of being here many times and I won't forget this one. You guys are awesome tennis fans and you've shown me so much love. Coming back this year I didn't know what to expect for myself but one thing I could count on was all that you've given me. I thank you for that."

"I can't put a value on what's in my Wimbledon memory bank. I wouldn't sell it for anything."

Round of 16 Set: With his win, Nadal moved into the Round of 16 where he'll face qualifier Irakli Labadze. Up a set on American Mardy Fish, the Georgian advanced when Fish retired trailing 2-6.

Also into Round 4 was seventh seeded Mario Ancic, who completed a four set victory over Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3. He'll next play Serbian Novak Djokovic who advanced in four sets the previous day.

2002 winner Lleyton Hewitt (6) posted a 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 win over Belgian Olivier Rochus (26) to setup a fourth round match against David Ferrer. The 23rd seeded Spaniard ousted 10th seeded Chilean Fernando Gonzalez 4-6, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.

Also advancing to a Round of 16 matchup were Jarkko Nieminen and Dmitry Tursunov. The Finnish Nieminen (22) eliminated German Philipp Kohlschreiber 1-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (4). The 27th seeded Russian Tursunov cameback to upset fifth seeded Ivan Ljubicic 5-7, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (6), 6-2.

The other two winners who are set to face each other were Marcos Baghdatis and Andy Murray. The Australian Open runner up Baghdatis (18) knocked off Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean (15) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-1.

Meanwhile, the unseeded Scottish Murray shocked two-time runner up Andy Roddick- pulling off a straight sets 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-4 victory to cheer up a disappointed Centre Court audience which found out that England lost to Portugal in penalty kicks at the World Cup.

"I wasn’t expecting to beat him in straight sets," a victorious Murray told reporters. "But I always felt I had a chance."

"He is a great sport during the match and always very complimentary at the end of the match."

Playing a quality brand of tennis which produced 49 winners including some thunderous shots off an explosive backhand, the 19 year-old Murray came up huge on the big points against the 3rd seeded Roddick.

In an ultracompetitive opening set, the fiery Scot saved a few break points including a couple of set points while trailing 4-5. The first of which his opponent looked to have the set won. During an extended rally with both players at the net, Roddick hit a forehand which looked to be out of Murray's reach. But somehow, he retrieved it with a slice backhand drop shot to keep it alive. Two shots later with an open court, Roddick's lunging forehand volley floated wide. The reprieve would ultimately prove costly.

After Murray fought off another set point with a gutsy forehand winner on the line, the set went to a tiebreak. In it, the unseeded player took control to go up a set.

"I volleyed terribly which is disappointing because I've been doing it really well," a disappointed Roddick said at a postmatch conference. "It's just really frustrating. That probably lost me the first set alone and then that's a different ball game."

"I can't say I didn't make him play the break points, credit to him he stepped up and pretty much went for broke on some forehands in the first set when he really hadn't made one to that point."

Roddick certainly had his chances to get back into the match. Due in large part to his opponent, he couldn't take advantage of several break opportunities to surge ahead in the second set. Instead, Murray who continued to come up with big shots, saving the first 11 break chances he faced in the match.

That would doom Roddick in the 10th game. Serving at 4-5 to stay in the set, he was broken for the first time in the match to fall behind two sets. Before Murray could secure the two set lead, Roddick bravely fought off two set points when the Scot misfired two backhands long. But the third time would be the charm. Going to the well one too many times at the net, Roddick watched hopelessly as Murray ripped a backhand pass down the line to claim the set.

Despite trailing by two sets, the 2003 U.S. Open winner didn't go down without a fight. Even at two all in the third, he finally converted on his 12th break chance with a forehand pass to go ahead 3-2. But the momentum was shortlived when the big server was broken back immediately by his fiesty opponent. It was the beginning of the end for Roddick.

With Murray continuing to apply pressure with lethal backhand winners from every conceivable angle, it was just a matter of time before he put Roddick away. After holding for 5-4, he setup match point but was denied thanks to a clutch Roddick forehand winner on the line. However, when a wide Roddick forehand gave Murray a second match point, he took advantage when the American pushed a forehand long to seal victory. After an emphatic pump of the fist, he was congratulated by his opponent.

"His movement is good and he is good at hitting on the move. Picking a ball up an inch off the ground, he can still find something to do with it without going for broke," Roddick praised.

"There are guys who are faster but there are also guys who are faster and freak out once they are on the run and try to do something kamikaze. I am not sure who to compare him to but he's a very deceiving mover. He hits really well on the run."

For the 44th ranked Murray who improved to 2-0 against Roddick, it was his biggest career win to date. He also was a straight set winner at San Jose earlier this year.

"It’s got to be," he pointed out. "A two-time Wimbledon finalist, a former world number one and a Grand Slam champion. This was a better match than the one I played in San Jose."