Agassi perseveres, prevails

Almost finished early, Andre Agassi rallied to outlast Andrei Pavel.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Andre Agassi's eyes were red and filled with tears as he stood at the baseline, one point from winning his first match at his last U.S. Open. A record crowd was standing, trying to will him to victory.
An hour or so earlier, Agassi's eyes were looking at the end of his career. Now, though, he'll get to go out on court once again.
Agassi forced his 36-year-old body around Arthur Ashe Stadium for 3 1/2 hours Monday night and into Tuesday morning, until he beat Andrei Pavel of Romania 6-7 (4), 7-6 (8), 7-6 (6), 6-2 to reach the second round.
"To be out there for that long," Agassi said, "gives me hope for what I can push myself through."
Agassi's victory highlighted the first day at the Open, which began after a 90-minute rain delay.
There were moments, though, when it looked as if Agassi would be bidding adieu for good. After he lost the first set, for example. And especially when he fell behind 4-0 in the third set, causing his wife, former star Steffi Graf, to pace a bit.
"I thought," Pavel said, " 'I have him.' "
Yet that's when Agassi found the energy and shots to reverse things.
Five-game run
Coincidence or not, he went on a five-game run shortly after motioning to his coach, Darren Cahill, to bring him more tightly strung rackets. It also was around that time that Pavel -- a 32-year-old ranked 77th who hadn't played a hard-court match since March -- was visited by a trainer because of stomach cramps and diarrhea.
"It was pretty bleak there in the middle of that third set," Agassi said. "That was a big turnaround set."
He pulled it out despite needing cortisone shots for a bad back. Despite not having much match preparation, entering the day only 8-7 in 2006. And despite facing a player who was able to match him stroke-for-stroke over long stretches.
Next for Agassi is a match Thursday against eighth-seeded Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus, a 21-year-old player who reached the Australian Open final and Wimbledon semifinals this year. He should be a sterner test than Pavel.
"Such a talent," Agassi said. "One of those guys you'd pay to go watch."
Winning history
He should know. Agassi won the Open in 1994 and 1999, part of his collection of eight Grand Slam titles, and was the runner-up four times, including last year. When Agassi won that first U.S. Open championship, his blond hair was long and tucked under a ballcap, his shirt was a loud purple, and he wore a pinkie ring and dangling earring.
Hard to believe that same person was under the lights Monday. Look at Agassi now: shaved head, country-club-ready white outfit, and the beaded necklace that reads, "Daddy Rocks," made by his son. Both of Agassi's children were in the stands; in the fourth set, Graf was using a video camera, just like any parent on an outing with the kids. Agassi's father was there, too, as was his brother, Phil.
"To not compete this year, not try to get myself right, not try to get myself through it, I would feel like I was quitting more than retiring," he said. "As much pain as it's been, it's been worth it for me just to put myself in a position where I can have clarity in my own peace of heart, peace of mind in the decision I'm making, because I believe it affects more than just me."
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