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Thursday, 5 July, 2001, 19:13 GMT 20:13 UK

Rafter v Agassi: The Decider

By BBC Sport Online's Saj Chowdhury at Wimbledon

Friday's semi-final showdown between Pat Rafter and Andre Agassi, should be retitled, The Decider.

Their Centre Court clash will be the pair's third meeting at this stage in as many years.

Agassi won their first encounter back in 1999, while Rafter evened the scores in 2000.

So here we go again, the flamboyant and often exquisite strokes of Agassi against the natural grasscourt player Rafter.

BBC Sport Online looks back at their last two titanic struggles at Wimbledon.

Friday 2 July 1999
A Agassi bt P Rafter 7-5 7-6 (7-5) 6-2
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Agassi drew first blood in their 1999 meeting

Agassi, the 1992 Wimbledon champion, knew he was two steps away from becoming the first person to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back, since Bjorn Borg in 1980.

Agassi was also the world number one.

Rafter, 1997 and 1998 US Open champion, was on a roll. He was the new Wimbledon heart-throb, a mantle once cherished by his American opponent.

The scene was set. The crowd were anxious to see which of the two "glamour boys" would come out on top.

Unfortunately for the Australian, Agassi was in imperious form and provided a superb display of baseline tennis to thwart Rafter's serve-and- volley game.

Agassi was never broken and never looked likely to lose his service game, although he saved two set points against his serve with the scores at 4-5 in the first set.

Rafter showed a lot of the guile and courage he was renowned for by taking the second set to a tie-break.

The ninth game in that set lasted more than 11 minutes - going to deuce eight times as the Australian saved seven break points.

Rafter won the game, but lost the tie-break with Agassi breezing through the third to take the match against a disconsolate Rafter.

Agassi went on to lose the final to compatriot Pete Sampras.

Friday 7 July 2000
P Rafter bt A Agassi 7-5 4-6 7-5 4-6 6-3
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The score was 1-0 to Agassi after the previous year's encounter.

Rafter tied things up in the classic 2000 clash

Rafter had a score to settle. The Australian had learned from his naivety shown in the 1999 clash and was much fancied to pick up the 2000 title, having dropped just one set coming into the Agassi match.

Rafter had the added pressure of trying to become the first Australian to reach a Wimbledon final in 13 years - too long a gap for a country so steeped in rich Wimbledon tradition.

The Australian's serve-and-volley game had matured and was more than a match for the American's long game, in a contest since described by John McEnroe as the "greatest game at Wimbledon in 25 years".

Rafter took the first set, breaking Agassi after the American double-faulted.

But the resilient Agassi broke back in the second to lead 5-4 - eventually going on to serve out for the set.

Minor errors in Agassi's game began to creep in - after succumbing to Rafter in the third set, Agassi levelled the score again in the fourth.

Agassi's firm baseline strokes were being softened by Rafter's sliced shots, frustrating the American.

Agassi's serve began to let him down at crucial points in the deciding set.

His final double-fault of eight came in the sixth game of the fifth set, with Rafter converting the decisive break on the next point to go up 4-2 and set up a momentous victory.

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See also:

05 Jul 01 | Wimbledon 2001
Ivanisevic fires Henman warning

04 Jul 01 | Wimbledon 2001
Henman marches on

05 Jul 01 | Wimbledon 2001
All to play for

Other top SOL at Wimbledon stories:

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Links to top SOL at Wimbledon stories are at the foot of the page.

Links to other SOL at Wimbledon stories


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