Superb Safin dethrones Agassi

FORMER world number one Marat Safin of Russia ended Andre Agassi’s five-year winning streak at the Australian Open with a pulsating semi-final upset of the reigning champion.

Safin, whose world ranking plunged to 86 last year after an injury-plagued season, advanced to Sunday’s final after overcoming a brave Agassi fightback to win 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (8/6), 5-7, 1-6, 6-3 at the Rod Laver Arena.

The 24-year-old’s thunderous serve and inspired groundstrokes proved too hot for four-time champion Agassi, 33, who had not lost a match at the Australian Open since his 1999 fourth round exit.

“I don’t have the words to describe what I’m feeling right now,” said an elated Safin.

“To be on the same court as Andre Agassi and to win in five sets after he came back from 2-0 down, it’s great.”

“I came here to try and win it and I’m almost there. I have one match left to go. Everything is going my way.”

Agassi, who edged the total points 171 to 170, rued some missed chances but acknowledged Safin had played a superb match.

“It was a tough one. Marat played at an incredibly high level and he came up with a lot of great shots when he needed to,” Agassi said.

“I had chances in the first two sets, a couple of set points slipped away in the first set and there was a point for a break in the second, that’s a big hole when you’re two sets to love down,” said Agassi.

Safin, once touted as the greatest player of his generation after a victory over Pete Sampras in the 2000 US Open final and a 2002 Australian Open finalist, hit 33 aces and 79 winners to beat Agassi in 3hr 42min.

Fourth seed Agassi was the fifth US opponent to fall victim at these championships to Safin, who had thrust himself into title contention with a five-set quarter-final victory over world number one Andy Roddick.

The victory was made all the more remarkable by the fact that Safin had come into the match weary from more than 15 hours of play, while Agassi was relatively fresh from just over seven hours on court.

Safin will now play either Switzerland’s Roger Federer or Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain in what will be his third appearance in a Grand Slam final. Federer and Ferrero face each other today.

Safin’s remarkable victory overshadowed the women’s singles semi-finals, which, as expected, saw world number one Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters set up a third all-Belgium Grand Slam final in seven months.

Henin-Hardenne, who beat Clijsters in both the French and US Open finals last season, trounced Colombia’s 32nd seed Fabiola Zuluaga 6-2, 6-2.

Second seed Clijsters, who played after passing a fitness test on her injured ankle, enjoyed a straight-sets win over 22nd seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland. Watched by fiance and Australian tennis star Lleyton Hewitt, Clijsters showed no sign of her ankle problem during a 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) win in 1hr 14min.

Afterwards Clijsters said reaching the final in Melbourne, where fans have unashamedly embraced her as Aussie Kim, meant more to her than other Grand Slam final appearances.

“I’ve come to so many Davis Cup matches here and to be on the court myself now and to have all the support of the crowd is incredible,” said the 20-year-old.

“It was a great effort to get to the final in Paris and the US Open but coming here and getting to the final definitely means a lot more to me.”