Agassi Vs. Federer 2002 Miami: A Harbinger of Things to Come

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at Internationaled.org

Published: January 6, 2010

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In late March 2002, the world of men's tennis was in a state of flux. Older champions, vestiges of 1990's still trotted around the circut and mingled with the teenie boppers. Questions had been raised, who was the world's best tennis player? Was the number one ranked player the same person as the world's best player?

The 2002 Aussie Open did little to calm the storm. Andre Agassi, a 30 plus living legend prepared diligently for the year's opening Major. A two time defending champion, and three times winner overall, Agassi was arguably at the top of his game. Judging by the fact that over the past fews Australian Open's he'd vanquished just about every top contender set before him. Sampras, Rafter, Kafelnikov, Martin, Philippoussis all fell victim. 

On the rebound ace, he was indeed the gold standard. But as fate ordained, the decided front runner was derailed even before he could crush a single service return. A freak wrist injury sustained in an exhibition sealed his fate. Agassi was forced to withdraw. Having battled wrist injuries before, Agassi knew the arduous road ahead and quietly wondered about the fate of his career. He was already an old man by tennis standards.

The meteoric rise of Lleyton Hewitt landed him in the top for 2001. His shocking dismantling of the King of Swing, Pete Sampras in the U.S. Open final sparked an interesting debate. Were the youngsters, names like Hewitt, Safin, Fererro, Roddick, and even some kid named Federer ready to take up the banner for the sport? Even more questions surrounded the two pillars of the sport, Sampras and Agassi.

By now Sampras was certainly on the down side of his career. Little did we know then that 2002 would be his final season on tour. Following the straight set thrashing he suffered in Flushing Meadows, Sampras was undone once again. This time in the fourth round of the Australian Open by his 2000 U.S. Open conqueror, the mercuri...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

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