Former champions Andy Roddick of the United States, Russian Marat Safin and Lleyton Hewitt of Australia have advanced at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York. But the tournament run is over for American Andre Agassi, marking the end of his illustrious 21-year career.
The eight time Grand Slam winner and two time U.S. Open champion lost Sunday to unheralded Benjamin Becker of Germany, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5. Agassi was battling an aching back and could no longer move freely on the court.
Safin, who won six years ago, upset fourth-seeded David Nalbandian of Argentina in a second round match, 6-3, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 7-6. Andy Roddick, whose only major title came in New York in 2003, reached the fourth round with a 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 6-2 victory over Spaniard Fernando Verdasco. Hewitt, the 2001 U.S. Open champion, reached the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Novak Djokovic of Serbia.
Second-seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal ousted South African Wesley Moodie (6-4, 7-6, 7-6). Russian Mikhail Youzhny upset number 11 David Ferrer of Spain (4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4). Men's seeds advancing included number six Tommy Robredo of Spain, 15th-seeded Lleyton Hewitt of Australia and number 26 Olivier Rochus of Belgium.
Former women's champion Lindsay Davenport of the United States survived against Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6. The 10th seed Davenport will next play seventh-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland who also rallied to beat French opponent Marion Bartoli, 0-6, 6-3, 6-3.
In other women's results, 12th-seeded Dinara Safina and number 23 Anna Chakvetadze of Russia, both advanced. But 27th-seeded Frenchwoman Tatiana Golovin was a surprise winner over fifth-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova. Unseeded American and two-time former U.S. Open champion Serena Williams reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open with a (6-2, 6-4) victory over Ana Ivanovic of Serbia.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.