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Nadal battles Agassi in Montreal final
MONTREAL: They represent the past and future of men's tennis. Eight-time Grand Slam winner Andre Agassi beat Greg Rusedski 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday to reach the final of the Montreal ATP Masters Series where he will face teenager Rafael Nadal.
Nadal, the reigning French Open champion, moved another step closer to his first career hardcourt title by defeating Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 7-5 in Saturday's other semi-final. Nadal, who won his 15th straight match, was serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set but was broken at love. But the lefthander broke back in the next game and saved a break point in the final game to improve his ATP-best record to 64-8 this year, including 15-4 on hard courts. "I was a little bit nervous at the end, but I think is normal," Nadal said. "The important thing is that I got the win against a player that has been playing very good. I'm very happy to be in my fourth Masters Series final." Nadal, who fell to his knees after the victory, has won eight titles this year, tying world No 1 Roger Federer for the ATP Tour lead, but all those have come on clay. The Spaniard claimed Masters Series titles in Monte Carlo and Rome but lost in a thrilling five-set final to Federer on the hardcourt event in Miami. Mathieu was aiming for his first ATP final since Palermo in 2003. Saturday afternoon, Agassi, a three-time champion here, and Rusedski each posted a 6-3, 6-4 quarter-final victory to reach the penultimate round. Steady rain shortened Friday night's session, pushing the two quarter-finals at the US Open warmup event to early Saturday afternoon. Agassi bolted to a 6-3 lead over sixth-seeded Argentine Gaston Gaudio before the skies opened on Friday night. The match was suspended after a delay of 35 minutes. On Saturday, Agassi got the decisive break in the ninth game of the second set and closed out the match with an ace in the next game. The 35-year-old Agassi is coming off his 60th career victory in the Mercedes-Benz Cup two weeks ago. It was his first event since returning from a painful back injury. Earlier Saturday, Rusedski beat Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia in a match that did not get underway last Friday. Hantuchova vs Clijsters In Carson, California, Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia ousted third-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva in straight sets on Saturday to reach the final of this US$585,000 WTA hardcourt tournament. Hantuchova had advanced to the semi-finals on a walkover when top-seeded Russian Maria Sharapova withdrew with a chest muscle injury. She took full advantage of her opportunity, downing Dementieva 6-3, 6-4 to improve her record against the Russian to 3-6. "This was one of the best I've played against her," Hantuchova said. "I just tried to step it up a little bit today. I went for my shots, was aggressive and at the same time a little smarter. I'm just really, really happy to be through this one." In search of her second WTA title but first since Indian Wells in 2002, Hantuchova will face fifth-seeded Belgian Kim Clijsters, a 6-2, 6-4 semi-final winner over Italian Francesca Schiavone, in the finals. "It feels great, it's very exciting to be in the finals again," Hantuchova said. "I feel like I've had a great summer so far. I hope to keep the momentum going. Everything feels good at the moment. I hope to keep enjoying it." But to hoist the championship trophy, Hantuchova must register her first career win over Clijsters, the 2003 titleholder here who has won all six matches against the Slovakian, dropping just one set. One of those victories came in the semi-finals here two years ago, when Clijsters went on to win the title. "We've had some great matches," Hantuchova said. "I just have to do what I did today - be aggressive, go for my shots - and enjoy myself. I have to stay tough mentally, try to do my best, and see what happens." Hantuchova pounded Dementieva from the baseline. Her own serve was solid, and she posted one break in each set to claim the victory in 1hr 28min. Clijsters, winner here in 2003, has won all six of her matches against the Slovakian, dropping just one set. Clijsters headed into the final boasting a 44-6 record in 2005, for the most wins on the WTA Tour this year.
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