la05agassi_muller

Points won by each set: [ 35-26, 43-39 ]
Points won directly on serve:
36 % Agassi – 24 of 66
32 % Muller – 25 of 77

One year after sensational loss to Muller, Agassi took a revenge defeating the left-hander after the same scoreline in which he’d lost to # Muller [75] their first encounter. The man of Luxembourg, who had survived match points in two rounds (first & semifinal) en route to his second ATP final, began it being nervous, but once he saved a double break point at 0:2, he calmed down & actually wasn’t a worse player to the end, hitting even twofold more forehand winners than his opponent! In the 2nd set he had his break points at 1:0 & 5:4 – the set point opportunity he created after two forehand winners, and wanted to play another one off Agassi’s second serve, but netted the ball from quite comfortable position. In the following game he led 40/0, missed another forehand when Agassi [6] didn’t even want to run, and lost five straight points. Agassi converted the championship point with a forehand winner, it was the last such a point in his very long career. “It feels amazing. These moments don’t happen very often any more and I’m taking it in,” Agassi said after claiming a title for the first time in almost a year. “It’s great to let my game fly and to be eager to scamper after shots you’re not even sure you’re going to get.”

Agassi’s route to his 60th & last title:
1 Jean-Rene Lisnard 6-1, 6-0
2 Kevin Kim 6-2, 7-5
Q Paradorn Srichaphan 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
S Juan Ignacio Chela 6-4, 6-2
W Gilles Muller 6-4, 7-5

In the quarterfinal, Agassi blew a 3:1* lead in the 2nd set… in the decider he built the same advantage holding it to the end

# Comparison of their two matches:
Washington ’04 (SF): Muller d. Agassi 6-4, 7-5… 1 hour 26 minutes… Total points: 76-66 (aces: 11-5)
Los Angeles ’05 (F): Agassi d. Muller 6-4, 7-5… 1 hour 28 minutes… Total points: 78-65 (aces: 6-10)

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