http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/in_depth/2001/wimbledon_2001/1422264.stm
Wednesday, 4 July, 2001
Agassi outguns Escude

Andre Agassi (US) beat Nicolas Escude (Fr)
6-7 6-3 6-4 6-2
Andre Agassi continued his serene progress at Wimbledon,
wearing down hard-hitting Nicolas Escude, to move into
the semi-finals.

Agassi, who dropped his first set of the tournament,
eventually closed it out in two and a half hours, to set
up a repeat of last year's semi-final against Patrick
Rafter.

But the second seed was matched most of the way by an
equally hard-hitting opponent, who at times even beat
Agassi for power.

The Frenchman started nervously, losing his first service
game but broke back impressively in the sixth to give
himself the edge in the first set of a compelling battle.

Agassi was determined to hold on to his record of not
conceding a set at this year's Championships and fought
his way back to force the tie-break.

The entertainment continued and it was the Frenchman who
stunned the enthralled number one court audience with a
convincing 7-3 tie-break win.

"He's a very dangerous player who hits the ball early and
he has an under-rated serve which he's quick to get in
behind," Agassi said of Escude.

"I started by returning well but I didn't find a rhythm
on my serve and I let him into the set and he played a
great tie-breaker," the American added of the first set.

"I improved my serve but I didn't make him play as much
in the second set although when I started to make him
play I got a few misses at the right time."

Escude received extensive treatment to a left thigh
problem that he picked up in his five set win over Lleyton
Hewitt in the fourth round.

Agassi credited his "experience" in coping with the long
delay before Escude resumed seemingly untroubled as both
players exchanged more heavy blows for much of the second
set.

Agassi eventually ground down his opponent, breaking him
in the eighth game of the set to take a 5-3 lead and
completed the comeback one game later with a stunning
forehand winner.

The third went much the same way, as the 24th seed, who
had never made it past the second round before, always
troubled Agassi with his persistent serve-and-volley game.

But again Agassi chipped away at his younger challenger
breaking him once to close it out 6-4.

Pouncing to victory

He even had the audacity to get in on the act of serve and
volleying to complete the set - incredibly, it was his only
volley winner of the whole match.

Whether it was his thigh problem, or the aggression and
effort needed to keep up with his opponent, but Escude
visibly tired in the fourth.

Agassi pounced and broke him twice to clinch the win, as
Escude's service return went wide.

But it is to the credit of Escude that the crowd began
cheering the Frenchman's winners towards the latter stages
of the match.

He lost the battle but won many new friends.

The Australian Rafter now stands in the way of Agassi having
the chance to regain his Wimbledon crown he won in 1992.