Agassi, Roddick Reach Montreal Quarters
( 2003-08-08 15:25) (Agencies)
Andre Agassi stumbled
out to a 4-1 deficit, then recovered to beat local wild-card entry Simon Larose
6-4, 6-2 Thursday and reach the quarterfinals of the Canada Masters.
The top-seeded Agassi, a three-time champion
at the hard-court tuneup for the U.S. Open, wasn't worried when he trailed.
"I
quickly turned it around," he said. "Today, I definitely took a big step
forward."
Agassi next faces Rainer Schuettler in
a rematch of their Australian Open final in January. Agassi beat the German in
straight sets then, and this will be their first meeting since.
Schuettler, seeded eighth, beat 10th-seeded Jiri Novak 7-5, 6-0.
In later action, sixth-seeded Andy Roddick made the round of
eight by beating No. 9 Sebastien Grosjean 6-3, 6-3. Roddick's next opponent
is Karol Kucera, who upset French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 7-5.
That allowed Wimbledon champion Roger Federer to move
past Ferrero for the top spot in the ATP Champions Race, the calendar-year
ratings based on performances at the top tournaments.
Federer, seeded
third, eliminated No. 16 Tommy Robredo 6-4, 6-3, setting up a quarterfinal
against Max Mirnyi, who upset No. 11 Paradorn Srichaphan 6-3, 6-2.
Mirnyi
has won his last two hard-court matches against Federer, including at the 2002
U.S. Open.
David Nalbandian, the 2002 Wimbledon runner-up, downed Vince
Spadea 6-4, 6-2, and next faces Feliciano Lopez, who ousted Karol Beck 6-4, 7-6
(3).
Lopez had a record of only 10-16 this year until he entered
Wimbledon, where he made the fourth round for the second straight year. He lost
to eventual champion Roger Federer.
Since then, Lopez has advanced to the
semifinals at two of four tournaments.
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