agassi

Believes that American tennis is in trouble for the wrong level of the players on clay.

Andre Agassi, winner of eight Grand Slam titles, said that tennis is experiencing a historic step by the presence of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Agassi, one of the best tennis players in history, was the leading figure in the opening of the tennis stadium for next year's Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, and a meeting with the media, admitted that he excited to see play Nadal, world number one, and Federer, the top winning Grand Slam tournaments in history.

Retired four years of professional sports, agreed that U.S. tennis is going through a bad time because athletes are not used to playing on clay courts. "I would like to encourage the young players play better on clay so that they can increase the level of competition that is being demanded worldwide and States Can grow together. "

Agassi cut the ribbon on the stage of the Pan American Games with the president of the Games Organizing Committee, Carlos Andrade Garin and Ivar Sisniega, second vice president of the Mexican Olympic Committee.

The American, who won four times the Australia Open, a Roland Garros, a Wimbledom and the U.S. Open will be the star of the All-Star Challenge, the tournament will mark the start of the new stadium, 12 courts and capacity of 2,800 spectators in the main.

The event will also meet with players who shone on the professional circuit as the American Jim Courier, with four Grand Slam titles, the South African, Wayne Ferreira, Olympic silver medalist in doubles in 1992 and Australia's Mark Philippoussis, a finalist at two Grand Slam, as well Mexicans David Roditi and Cesar Ramirez.

Federer has played 79 won 16 Masters 1000, Nadal has reached that number only 51. The race continues

Home devastating to the Navy in the 1000 Rome Masters: Juan Carlos Ferrero, who won the tournament in 2001 and only executioner of Rafa Nadal in the Italian capital, overwhelmed by the Centrale came at the hands of Colombian Santiago Giraldo, 76 of the world, which had to contest the run-up and won by 6-0 6-3 in just 58 minutes. It was the first of a series of defeats broken only by the victory of Guillermo Garcia-Lopez over Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela. Also remarkable Albert Montanes KO against Italian Paolo Lorenzi, 96 of the world and guest of the organization while eliminating Marcel Granollers at the hands of Czech Tomas Berdych (10) would be as far as possible.

Giraldo, already highlighted during her junior (semi-finalist at the U.S. Open), it operates best in hard courts but by working with coaches Spanish-first, Ricardo Sanchez, since a couple of seasons with Górriz-Marc, has adapted his game to the aggressive and explosive clay. Yesterday in Rome achieved the biggest win of his career against Ferrero in his sixth ATP tournament of the season. It was "one of those days" where everything tasted the tennis player Ontinyent "went wrong".

From today the focus is on what they can do Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal. Federer has never registered its name in The winners of the Roman trial, four times, most recently in 2009, so has the Spaniard. Both have risen since 1000 with 16 Masters titles but did so in 79 tournaments (Federer, with a record of 205 wins for 63 losses) and 51 (Nadal, who accumulates a total of 170 victories and 35 defeats). If one of the two wins the title next Sunday would equal the record of Andre Agassi and, bearing in mind that there will still be another six tournaments by category held, the historical record of the player from Las Vegas has all the numbers to be overcome in this 2010.

They already know what his rivals in his first match at the Foro Italico. That game we all say and difficult. A Federer has played in the Latvian Ernests Gulbis luck, 40 of the world and quarterfinalist last week in Barcelona against Fernando Verdasco, who beat Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis. The Swiss, premiering on land, must be with care as the only previous clash between the two (Doha 2010) and needed three sets to win. Nadal, meanwhile, will have to face Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber, who has won all five times they have seen the faces (two of them on earth), but the Spaniard will not play today, as it will be Novak Djokovic Andy Murray.

THE NUMBER ONE BALEAR functioned, SUPO BE PATIENT, and trace A SIDE 0-4 in the second set

Nadal won a trace after Verdasco in the second set we saw the best match of the tournament so far manacorí will face Djokovic in the semis with

If someone could give Rafa Nadal a scare, that seemed to be the new Fernando Verdasco. The man who was raised in Mar del Plata, which led to a number to stand a brutal battle over five hours in the semifinals of the Australia Open. Tennis battleship by Gil Reyes, the coach of Agassi, in his laboratory in Las Vegas and scheduled to make war on the top-ten people (now number 7) by the technician Darren Cahill. The same as playing at home yesterday. The same missile that reached out to 240 km / h with the pumps that drive the land of the falling Magic Box. Weapons that could knock down anybody. Least one: Rafa Nadal.

The number one stopped Verdasco path at the same point in the same Nadal, Djokovic, Murray and Federer, the four lords of tennis, he was left stranded in the previous Masters 1000, the quarter-finals.

The Magic Box, filled this time breathing and electricity, was a sounding board that increased the power of the blows of two left-handed gladiators arm Bruno. Gluing two balls to the boundary line (the Hawk-Eye is not used on land, although there were some doubtful that another key point, because the balls are marked) to win.

In a final Federer-Nadal, I see Rafa 100% champion

The Californian Brad Gilbert was a player rather discreet, but as a coach has dealt nothing less than Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick. And safely predicts the triumph of Nadal in Wimbledon 2008

What do you think of that might be the third final Federer-Nadal?
First, we have to win the semifinals. I know both are favourites, but, you know, these things must stop. But it seems obvious that we all thought in a final between Rafael (Ralph, said Gilbert) and Roger. And my favorite in that final Nadal would be: 100%.

With so much security?
It was what I said and I repeat: a final against Federer, Nadal to win the 100% chance.

What has seen improvement in the game for Nadal to make a prediction like that?
Overall, I think Nadal is the best player who has given Spain, all I have seen. Later, Ralph has achieved many improvements and all together we have made progress on grass: is banging the ball much harder, with better position within the track. Advancing a step forward with each stroke, increasingly close to the line. The setback also what fails, and remove and la volée are tremendously better. If last year tightly lost in five sets before Federer, almost by a miracle, and these things did not as now, and see why I have so much confidence in him.

And the battle for No. 1?
If Nadal wins the tournament, will be where it should be to be number 1 at year's end. That depends on most circumstances, but on paper there would be no reason not to the outside. Nadal always find ways to do things. You, who worked with Agassi, Roddick and Murray, who waged memorable battles with McEnroe and Lendl, you who has written two bestsellers " tennis ( "Winning ugly" and "Te pillé in the back"), will see that Nadal could be compared with any other player? Boris Becker, for example, said that Rafah is a case apart

I agree. The de Nadal is a dimension or a galaxy apart. And within this galaxy, he has his own star, which is something I love, which I love so much.