Go, Andre!

Well, it's been quite an eventful evening here at Flushing Meadow, as most of you know. I'm waiting for the Marcos Baghdatis interview (1:05 A.M) and then Andre, but not sure when. I'll post a quick update on what they say - the substance of it, anyway - so you all can go to sleep and get some rest.

My feelings: confirms once again the toughest thing in the world is to play against someone who is struggling with cramps. One moment  they're writhing in agony, the next they're firing aces and blazing winners. It's aways like that, and it's a can't win situation for the healthy guy. A guy in the seats near the press section (FYI, they're in the corner of the stadium, right below the luxury box level, to the right of the umpire) kept calling out, "drop shot!", "drop shot!" during that insane 24- point ,ninth game of the fifth set, when Baghdatis's cramps were most severe. He was right, that's exactly what Andre should have done, but he didn't figure it out until two games later.

On the match: It isn't earth-shatteringly unusual for a player to blow a two-set and two-break lead and lose, but something in the way it happened made me think that a harsh reality lay not far below the obvious spring in Andre's step and the seamless artistry of his shot production on this night. This is one mentally tired warrior; tired in the way a rubber band gets tired and loses its elastacity, even though it still looks like a perfectly good rubber band. It's long-term, end-of-the road, career fatigue.

Agassi is still  a relatively young man at 36, but the loose games he played in set three to let Baghdatis back into the game were the tennis equivalent of a senior moment. It appeared that Andre had finally hit the very bottom of the very deep well of his competitive ability and appetite when he let Baghdatis back into the match, like when a race car runs out of gas in the backstretch on the way to the chequered flag. I couldn't help but think:  "What a terrible time to lose it, why can't he just cling to it for a few more games and win this thing, and who cares what happens next round?

Okay: update from Andre's presser (I'm not using quotes because I just jotted notes and am paraphrasing in most places): He said he hadn't played quite like this in over a year, and that couldn't be more thankful to get two matches like this, this close to the end of his career.

On Bagahdatis' injury, he said: you never want to see someone have real medical issues out there, and when it happens that brings you to a difficult line to cross. It's a hard situation, playing against someone in that situation. You get nervous, indecisive, you don't want the guy to suffer, but you also don't want to ruin the integrity of the competition (by, say, taking a long break).

On his physical condition: The cool down is the worst part. Afterwards, I don't know what to expect. (At this point Andre's voice cracked) And it's not getting any easier.

On Baghdatis's comeback: He really upped it at 4-0 in the third. It's deceptive, it seems like you're a long way up, but a few sloppy points from your end, or great points from him, and and you're in trouble. A couple of points there I could have hit out more on the shots. But it was hard - I was getting some errors, so II wasn't taking unnecessary risks, but then suddenly the guiy is making shots.

On the occasion: You're not guaranteed these monents, to feel it out there is something I'll keep with me forever. i've lived a dream for 21 years. it's going to be impossible for me to be disappointed with the result (of this tournament) when you get that feeling out there. this is why I chose to do it (retire) here.

On Baghdatis: It's a guy like that him that makes it easier to walk away form the game, because you see what kind of hands it's in. he's a true professional with a lot of charisma and a lot of talent.

On his volleying: I'm five-foot ten and three-quarters, but when I come to net, I'm five-foot seven.

In his own presser, Baghdatis was asked if he was reaslly hurt. "No," he replied, laughing. "I was acting."

Baghdatis said the ATP trainer gave him "some energy" the last time he was allowed to come out, at the end of the 5-4 game in the fifth. Earlier, when he was first hit by the cramps and kept falling down, the physio told him, I cannot touch you during the game. I cannot help you anymore. You must stand up. If you don't stand up you will lose the game.

So what did you do, someone asked?

"I stood up," Baghdatis replied.

On the atmosphere and match: I  wanted to just die on the court.The Ashe court, Andre, the atmosphere I would do anything. to continue. I coldn't move my leg, when i did, cramp came.

On the crowd support for Andre:  It felt not so good when you miss a first serve and they clap, not so so good. Yeah it was unfair, but so many things happen in life that are unfair. You just try to make them fair, find a solution, and don't cry about it.

On whether it was "easier" to lose this way because it was Agassi: It's never easy. I'm disappointed. Maybe you don' tsee it, but I'm really disappointed. Sometimes life isn't easy and you just have to accept things.

On his earliers memories of Andre: I was a little boy. It was Wimbledon, when he was beating Goran in the final and then he was on the floor (sic) crying. If somebody tolod me that something like 13 years later I would playing him in  his last match at the Ashe stadium, I would think they were crazy.

He was reminded by someone that this had been not Agassi's final match at Ashe stadium, but his own.

Baghdatis laughed.

"Sorry, sorry," he said. "It's been a long night and I'm very tired."

So am I, so am I. Light blogging tomorrow, as my wife, LIsa, is coming out to the matches and we're invited to watch from and have lunch in the President's box.