When Andre Agassi withdrew from Wimbledon with a hip injury earlier this year, it seemed as if the career of one of the most charismatic players in the history of the game was nearing its end.
But those who wrote the 34-year-old off were proved wrong once again when the American beat Carlos Moya, Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt to win the Cincinnati Masters title earlier this month, setting himself up for another tilt at the US Open.
Two years ago, Agassi was on the wrong end of Pete Sampras's dream victory at Flushing Meadows, forced to watch as the seven-times Wimbledon champion lifted his 14th grand slam title in a dramatic four-set final.
That was the last time Sampras was seen on a tennis court, but Agassi continued to fly the flag for the old guard, winning the Australian Open for a third successive year in 2003.
The Las Vegan could be forgiven for thinking he had been left to battle the new generation almost single-handed and this year, in particular, he has seen his star wane with the rise of Roddick and Roger Federer.
However, his victory in Cincinnati erased any doubts in his own mind about his ability to compete at the top level.
{{/usCountry}}However, his victory in Cincinnati erased any doubts in his own mind about his ability to compete at the top level.
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