Top seed Roger Federer survived a stirring fightback from twice champion Andre Agassi to reach the semi-finals of the US Open for the first time on Thursday, squeezing through 6-3 2-6 7-5 3-6 6-3.
Resuming at two sets to one ahead after rain stopped play on Wednesday, Federer was rattled when the 34-year-old Agassi hit back to take the fourth set, breaking serve in the eighth game on a lucky net cord.
But a rare missed forehand from the American in the swirling wind handed the Swiss world number one the crucial break in the eighth game of the final set and Federer held his nerve to claim a place in the last four.
"It was really difficult," Federer said. "It was one of the worst conditions I've played in.
"It was a good situation for me to be two sets to one up (overnight), but once I lost the fourth set I wasn't very relaxed because I knew Andre was playing very well in the wind. I'm just really happy to get through."
Federer will now play fifth seed Tim Henman, who became only the second British man in the Open Era after Greg Rusedski in 1997, to reach the last four when he beat 22nd seed Dominik Hrbaty 6-1 7-5 5-7 6-2.
{{/usCountry}}Federer will now play fifth seed Tim Henman, who became only the second British man in the Open Era after Greg Rusedski in 1997, to reach the last four when he beat 22nd seed Dominik Hrbaty 6-1 7-5 5-7 6-2.
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