Agassi Advances In Australia

Andre Agassi, now the highest-ranked player in the Australian Open men's field, has left no room for argument so far, losing only 17 games in three matches.

For the first time in three matches, Agassi didn't score a 6-0.

He beat Czech player Jiri Novak 6-3, 6-2, 6-1, and said that "if I can keep that standard up, I like my chances against anybody."

Only five men's seeds remain in the tournament, and Agassi is the top at No. 5. There's no chance of him meeting another seed before the semifinals, where No. 10 Yevgeny Kafelnikov might come through.

Kafelnikov won 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 3-0 in the third round when Jim Courier retired with a groin pull.

On the rebound ace courts, in Melbourne's heat, Agassi said, "I can really beat a guy up physically because I control most of the points."

Agassi has won three grand slam events, but none since the Australian in 1995. He fell as low as 141st in the rankings in 1997 before climbing back.

Last year, he said, "I played some great matches. I just didn't play those great matches at the right time."

He next meets 44th-ranked Vincent Spadea, a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 winner over Czech player Martin Damm, and a winner over Agassi in Cincinnati last August.

Agassi called the 24-year-old American "the kind of player that can even play better against better guys."

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