Agassi to face the unknown

TENNIS: For the third successive year the Australian Open has thrown up the most unlikely finalist. In 2001 it was France's Arnaud Clement, who was cruelly dispatched 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 by Andre Agassi. Last year, with Agassi absent with a wrist injury, Thomas Johansson, the Swede that not even the Swedes knew, was a shock winner over the Russian favourite, Marat Safin. Tomorrow, for Clement and Johansson, read Rainer Schuettler. From Stephen Bierley at Melbourne Park

If the name of this German rings any bells it will be because four years ago, just before the Australian Open, he defeated Tim Henman in the final of the Doha tournament, a victory notable for the fact that Schuettler was a qualifier.

Since then he has managed one more title, in Shanghai, and otherwise has gone quietly and largely unnoticed about his business of making a small fortune without getting beyond the foothills of the grand slam championships to glimpse the glistening mountain peaks. Now he is one last hike from the summit.

Unfortunately for him it is one hell of a hike. Last year Johansson, the archetypal Steady Eddie who freely admitted he was "pretty boring", had only a moody Russian between him and the top of the world. Schuettler, like Clement, faces Agassi who has won all his previous three finals here and who appears on an unstoppable course for an eighth grand slam title.

"I think that, if Andre eats something wrong before the final, then I stand a chance," said Schuettler, although it was pointed out to him that no German has ever lost in the Australian Open men's final - Boris Becker won in 1991 and 1996.

"Sound good," said Schuttler, "but there is always a first time."

"You make your own luck in these big tournaments," said Agassi, the number two seed, who will be 33 in April.

He has needed hardly any on this occasion, with only France's Nicolas Escude taking a set off him in a third-round match that the American always recognised might be his most difficult. He has played stunningly controlled, attacking tennis of the highest quality and it seems inconceivable that he could lose now.

Schuettler's previous best grand slam performance came here two years ago when he reached the last 16 before losing to Spain's Carlos Moya, the 1998 French Open champion and an Australian Open runner-up the year before.

"I cannot really explain why I have done so well this time except that I trained exceptionally hard in December," said the German, who is seeded 31st.

The Australian Open tends to favour the fittest, hence Agassi's three finals in the last four years. But form plays its part, and Schuettler reached the semi-finals at the New South Wales Open in Sydney. His one major slice of luck here was a walk-over against Safin in the third round after the Russian injured his left arm.

He went on to defeat the American, James Blake, followed by a quarter-final victory over Argentina's David Nalbandian, last year's surprise Wimbledon finalist.

Yesterday's 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Andy Roddick of the US, the ninth seed, came courtesy of the 20-year-old American's epic five-set quarter-final victory over Morocco's Younes El Aynaoui. In the 21-19 fifth set Roddick had dived for a volley at the net on match point and damaged his right wrist.

"That fall triggered tendinitis and it became inflamed," said Bill Norris, the senior ATP Tour trainer. "Andy refused a pain-killing injection because he didn't want it to mask any further injury he might sustain."

And such an injury came close to happening when Roddick, having bent down to pick up a soft toy mascot that had been dropped at the back of the court in the third set, tripped on an advertising hoarding and pitched forward. Fortunately he saved himself from a full fall but it was a nasty moment.

Roddick seems destined to be someone who has lightning playing about his head.

Before this tournament the American's mental fortitude had been questioned but he has answered his critics. Last year he had retired with an ankle injury in the second round and he was determined not to quit again.

"Even if I had been fully fit I might not have beaten Rainer but he played very smart tennis. He may have to be a bit more aggressive against Andre and needs to serve well. But he is extremely fast and full of confidence."

Roddick stopped well short of suggesting Schuettler might beat Agassi. Nobody believes that. But the German is clearly already an extremely happy man.

"And I have my dreams."

Guardian Service