Controversy after Agassi's triumph
Agassi's victory keeps alive his hopes of winning the Masters Cup for the second time.
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HOUSTON, Texas -- Andre Agassi claimed a thrilling but controversial 7-6 3-6 6-4 win over David Nalbandian on Thursday to reach the semi-finals of the ATP Masters Cup in Houston.
Agassi will now face Germany's Rainer Schuettler in a rematch of the Australian Open final for a chance to play for the season's final prize.
The match turned on a heated first set tiebreak with Nalbandian disputing two calls and accusing tournament officals of favoring the American.
The other semi-final will pit Red Group leader Wimbledon champion Roger Federer against either world number one Andy Roddick or Argentine Guillermo Coria, who clash on Friday to decide the last berth.
With second place in the Blue Group standings and a spot in the final four of the $3.65 million year-end event riding on the outcome, tempers flared on a chilly stadium court.
After losing a hotly-contested first set tie-break that featured two disputed calls and Agassi triumphing 12-10 on a double fault, Nalbandian engaged in heated exchange with umpire Enric Molina heightening the tension in match already tingling with excitement.
That outburst brought ATP supervisor Mark Darby onto the court, who tried to calm the fiery Argentine.
Much of Nalbandian's anger was directed at tournament owner and promoter Jim McIngvale, who invested $27 million in this event but has come under criticism in some corners for his rampant support of American players from his front row seat behind the baseline.
"They all think the same," Nalbandian said when asked how the players felt about McIngvale's cheerleading. "I think it's a lack of respect towards the players."
Early break
By the time Nalbandian returned to action he had regained his composure, registering the early break on way to a 3-0 lead and tying the match at one-set all.
Playing in his first event since a semi-final loss to Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero at the U.S. Open, the 33-year-old Agassi has shaken off a bit more of the rust with each match -- all three-set marathons -- and in the third set the Australian Open champion sparkled, once again using his experience and iron will to clinch a place in his sixth year-end semi-final.
"Coming off two months with no competitive tennis, it gives me a lot of confidence to go forward from here," Agassi said, looking ahead to his semi-final against Schuettler.
"He was obviously playing well down there (Australia) to get to the final.
"I go out there every match expecting a dogfight, expecting him to play well, expecting him to play better.
"I'll make him play a great match to beat me, that's for sure."
Earlier in the day, Schuettler stunned Roddick 4-6 7-7 7-6 spoiling the American's coronation as the year-end world number one.
In the day's only other match, Coria swept past Spain's Carlos Moya 6-2 6-3 to keep his hopes of advancing alive.
