BY NEIL SCHMIDT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Andre Agassi struggled past Nicolas Kiefer, a 21-year-old Agassi clone.
(Ernest Coleman photo)
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MASON -- Andre Agassi was at it again, carving up another first-round opponent. Two points from a straight-set victory, he . . .
Wait. That's not Agassi.
It was Nicolas Kiefer, a 21-year-old Agassi clone from Germany. With mane, garb and game matching his world-renowned foe, Kiefer was up a set and leading 6-5 Tuesday when things turned tense.
Serving at love-30 -- two points from defeat -- Agassi ripped off nine straight points en route to a 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 victory.
Will the real Andre Agassi please stand up?
Agassi advanced to the Great American Insurance ATP Championship's second round, avoiding a repeat of his first-round exit last year. It wasn't world-beating tennis, just Kiefer-beating.
"You've just got to get through the days when you're not feeling the greatest," Agassi said. "Things like this used to be a quick exit for me. These are the matches you've got to work through, and all of a sudden you start playing those great matches where you have solid wins."
He's had plenty of those lately, having won 15 of his last 16 matches and four hard-court events this year. He is 15-2 in this tournament since 1992.
Nicolas Kiefer reacts after hitting what he thinks is a game-winning shot. It was called out.
(Ernest Coleman photo)
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Tuesday, though, seemed something out of the X-Files. Both players have similar features, are 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds, have buzz cuts on their balding heads and goatees on their chins. Both play aggressive baseline games. Tuesday, both wore white Nike shirts, black Nike shorts, and white Nike hats.
Kiefer, 21, even walks like the 28-year-old Agassi.
"I notice it more when I watch him when I'm not playing," Agassi said. "One thing he did do that I don't do is give a good stare-down to the opponent on every good shot he hits. I don't do that one. I think that's more learned from the German players."
Kiefer took offense to the Agassi comparison.
"I play my tennis," he said. "I walk how I want to. I look how I want to. There's no double."
Agassi, ranked No. 9, won't get a warm reception from Vince Spadea in their match at 7 p.m. today. After Agassi beat Spadea in Key Biscayne, Fla., in March, he called the 24-year-old Spadea "a classic journeyman." Spadea took offense to the comment and vowed to climb into the Top 20, and has since raised his ranking from No. 87 to 44.
"I think he definitely took (the comment) the wrong way," Agassi said. "I've always given him nothing but respect toward his tennis game. I think a journeyman is a very defineable word. If you spend five, six years on the tour and you haven't broken the Top 50, you're a journeyman."
Is he impressed with Spadea's recent surge?
"No. He should do more. I think he should easily be playing around (No.) 20 in the world. I couldn't feel stronger about that."
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