By Neil Schmidt
Enquirer staff writer

MASON - Andre Agassi kept marching to the baseline Thursday night, serving quickly, pushing the pace.

MASTERS COVERAGE

• Quarterfinals feature a top-ranked reunion • Photos of Thursday's action • 25 matches to remember • Bounce may be back for Agassi's play • Hewitt, Safin renew focus • Roddick on the march • Spin doctor Santoro starting to gain confidence • UC to honor Talbert, Trabert • Masters results, schedules

Suddenly he's feeling good, and he's in a hurry for history.

"I felt really good," he said after beating Juan Ignacio Chela 6-3, 6-3 in the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters. "It's the first match in a long time where I felt that comfortable with my game."

At 34 years and three months, he's tied with Mark Cox as the fourth-oldest player to reach the quarterfinals of this event.

Agassi has 805 career victories, and if he defeats Carlos Moya today he'll tie Stefan Edberg for the fifth-most career victories in the Open Era.

More important, the bounce is back in his step. He closed out Chela in 62 minutes, looking like he couldn't wait to return to the court at 7:30 p.m. today.

"It's because I've had some matches," he said, explaining his sudden surge. "It's a big confidence issue out there. You have to believe in what you're doing, because the match is decided on just a few points."

Today's match will be his fourth of the tournament, the first event since March in which he has played this many. Agassi slumped during the spring clay- and grass-court seasons, including a four-match losing streak.

"Today was really the first great sign this summer," he said. "If I play with confidence, I can play well again."

Agassi, a two-time winner whose 28 victories are the sixth-most in tournament history, will try today to reach the semifinals for the first time since 1999.

Moya has been there more recently, having won the title in 2002. The 27-year-old Spaniard, seeded fourth, has spoken as if he's surprised he's still alive in the draw.

Despite his run two years ago, Moya still says he's not at his best on hard courts, and he has had to play three consecutive matches against big servers.

Thursday, Moya beat Wayne Arthurs 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (5), despite 23 aces by Arthurs and four match points saved by his opponent.

"These matches are not easy," Moya said. "All I can say is that I am just surviving and waiting for a match with more rhythm, more rallies."

He'll get one today. Agassi doesn't serve anyone off the court. It'll be a baseline battle between a pair of former world No. 1 players.

Agassi leads his series with Moya 2-1, including a 2003 meeting in Miami that was their only contest on this surface.

"Carlos is a good, tough athlete who really has a lot of weapons," Agassi said. "I'll have to be hitting my shots and stay away from his best weapon, which is his forehand."

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