Andre Agassi Match Quotations

Let's be clear about something. I wasn't the winner, tennis was. I never felt I was going to win that match but somehow it just fell my way.

Getting up two sets helps a lot because a guy can play great for two hours and, in the worst case, the match is going to be even,

I broke him one time.  You come out to a match like this and you hope for that at least.  So you never know what to expect playing somebody you never played before.  In his most difficult moments, he was more awkward than I anticipated.

Certainly coming out here for the first match in such a long time, I couldn't have expected that standard, to be that comfortable, ... I just settled in early. Sometimes you can really get too anxious and never find your rhythm and fight yourself a little bit. I trusted my legs and found a nice rhythm with my shots. Six days of practice, I'd advise it for anybody.

I felt as the match went on I was getting more comfortable with my movement, and that's a good thing,

He was pulling triggers, and I could feel if I didn't step up my game he was going to control what was going on out there, ... It was a high quality first set. I snuck a break out of nowhere. I knew I had to lift my game, and I did as the match continued.

He's been playing well the whole year, so to come here and play a great match against him feels like a real achievement.

We played once in Australia. We got done with that match and I said, 'He's a top 10 player'. He just seemed to do so many things well. He made you work for every point. I've got to believe he's only got better. I'm looking forward to a good quality match.

When we got done with that match I said he's a top-10 player,

What Jimmy did was incredible, ... I've heard him talk about it as if it was the most meaningful thing to him. That certainly speaks volumes with a career like that. A match like tonight can add to your life, regardless of the titles on the line.

There's no weakness to speak of, ... You play a bad match against Pete, you lose 6-4, 7-5. You play a good match against Pete, you lose 6-4, 7-5. You play a good match against Federer, you lose 6-4, 7-5. You play a bad match against Federer, you lose 1 and 1.

I never felt like I was going to win this match but somehow I just found the way,

You think you should take your chance, but then you regret not waiting a couple of more shots. As the match went on, I got real patient and waited for my opportunities and felt pretty good.

That means you go out in the match and you address it with urgency and you have to play well, ... He's not the first guy to make you feel that way, but he's certainly the guy that's doing it better than anybody now.

I know he's been playing well and he's been picking up his standard, ... I've got to believe he's only gotten better. But you know, it's something I'm looking forward to: a good quality match for sure.

In your first match it's always a bit awkward, it's the new year and you're getting used to conditions,

He's the only guy I've ever played where you hold serve to go 1-0 and you're thinking, 'All right, good. The amount of options he has to get around any particular stage of the match seems to be endless. He can elevate his game at any time.

In every match I play, I grow in my appreciation for this opportunity, this chance to be out there playing at the U.S. Open for another match, another time,

It's a good feeling to be playing in an environment that you played so well in, and then to have a match that you've had before.

I can be playing in front of a smaller group of people and playing the match of my life. At almost 36 years old, I don't take it for granted. That (U.S. Open) match with James Blake was one of the best moments of my career, to be part of something special like that. I hope I have some big moments ahead of me.

the match of my life on the day of my life.