Agassi on a roll

WIMBLEDON, England – Tennis players no longer get to rest after the first game of a set, yet there was Andre Agassi at Wimbledon on Thursday, sitting in his chair and sipping his drink until the chair umpire leaned over to tell him to move along.

Hey, give an old guy a break, would ya? Facing another backward-cap-wearing, twentysomething opponent on the hottest day of the tournament, the 36-year-old Agassi eliminated Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-4 to reach the third round.

Agassi’s back was feeling better and his game was looking better than in his opening match, both of which are important given the next task at his last Wimbledon: an old guard vs. new guard showdown against French Open champion Rafael Nadal.

“It’s been too long, as far as I’m concerned, since I’ve felt good and was in a place where I could at least enjoy what’s going on out there,” said Agassi, the oldest man to reach Wimbledon’s third round since Jimmy Connors was 38 in 1991.

“That’s been my goal – to find my game so I can at least bring it. Today I was a lot closer to that. So I do have high hopes for my next match.”

The No. 2-ranked Nadal lost the first two sets and twice was two points from defeat against Robert Kendrick, an American qualifier. But Nadal gutted out a 6-7 (4), 3-6, 7-6 (2), 7-5, 6-4 victory.

“Very tough,” Nadal said. “He was serving unbelievable.”

Now Nadal will face a very different type of game Saturday when he plays Agassi.

“It’s a nice match for everybody, no?” said Nadal, 1-0 against Agassi. “It’s his last Wimbledon. I hope I’m going to have more.”

In the first two sets against the 68th-ranked Seppi, Agassi won 12 of 19 points that lasted at least 10 strokes. He saved seven of eight break points he faced overall. And he repeatedly tracked down Seppi’s drop shots, moving well.

Marat Safin wasted a two-set lead on his way to a 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 loss to No. 10 Fernando Gonzalez.