Agassi is still the second best player in the world!

[djones]

For me Andre Agassi is still the second best player in the world, maybe just behind Roger Federer but not much.
Agassi would beat Hewitt, Roddick, Moya, Henman, Grosjean, Ferrero when if no injuries are bothering him.
I'm sure Agassi would have won the US open if he had beated Federer last friday.
You can't say federer was the better player that day, they both lost their service games once.
I believe Agassi could still win another major, maybe the Austalian open next year.

[Foo4Everlong]

I second that completely! Here, Here! And not only would he beat those players if he had to face them at the Open, but he already has beaten these players this year. Andre had a great tournament, it's just is too bad the way the draw turned out, otherwise if Andre had Johanson, Henman, Haas, I believe he would have had an easier round to the semis. I think both Hewitt and Federer were the only real threats to Andre for the entire tournament. Andre beat Roddick a few weeks back in an epic match, but I still think Andre would have had the upper hand with regards to all the intangables. The fans, being a legend, and confidence from their previous matchup. Later

[Rabbit]

Combine that these days with a limited schedule and family interests, and I agree.

[drakulie]

You all speak the truth.

[Ballmachine]

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. I think that Roger is number 1, but Lleyton is clearly number two. Lleyton has been the hottest player this summer, and now he is in the finals of the US Open. True, Andre beat him earlier this summer at Cincy in a 2 out of 3 set match, but I think Lleyton wins most of the time against Andre at a slam, where it is 3 out of 5. I feel that way about Roddick against Agassi as well, despite Andre's good record against him.

Also, I think that Lleyton is going to give Roger all that he can handle today, and if it goes 4 or 5 sets, I think Lleyton has a great chance to take the title. Lleyton is playing the style of tennis that took him to the number 1 ranking, and kept him there for two years. Personally, I don't love his percentage game, but that's his style, and it works for him. If Roger is on today, then nobody on the planet can beat him, including Lleyton. However, if he is just a bit off, Lleyton may be kissing that cup at the end of the match.

So, in my opinion, I feel that the order goes, 1) Federer, 2) Hewitt, 3) Roddick, 4) Agassi, and then the rest gets more complicated.

[The tennis guy]

The way it is, I highly doubt on a day to day consistent basis, Agassi would beat Roddick and Hewitt in best of 5. I would say he is in top 4 in form. He has better chance to beat them on slower courts than fast courts.

[chicagohpch]

Pathetic Agassi fans. According to your logic, I still think Sampras is the best player in the world. He can still beat everyone on the tour if he didn't retire, didn't get married, or didn't grow older.

Just because Agassi had a spur of execellence, and a close game against No. 1 Federer did not put him in the No. 2 spot. Remember, he was ousted in the first couple rounds in 3 out of 4 majors this year. He is NO Sampras, his last title before his retirement won't be a slam.

[The tennis guy]

Ballmachine,

Hewitt is playing well. However, I still can't really judge his form because of his oppoents so far. Roddick smoked everyone before his demise. Hewitt hasn't beat anyone in top 10 (not I remember ) in the last 4 weeks. We'll see his form today. Federer has to be a little bit off for Hewitt to win. That's a possibility since Federer hasn't played close to his best the whole summer.

[larrhall]

I think Andre is now #4 or #5, depending on Henman's progress. To me, it goes: Federer, Hewitt, Roddick, Agassi and Henman. I no longer believe Andre can win in Australia, especially when you consider all the quality upset prospects out there, from Safin to J Johansson, from Massu to Mathieu and so on. Time is marching on, and a year from now - if he is still playing - Andre will have a tough time beating a player like Baghdatis, whose potential-rich game will have evolved. So, #4 now, #5 soon, and within 6/7 months, barely Top 10.

uhh, have you heard of the head-to-head record? There's 127 other players in each major that could win it instead.

[Rickson]

Roddick is the 2nd best player in the world, not Andre.

[strife726]

Lleyton has been the hottest player this summer, and now he is in the finals of the US Open. True, Andre beat him earlier this summer at Cincy in a 2 out of 3 set match, but I think Lleyton wins most of the time against Andre at a slam, where it is 3 out of 5. >>>>>>

Agassi did beat Hewitt in a slam, the only time they played, but im sure you're only talking about this year. Yes, an aging 34 yr old did beat a decade younger hewitt this year... Also taking world #1 fed to 5 sets while Hewitt could only win 6 games.

[Peter K.]

Yes, I am completely an Agassi fan--has always been my favorite--but I think it's a little difficult to figure out where Agassi ranks because of his selective schedule at this point in his career. He doesn't play as much as most top players. But I do believe he is still capable of playing top 5 tennis. This year was a weird year for him--his hip injury was certainly a cog in the wheel. It's not an excuse for everything, of course, but for him to go from playing in the semi's at AO to losing to #277 on clay, and then drop out of Wimbledon--you knew something was rotten in Denmark.

What's interesting to note, however, is that Agassi always plays Federer tough--tougher than most. Agassi won the first three times they played. I know, i know, that was then, and now they are at different stages in their career. Granted. And Federer has won the last four meetings between them. But in those 4 matches, Federer beat Andre soundly once (last year's Masters Cup Finals). The other three matches have gone the distance and could have gone either way (first round Masters Cup, Indian Wells, USO).

It seems that Andre's game can match up well with Fed's--makes Fed earn it (for the most part). All this to say is that it seems that Andre still has it in him to play top notch tennis, and for him to beat any player on any given day does not surprise me in the least.

[joe sch]

Why not obey the rankings and statistics ? I think they are actually pretty close to reality

[strife726]

I agree with that

[jjames]

muhummad ali is still the champ too. agassi plays like number 2 on a given day, but hes had three good tournys for the entire year. the rest were early exits. juan carlos, hewitt, and roddick have the nod, as best of the rest.