Smashing Agassi has a struggle

14 April 2012

Andre Agassi admitted ruefully that "I've had better days" after he received a court violation for smashing his racket in a tantrum during his victory over Michal Tabara in the Clay Court Championships.

Agassi, who rallied after his penalty to beat his Czech opponent 6-2, 7-6 in the first-round in Houston, broke his racket after the first point of the tie-break when Tabara hit a forehand winner.

Agassi, who later gave the racket to a young fan in the crowd, said: "It was probably a healthy combination of reasons. I was really frustrated through most of the middle of the second set.

"I had some love-thirty chances and never felt I stepped up. I've had better moments - the day after tomorrow should be a lot better.

"The second set could have gone either way. This was my first match with Michal and never playing each other makes it slightly uncomfortable. It's nice when you have a better sense of what a guy does well."

Agassi struggled during the match, hitting countless unforced errors. In the sixth game of the second set, Agassi had four double-faults. The 34-year-old showed his character to win through and now faces Spaniard Alex Calatrava in the second round of a tournament he has won twice.

The top seed, Andy Roddick, beat qualifier Matias Boeker 6-2, 6-3.

Roddick, who needed just 58 minutes to beat Boeker, said: "I played well considering it was for the first time in a tournament match in three weeks.

"I moved pretty well and sneaked out a couple of points."

"I think I was more anxious and nervous at the start," Boeker said. "I'd played a couple of sets against Andy and so I knew what to expect. I'm not too used to these situations.

"I had a chance to give him a match a couple of times in the second set."

Roddick will play Robby Ginepri in the second round.

Fifth-seeded Taylor Dent withdrew because of an ankle injury, while defending champion and third seed Tommy Haas of Germany eliminated Belgium's Kristof Vliegen 6-3, 7-5.

Haas fell 1-3 behind in the second set but he broke Vliegen in the fifth game and again in the 11th. He closed it out in the 12th after Vliegen hit three errors.

"He started to go for more shots in the second set," Haas said. "He played some good shots. He broke me but I broke back and in the end I hit some pretty good shots to win."

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