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Agassi to umpire: "Every time you think about overruling [a call]. . . don't do it"
This just makes me wonder even more how this man could be one of the darlings of American tennis.
Agassi loses temper, then match at Paris Masters
AP Photo
By MICHAEL McDONOUGH
Associated Press Writer
November 1, 2002
PARIS (AP) -- Andre Agassi cursed, slammed his racket and told the referee he'd done a "pathetic job.''
Otherwise, Agassi took Friday's 6-4, 6-4 loss to Carlos Moya in the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters pretty well, and Agassi still could end up being the world's top-ranked player by the end of the year.
Agassi was angered by several calls during the match, and afterward he told French umpire Cedric Mourier just what he thought of his job performance. They nevertheless shook hands.
"I hope I always speak my mind,'' Agassi said later.
Even with the defeat, Agassi can overtake Lleyton Hewitt for the No. 1 spot if he performs well at the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, China, next month.
Hewitt, seeded first, beat Switzerland's Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the semifinals. Federer had 36 unforced errors in the loss.
Hewitt will face Paradorn Srichaphan, a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3) winner over Andy Roddick. Paradorn, who won the Stockholm Open last week, had 18 aces in the win. Roddick finished with 16.
Moya, the 1998 French Open champion, sealed the victory when Agassi sent his last forehand long. The Spaniard, who withstood six match points in the third-round against defending champion Sebastien Grosjean, fell to his knees and clutched his forehead with delight.
Although he was angered that the umpire had overruled a few calls, Agassi refused to blame him or his own outbursts for the defeat.
"Carlos played better than I did today. He won that match, end of story,'' he said. ``I didn't let the frustration affect the way I played. If anything, I felt like it helped me dig in a little bit more.''
Moya next plays Russian Marat Safin, who defeated Frenchman Nicolas Escude 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
Agassi's biggest outburst came in the second set, when he was serving at 2-2 and 30-30. Mourier ruled his first serve out, prompting the American to swear loudly, storm over to the umpire's chair and shout: "Keep the score!''
Agassi drew a warning, but he won that game with a backhand down the line and yelled "Come on!'' to himself. He slammed his racket to the floor as he passed in front of Mourier's chair for the changeover.
During the pause, he had a heated discussion with Mourier, telling him "That ball was good,'' and "That was a terrible call.'' When he rose from his chair for the next game, Agassi said "It's over, it's over,'' and waved his hands in front of him to show he had calmed down.
As wife Steffi Graf looked on from the stands, Agassi lost three of the next four games, and Moya moved ahead 5-4.
Agassi had three break points at 40-0 in the final game. Moya saved the third with a forehand that Agassi thought was long: He stood still, looking at the line and muttering obscenities.
Moya set up his first match point with a forehand volley, but Agassi saved it with a superb crosscourt forehand. He lost the next point with a long service return, giving Moya the advantage, and conceded defeat with another error.
Agassi said he counted five overrules from Mourier in the match.
"What can you do except sit there and be at their mercy to randomly decide when they're going to do that?'' Agassi said. "I'd just as soon let the calls play all the time.''
He said he gave Mourier some advice during the match.
"I was trying to tell him: 'Just stop. Every time you think about overruling, just punch yourself in the stomach. And don't do it.'
"Didn't get the message through.''
Moya's win secured him a spot in the Masters Cup. Agassi, Safin, Hewitt, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Roger Federer and Albert Costa already have qualified for the eight-man event, leaving just one place up for grabs in Paris.
This just makes me wonder even more how this man could be one of the darlings of American tennis.
Agassi loses temper, then match at Paris Masters
AP Photo
By MICHAEL McDONOUGH
Associated Press Writer
November 1, 2002
PARIS (AP) -- Andre Agassi cursed, slammed his racket and told the referee he'd done a "pathetic job.''
Otherwise, Agassi took Friday's 6-4, 6-4 loss to Carlos Moya in the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters pretty well, and Agassi still could end up being the world's top-ranked player by the end of the year.
Agassi was angered by several calls during the match, and afterward he told French umpire Cedric Mourier just what he thought of his job performance. They nevertheless shook hands.
"I hope I always speak my mind,'' Agassi said later.
Even with the defeat, Agassi can overtake Lleyton Hewitt for the No. 1 spot if he performs well at the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, China, next month.
Hewitt, seeded first, beat Switzerland's Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the semifinals. Federer had 36 unforced errors in the loss.
Hewitt will face Paradorn Srichaphan, a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3) winner over Andy Roddick. Paradorn, who won the Stockholm Open last week, had 18 aces in the win. Roddick finished with 16.
Moya, the 1998 French Open champion, sealed the victory when Agassi sent his last forehand long. The Spaniard, who withstood six match points in the third-round against defending champion Sebastien Grosjean, fell to his knees and clutched his forehead with delight.
Although he was angered that the umpire had overruled a few calls, Agassi refused to blame him or his own outbursts for the defeat.
"Carlos played better than I did today. He won that match, end of story,'' he said. ``I didn't let the frustration affect the way I played. If anything, I felt like it helped me dig in a little bit more.''
Moya next plays Russian Marat Safin, who defeated Frenchman Nicolas Escude 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
Agassi's biggest outburst came in the second set, when he was serving at 2-2 and 30-30. Mourier ruled his first serve out, prompting the American to swear loudly, storm over to the umpire's chair and shout: "Keep the score!''
Agassi drew a warning, but he won that game with a backhand down the line and yelled "Come on!'' to himself. He slammed his racket to the floor as he passed in front of Mourier's chair for the changeover.
During the pause, he had a heated discussion with Mourier, telling him "That ball was good,'' and "That was a terrible call.'' When he rose from his chair for the next game, Agassi said "It's over, it's over,'' and waved his hands in front of him to show he had calmed down.
As wife Steffi Graf looked on from the stands, Agassi lost three of the next four games, and Moya moved ahead 5-4.
Agassi had three break points at 40-0 in the final game. Moya saved the third with a forehand that Agassi thought was long: He stood still, looking at the line and muttering obscenities.
Moya set up his first match point with a forehand volley, but Agassi saved it with a superb crosscourt forehand. He lost the next point with a long service return, giving Moya the advantage, and conceded defeat with another error.
Agassi said he counted five overrules from Mourier in the match.
"What can you do except sit there and be at their mercy to randomly decide when they're going to do that?'' Agassi said. "I'd just as soon let the calls play all the time.''
He said he gave Mourier some advice during the match.
"I was trying to tell him: 'Just stop. Every time you think about overruling, just punch yourself in the stomach. And don't do it.'
"Didn't get the message through.''
Moya's win secured him a spot in the Masters Cup. Agassi, Safin, Hewitt, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Roger Federer and Albert Costa already have qualified for the eight-man event, leaving just one place up for grabs in Paris.
