[Agassi Aces]

Andre Agassi has entered the if...Stockholm Open played from the 10th to the 16th October on Indoor Hard. Agassi reached last years final, losing to Thomas Johansson in three sets. It will be Agassi's first tournament loss since losing to Roger Federer in the final of the US Open.

Here is the news from the tournament website:

http://www.stockholmopen.se/t3.asp?p=39340&x=1&a=179294

Agassi back in Stockholm
The american super star, Andre Agassi, will return to the capital of Sweden and has signed up for the if... Stockholm Open. Agassi lost against Thomas Johansson in an epic final last year in Stockholm.


- It is nice to welcome Agassi and many other good players back to Stockholm, said Per Hjertquist, the Tournament Director of the if... Stockholm Open.

Many excellent competitors will play in the tournament this year and the cut off is as low as 61. French teen sensations, Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils, will challenge Agassi as well as the former champion, Paradorn Srichaphan and the Olympic gold medallist, Nicolas Massu.

Thomas Johansson and Robin Soderling are the only Swedes yet to qualify for the main draw. Johansson is the reigning champion after defeating Agassi in the final set tiebreaker last year. Soderling had his breakthrough in Stockholm two yars ago when the young baseliner reached the final.

However, the in form home favourite, Jonas Bjorkman, did not make the cut. The experienced Swede will have to hope for one of three wildcards to the tournament.

 

[Andre forever]

thats a good news

 

[MisterQ]

:dance:

 

[AZILANA]

hope this time he win it...

 

[Peyton]

That is positive. I hope he will have a good run

 

[doubleafan]

He will win it and also qualify for the Masters Cup. He is playing at a very high level.
Should have beaten Feds at the Open. Got mentally tired after a series of 5 setters.

Andre , enjoy your European holiday.

 

[Andre forever]

He will win it and also qualify for the Masters Cup. He is playing at a very high level.
Should have beaten Feds at the Open. Got mentally tired after a series of 5 setters.

Andre , enjoy your European holiday.

Agreed.. He got tired

 

[RebelNYC]

This is fantastic news! Good Luck Andre, and enjoy Sweden!

 

[suus21]

he should have won it last year really bad that he lost from johannsson then so now he must do better!

 

[joycomesmorning]

I believe that I read that Steffi is playing an exo in Germany vs Gabby at this same time of the Stockholm event....

Has anyone heard the state of AA's health...

jcm

 

[Agassi Fan]

I hope he will win this time!

Go Andre!

 

[suus21]

I am going to Stockholm then
gonna see Andre twice a year live

 

[Andre forever]

@suus21

u did see ANDRE? aww.. how cool.. is ANdre really goodlooking in personal?

 

[Agassi Aces]

Andre is evidently very healthy physically. He is just mentally drained after those tough matches at the Open. A few weeks rest will get him mentally charged for the European Indoor Season. He is scheduled to play Stockholm, Madrid and Paris. His cortisone injection which he had after LA is working fine still. Another one is planned in December just before Australia 2006. Gil Raes spoke to BBC Radio Five Live yesterday.

 

[Andre forever]

thanks

 

[Peyton]

Thanks for the extra info. I'm glad the cortisone shots are still helping him keep fit so that he can continue to play at a high level. Good luck to him in Sweden, Madrid, and Paris.

 

[Agassi Aces]

It does look like the Masters Cup is a great possibility now. Andre has to watch out for Coria, Davydenko and Safin who are hot on his heels, but Andre himself is closing in on Hewitt in the race. Hewitt will only be playing Madrid and Paris. Coria and Davydenko generally play a lot of tournaments, so they will be dangerous. Safin is injured, and remember he has loads of points to defend at Madrid and Paris (won them both last year). So Shanghai looks a real possibility. It would be Andre's third tournament in Shanghai. He played the Heineken Open in 2001, losing to Irakli Labadze in Round One. He also played the Masters Cup there in 2002, losing to Ferrero and Novak. Agassi has won the Masters Cup in 1990 (d. Edberg) and three times finalist, 1999 (l. Sampras), 2000 (l. Kuerten) and 2003 (l. Federer). Agassi skipped last years Championships due to injury.

 

[cedez]

Well, Andre didn't exactly skip the MSC last year because of injury. While he finished 8th, Gaudio got the last slot due to his French Open win. Andre chose not to go to Houston as an alternate, which is quite understandable...

 

[AWM79]

It does look like the Masters Cup is a great possibility now. Andre has to watch out for Coria, Davydenko and Safin who are hot on his heels, but Andre himself is closing in on Hewitt in the race. Hewitt will only be playing Madrid and Paris. Coria and Davydenko generally play a lot of tournaments, so they will be dangerous. Safin is injured, and remember he has loads of points to defend at Madrid and Paris (won them both last year). So Shanghai looks a real possibility. It would be Andre's third tournament in Shanghai. He played the Heineken Open in 2001, losing to Irakli Labadze in Round One. He also played the Masters Cup there in 2002, losing to Ferrero and Novak. Agassi has won the Masters Cup in 1990 (d. Edberg) and three times finalist, 1999 (l. Sampras), 2000 (l. Kuerten) and 2003 (l. Federer). Agassi skipped last years Championships due to injury.

Safin's already qualified due to winning the Aus Open.

 

[AgassiFan]

The worst we as fans can do as assume this complacent outlook - at his age and with the seriousness of his injury, it's truly a DAY-TO-DAY thing for Andre.

Let's just be glad he had a GREAT US Open run when most tennis experts, including Gil Reyes, thought his career was over in May... and cross our fingers so he could play reasonably well in Stockholm.

Aussie Open? It might as well be in 2106 - that's how uncertain things are at this point, no matter what Gil Reyes may be saying.