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Agassi Fumes After Loss to Rafter

As Patrick Rafter thrust his fist in the air to celebrate his comeback victory Friday in the Wimbledon semifinals, an angry Andre Agassi fired one last shot.

Walking toward the net, Agassi pulled a ball from his pocket and belted it at the lineswoman who had infuriated him in the next-to-last game. She dodged out of the way and the ball slammed against the backstop.

The ugliness tainted a marvelous match worthy of tennis' best rivalry. Rafter was two points from defeat and trailed 5-3 in the final set before rallying for a 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 8-6 victory.

``I think he pretty well snapped,'' Rafter said.

The 28-year-old Australian, contemplating retirement after this year, will try for his first Wimbledon title in his second consecutive final. Last year he lost to Pete Sampras.

On Sunday he'll face Britain's Tim Henman or Croat Goran Ivanisevic. Their semifinal was suspended by darkness after a two-hour rain delay Friday with Henman leading 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-0, 2-1.

Henman pulled ahead by surrendering just four points in the third set, which delighted a partisan Centre Court crowd and thousands of fans who watched a big-screen TV from the picnic terrace at the All England Club. He'll try to close out the victory Saturday and become the first Englishman to reach the Wimbledon final since Bunny Austin in 1938.

The women's final will follow. Venus Williams seeks her second consecutive Wimbledon title against 19-year-old Belgian Justine Henin, who ended Jennifer Capriati's bid for a Grand Slam sweep Thursday.

Rafter and Agassi, meeting in the semifinals for the third straight year, staged another seesaw struggle enhanced by their contrasting styles. Rafter smacked 30 aces and relentlessly rushed the net, while Agassi slugged return winners and scurried from corner to corner, his huffing and puffing audible in the stands.

But for all his effort in the three-hour thriller, Agassi's annoyance with two linespeople may have swung the outcome.

He became angry in the fourth set, when two calls by the same linesman in the same game went against him. He subsequently lost his serve to fall behind 4-2, then hit a wild 122-mph serve that just missed the linesman.

After Agassi let his lead in the fifth set slip away and the score reached 6-all, he received a code violation for an obscenity. A lineswoman behind the baseline heard the profanity and immediately trotted across the court to inform chair umpire Mike Morrissey, who issued the warning.

``That's quite upsetting and a little classless for Centre Court, to go running up there,'' Agassi said. ``I got upset at a shot I missed, and I didn't think anybody could hear it. But apparently the lady sitting closest to me can.''

Agassi didn't complain at the time, but his game came unhinged. He lost the next point to fall behind 7-6, then served poorly and committed three unforced errors to lose the next game — and the match.

Before shaking Rafter's hand, Agassi fired a forehand toward the lineswoman at the other end of the court.

``I meant to hit that in the net,'' Agassi said with a glare that suggested otherwise.

``I'm sure he's very upset,'' Rafter said. ``I thought it was a little bit unfair of that lady to report him. I guess she took the rules a little bit seriously.''

Tournament referee Alan Mills said Agassi would be fined $2,000 for the obscenity but would not be punished for the shot that nearly struck the lineswoman.

``I think he just lost it,'' Mills said. ``He hit a ball near a certain lady, but he didn't hit her. She was athletic.''

Agassi was also angered by two rulings four points apart in the fourth set. During the ensuing changeover, chair umpire Morrissey refused Agassi's request to remove the linesman who made those calls.

``You've got plenty of people,'' Agassi told Morrissey. ``Get rid of him. How many is he going to miss before you get him off? Two more? Do you want me to find someone for you?''

Morrissey instead moved the linesman to another location behind the baseline. In the next game, Agassi slammed a serve that landed 10 feet long and just missed the linesman on the bounce.

``I was trying to hit the line, and it just got a little bit away from me,'' Agassi said.

What really got away from him was the fifth set. He broke in the first game, then had six more break points the rest of the way but lost them all as Rafter kept battling back from the brink of defeat.

Serving at 0-2, 15-40, Rafter intercepted back-to-back bullets from Agassi, blocking the second one with a reflex volley to win the point.

``I guessed the right way,'' the Aussie said. ``I knew if I lost that game, the match was over.''

Agassi served for the match at 5-4 but missed four first serves, allowing Rafter to charge the net four times. Rafter also won a rare baseline rally on the 15th shot as he pulled even at 5-5.

On match point, Rafter pulled a looping backhand crosscourt, and it landed just inside the sideline for a winner and the victory.

``Maybe one in 200 matches that you play, something like that happens where it turns around for you,'' he said.

Rafter also beat Agassi in a five-set semifinal last year. This loss, Agassi said, was harder to take.

``I'm just disappointed that I let an opportunity go by,'' Agassi said. ``Nothing comes to mind right now except kicking myself.''

At least two linespeople likely favor Agassi doing just that.

Belgian Aims to Stop Venus Repeat

Venus Williams might be favored to win Saturday's Wimbledon final, thanks to her prowess on grass and her past success in Grand Slam tournaments.

Still, she isn't taking anything for granted against unheralded Justine Henin — who won their only previous meeting.

``My mom told me never to underestimate anyone. So I take that good advice,'' Williams said. ``The last time we played I was just really moving kind of slow. I don't think I was playing as well as I could have.''

The 21-year-old American, seeded second, is looking for her third title in the past five Grand Slam events, having won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2000.

She's a 2-5 favorite with British bookmakers.

``I don't like going home without carrying a plate or a trophy or a title or something,'' Williams said. ``So I think that's motivation enough for me. I like winning here. Once you win it's pretty addictive.

``But, for me, it's not like making history. It's all about winning Wimbledon 2001.''

The eighth-seeded Henin, a 19-year-old Belgian, will be playing in a Grand Slam singles final for the first time and is trying to become the first player from her country to win a major tournament. She reached the semifinals last month at the French Open, which is played on clay.

Her game tends to excel on that slower surface — her 6-1, 6-4 victory over Williams in Berlin in May was on clay — but she's quickly proven she's an all-court player.

``I'm not afraid to serve-and-volley, to slice a little bit more, to be aggressive and go to the net,'' said Henin, who has won all three previous finals she's played in this year.

While Williams will have her enigmatic father, Richard, in the crowd at Centre Court on Saturday, neither of Henin's parents will be there.

Her mother died from cancer when Henin was 12. She split with her father — who was also her coach — after a family dispute she declines to discuss.

When Henin stunned reigning Australian and French Open champion Jennifer Capriati in the semifinals Thursday, she threw her racket into the air as a symbolic salute to her mother.

``My mother believed in me, always knew I would succeed,'' Henin said. ``She knew my determination to get to the top and I know she is fully aware of what I'm doing now.''

Henin — who trailed 6-2, 2-1 against Capriati before fighting back — makes up for her lack of height with powerful hitting from the back court even from difficult angles.

In one service game against Capriati, Henin hit three crosscourt winners in a row from the backhand side.

After beating Capriati 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, Henin said she wouldn't be daunted taking on a player who was much taller or physically stronger, even on a fast surface like grass.

``I'm not afraid of the size,'' said Henin, who at 5-foot-6 is 7 inches shorter than Williams.

``If I play against a strong player I just want to go. I have already played against Davenport, Williams and Capriati. I don't mind about these kind of players because I can move well on the court and I'm so fast. I can also be a strong player when I want.''

Rafter Tops Agassi at Wimbledon

Patrick Rafter reached his second consecutive Wimbledon final, fighting from the brink of defeat to shock Andre Agassi on Friday.

In their third straight Wimbledon semifinal, Rafter beat Agassi 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 8-6. And Rafter won't even have to face seven-time champion Pete Sampras for the championship Sunday.

Rafter will face the winner of Friday's second semifinal between three-time runner-up Goran Ivanisevic and crowd favorite Tim Henman of Britain.

In the women's final Saturday, defending champion Venus Williams plays 19-year-old Belgian Justine Henin, who ended Jennifer Capriati's bid to win all four Grand Slam tournaments on Thursday.

Agassi was headed for a shot at his second Wimbledon title — and first since 1992 — as he led 5-3 in the fifth set. But Rafter rallied to go up 7-6. Then Agassi served what turned out to be his last game at Wimbledon this year.

He fell behind 0-40 before staying alive with a crosscourt forehand with Rafter too far in. But that was Agassi's final point.

Rafter won when he lofted a backhand from his left corner over Agassi's head that dropped into the opposite corner on the other side of the net.

``It was floating high. It was not very pretty,'' Rafter said. ``I said, `just get in the court, please.' It was a total surprise when it did.''

Venus Seeks Second Straight Title

Venus Williams spent time she could have used for practice in other pursuits — shopping, reading and playing with her dogs.

Imagine how dominant she'd be if she devoted those precious moments to tennis. But she finds practices boring and plays fewer tournaments than most top players.

That lukewarm attitude hasn't blocked her bid to become the first woman to win back-to-back Wimbledon championships since Steffi Graf in 1995-96.

``If I practice more, then maybe I would have had a better (early) part of this year,'' she said. ``But that's OK. I had a good time whatever I was doing.''

Williams, who has played in only seven other tournaments this year and won just one, could have more fun Saturday when she meets Justine Henin for the title.

Friday's men's semifinals matched 1992 Wimbledon champion Andre Agassi with 2000 runner-up Patrick Rafter and three-time runner-up Goran Ivanisevic with local favorite Tim Henman of Britain.

Henin, a 19-year-old Belgian ranked ninth in the world, ended Jennifer Capriati's bid for the first Grand Slam sweep since Graf won the four major tournaments in 1988.

Capriati, ranked fourth, lost 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 on Thursday. But, like Williams, she knows there are more important things than hitting a fuzzy yellow ball in front of politely clapping Britons.

``It's really not a big deal to lose a tennis match. There's a lot worse things that can happen,'' said Capriati, who can handle the end of her 19-match Grand Slam winning streak after enduring a shoplifting arrest and a stay in a drug rehab center.

If that's heresy to coaches and fans who bristle when an athlete isn't fanatical about a sport, Capriati isn't alone.

Henin also had off-court troubles. She was 12 when her mother died of cancer, and she is estranged from her father.

And Lindsay Davenport, the 1999 champion who lost to Williams in last year's final and again in Thursday's semifinal, has come too close to real tragedy.

Her doubles partner, 23-year-old Corina Morariu, was diagnosed with leukemia that doctors said last week is in remission.

``I'm pretty realistic when I look at things,'' Davenport said after her 6-2, 6-7 (1), 6-1 loss to Williams. ``I'm not going to go lock myself in a room for days.''

Williams went home to Florida between her first-round loss on clay in the French Open on May 28 and her first-round win on grass at Wimbledon on June 26.

She didn't need a tuneup at another grass tournament last year to win Wimbledon. The lack of a warmup event hasn't hurt this year, either.

But don't confuse Williams' hiatuses from tournaments with a lack of desire to win them.

``I don't like to go home without carrying a plate or a trophy or a title or something,'' she said. ``Once you win here, it's pretty addictive.

``It just seems that when it comes to the larger matches, I'm just able to raise the level of my game to a really high degree.''

Davenport rallied from a 4-1 deficit to win the second set, but Williams overpowered her in the third.

Capriati also dominated early but, unlike Williams, couldn't regain control in the third set even though a foot blister hobbled Henin. It was treated after she fell behind 2-1 in the second set.

``It's really painful,'' she said. ``I will be OK in two days.''

The 6-foot-1 Williams, 7 inches taller than Henin, is a stronger hitter, but Henin generates plenty of power.

``My mom told me never to underestimate anyone,'' Williams said.

Henin beat Williams in their only meeting, in the German Open in May. But that was on clay, and Williams has a 13-match Wimbledon winning streak.

Williams said it was her father's dream, not hers, that she become a tennis star. And she's not interested in staying involved with tennis after retiring.

When she does play, her energy and determination are as powerful as the 120-mph aces she whizzed by Davenport. Now she's greedy for another Wimbledon title.

``I feel like one isn't enough,'' Williams said. ``I have a little trophy case at home I've got to fill up.''

Venus Wants to Fill Trophy Case

One singles title at Wimbledon isn't enough for Venus Williams.

``I've got to keep getting more,'' said Williams, the defending champion, who defeated 1999 winner Lindsay Davenport 6-2, 6-7 (1), 6-1 on Thursday to reach the final against Justine Henin.

``I have a little trophy case at home I've got to fill up. ... I don't like going home without carrying a plate or a trophy or something,'' Williams said. ``I love winning here. Once you win here, it's pretty addictive.''

At Wimbledon, the winning silverware even carries her name. The plate that goes to the women's champion is the ``Venus Rosewater Dish,'' given to the winner since 1886.

British bookies have Williams at 2-5 to get a second dish when she meets Henin on Saturday.

Henin, a 19-year-old Belgian, upset fourth-seeded Jennifer Capriati 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the other semifinal. A former French Open junior champion, Henin reached the French Open semifinals four weeks ago and defeated Williams earlier this year on clay in Berlin 6-1, 6-4.

Davenport called Henin ``a phenomenal talent.'' Williams said she'll have a fight on her hands.

``My mom told me never to underestimate anyone,'' Williams said. ``So I take that good advice. You have to be playing pretty good tennis to get to the finals of a Wimbledon. That says a lot.

``The last time we played, I was just really moving kind of slow. I don't think I was playing as well as maybe I could have.''

In a rematch of last's year two-set final, Williams overpowered the third-seeded Davenport in the first set, hitting serves consistently at 120 mph en route to nine aces in the match.

Up 4-1 after an early break in the second set, Williams' first serve suddenly crumbled and her forehand wobbled. Davenport managed to break back in the seventh game, avoided a match point in the 10th, and took the tiebreaker 7-1 as Williams double-faulted twice and continued to net forehands.

``She started playing very well in the second set and hit some penetrating balls, and I think my feet stopped moving,'' Williams said. ``When you're down 2-6 and 1-4 there are some things you've got to do, and I think she really just started going all out for it.''

Davenport's turnaround ended abruptly in the third set, as Williams broke her three times. ``When it comes time to the larger matches, I'm just able to raise may game,'' Williams said.

``I just kind of shot myself in the foot by making a few errors and let it all die right at the beginning of the third,'' Davenport said.+

Another Wimbledon title would be Williams' third Grand Slam — she's the defending U.S. Open champion — and she'd be the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1995 and '96 to win back-to-back on the slick lawns at the All England Club.

``Really for me, it's not about making history. It's just about trying to win Wimbledon,'' said Williams, who said she'd received a pep-talk phone call from her sister, Serena, who went home to the United States after Capriati beat her in the quarterfinals.

``She said `Bring the title home,''' Venus said. ``She was very serious about it, so I feel pressured now to bring it home.''

Venus Williams, Henin in Finals

Jennifer Capriati's Grand Slam hopes ended Thursday when her game fell apart on Centre Court at Wimbledon.

Justine Henin, a 19-year-old Belgian, upset Capriati 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 to reach Saturday's final, where she will meet defending champion Venus Williams.

Williams stayed alive for a second consecutive title at the All England Club by beating 1999 champion Lindsay Davenport 6-2, 6-7 (1), 6-1 in the second semifinal.

Henin, a semifinalist at last month's French Open, battered Capriati with strong backhands and effective volleys on a day when a shower stopped play briefly in the third set.

Capriati won the Australian Open on hardcourt and the French Open on clay. A championship on Wimbledon's grass would have given her the third of the four major titles, leaving only the U.S. Open starting in late August.

She said missing a Grand Slam sweep didn't disappoint her.

``Everyone was making a big deal of the Grand Slam but me,'' Capriati said. ``So I'm just pretty happy with the way the year's gone so far. I mean, it's hard to win one Grand Slam.''

It's tough to win one Wimbledon, but Williams is very eager to win a second.

``I feel like one isn't enough. I've got to keep getting more,'' she said. ``I have a little trophy case at home I've got to fill up.''

Capriati's will still have space, as she missed a chance to join three women and two men who won the four major tournaments in the same year. Steffi Graf did it most recently, in 1988.

Henin made sure Capriati didn't do it this year.

Ranked ninth in the world, Henin overcame painful foot blisters to become the first person from her country to reach a Wimbledon final. She received treatment with Capriati ahead 2-1 in the second set, then won 11 of the remaining 15 games.

``Before that, I was doing well in the second set and I was still playing my game,'' said Capriati, ranked fourth in the world. ``All of a sudden, a few games there late in the second set, she was on her game.''

Henin was leading 4-1 in the third set when the court was covered during a light rain.

``I was a little bit afraid because she had the time to think what she's going to do,'' Henin said. They went to the clubhouse and returned to the sun-splashed court 16 minutes later.

Leading 5-2 in the third set, Henin just had to hold her serve to win. She took a quick 40-15 lead, double match point, and she lost the first one when she hit a forehand wide.

But her next serve was the last. The match ended and Henin exulted when Capriati hit a forehand from the baseline that sailed wide.

``It was a great comeback,'' Henin said. ``I wasn't in the match at the beginning.''

Henin flipped her racket in the air, clutched the top of her white cap with her hands and smiled broadly. Capriati, showing little emotion, shook hands with her conqueror at the net and quickly left with her tennis bag slung over her shoulder.

Wimbledon Men's Field Is Wide Open

Seven-time champion Pete Sampras is gone from Wimbledon. That suits the four men still playing just fine.

In the last decade, all four — Andre Agassi, Goran Ivanisevic, Patrick Rafter and Tim Henman — have had their dream of winning Wimbledon shattered by the grass-savvy American.

This time, any of the four might win it.

Agassi and Rafter meet in the semifinals on Friday for the third straight time. In the other match, Henman can become the first Briton since 1938 to reach the final — the last British winner was Fred Perry in 1936 — if he survives against Ivanisevic, a three-time runner-up.

Agassi vs. Rafter is one of the game's classic match-ups: the American baseliner against the deft Australian's serve-and-volley game. Rafter, 28, beat Agassi a year ago in a five-set thriller and lost to Sampras in the final. Agassi, 31, defeated Rafter two years ago and met the same fate. Overall, Agassi holds a 9-4 edge in all their meetings.

Ivanisevic, 29, has been reborn this year at Wimbledon with a tournament high 150 aces in five matches and has been broken only three times. He lost in the '92 final to Agassi and to Sampras in '94 and '98. Henman, 26, was stopped in the '98 and '99 semifinals by — you guessed it — Sampras. The Oxford-born Englishman is 4-0 against Ivanisevic, one of which was on grass.

All four are accomplished on grass, with 140 victories at Wimbledon among them — but only one title to show for it.

Ivanisevic is the tournament surprise.

The 6-foot-4 Croatian has the quickest quips and the most feared serve in tennis. He's watched his ranking slip out of the top 100, plagued by a left shoulder injury that will eventually need surgery — and a slow, steady slump since losing to Sampras three years ago at the All England Club.

``I've never been happier in my life,'' said Ivanisevic, one of the most popular players in the game. ``This year I'm playing the best tennis I've ever played at Wimbledon. The way I'm serving and playing from the back. I've just played unbelievable tennis.''

Ivanisevic figures all the pressure is on his English opponent.

``I was watching on TV. They were asking people if they should have a Henman holiday on Sunday if he wins,'' Ivanisevic said. ``So it is going to be huge expectation on his back.''

Henman does carry the weight of a nation and could get knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II if he wins Sunday's final

``My immediate feeling, in all honesty, is that it's nice that I'm not playing Sampras, because I lost to him on those two occasions and I certainly played some great tennis,'' Henman said.

At times nearly stoic on court, Henman is trying to remain low-key and predicted the winner of the Agassi-Rafter match would be the Sunday favorite.

``They've both certainly been in that situation. ... They've both won slams before,'' he said.

Neither Ivanisevic nor Henman can make that claim.

British bookmakers William Hill agree. They have Agassi the 11-8 favorite to win the tournament, followed by Rafter (11-4), Henman (10-3) and Ivanisevic (4-1).

Agassi has won seven Grand Slams, including this year's Australian Open, and says if he could win only one more, it would be Wimbledon. Rafter is a two-time U.S. Open champion, who will take a few months off when the season ends and may decide to retire.

``I'm just really looking forward to it,'' Agassi said. ``I've said many times that Pat, he's a great player, a great competitor. I've had some great matches with him.

``They're always ones to remember. Win or lose, you really cherish the opportunity to raise your level at the right time. I'm certainly going to have to do that.''

If Agassi wins the title, it would be the long the longest stretch between Wimbledon championships since Bill Tilden won in 1920, '21 and '30.

Of the four, Rafter is the most athletic with the best all-court game. Like Ivanisevic, he has had shoulder problems. Twenty months ago he had arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery. Like the oddsmakers, he's figures it's about a toss-up.

``Mate, I definitely put it down as one of four,'' he said. ``There's nothing more exciting than playing a guy like Andre at Wimbledon. It would be better if it was the final, actually.''

Henin Upsets Capriati at Wimbledon

Jennifer Capriati's Grand Slam hopes ended Thursday on a rainy Centre Court at Wimbledon.

Justine Henin, a 19-year-old from Belgium, charged back from a bad start to beat Capriati 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals.

Henin, a semifinalist at last month's French Open, battered Capriati with strong backhands and effective volleys on a day when showers stopped play briefly in the third set.

She'll meet defending champion Venus Williams or 1999 winner Lindsay Davenport in Saturday's final, her first shot at a Grand Slam singles title.

Capriati won the Australian Open on hardcourt and the French Open on clay. A championship on Wimbledon's grass would have given her the third of the four major titles, leaving only the U.S. Open starting in late August.

Only three women and two men have won all those tournaments in the same year. Steffi Graf did it most recently in 1988.

Henin made sure Capriati didn't do it this year.

Ranked ninth in the world, Henin overcame painful foot blisters and a late rain delay to become the first person from her country to reach a Wimbledon final.

Leading 5-2 in the third set, Henin just had to hold her serve to win. She took a quick 40-15 lead. That gave her two match points, and she lost the first one when she hit a forehand wide.

But her next serve was the last. The match ended and Henin exulted when Capriati hit a forehand from the baseline that sailed wide.

Henin flipped her racket in the air, clutched the top of her white cap with her hands and smiled broadly. Capriati, showing little emotion, shook hands with her conqueror at the net and quickly left with her tennis bag slung over her shoulder.

Agassi, Rafter, Ivanisevic, Advance

Andre Agassi overcame a slow start Wednesday and earned a Wimbledon semifinal berth against Patrick Rafter for the third consecutive year.

The difference this time is that Pete Sampras won't be waiting to play the winner.

Second-seeded Agassi, the only American quarterfinalist, advanced with a 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over 24th-seeded Nicolas Escude. Rafter, seeded third, beat 10th-seeded Thomas Enqvist 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (5).

Goran Ivanisevic, a three-time runner-up who got into the tournament as a wild-card entry, advanced with a 7-6 (2) 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (3) upset of fourth-seeded Marat Safin. Ivanisevic will play sixth-seeded Tim Henman, who beat 15th-seeded Roger Federer, 7-5, 7-6 (6), 2-6, 7-6 (6)

Sampras had won seven of the last eight Wimbledon titles and four in a row before losing in the fourth round to Federer, a 19-year-old Swiss.

Henman, who lost to Sampras in the 1998 and 1999 semifinals, is trying to become the first British man to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936.

In 1999, Rafter lost to Agassi in the semifinals. Last year, he beat Agassi in the semis. Both times, Sampras won the tournament.

A more ancient rematch could loom in the finals. Agassi beat Ivanisevic for the 1992 championship.

But in his first set Wednesday, Agassi was in trouble.

``I was returning well but not quite serving well,'' he said. ``I didn't find a rhythm on my serve. The wind was blowing hard.''

He started serving better in the second set but knew he couldn't underestimate the player who beat fifth-seeded Lleyton Hewitt and ninth-seeded Sebastien Grosjean in his previous two matches.

``He's a very dangerous player,'' Agassi said. ``He hits the ball very early. He's fast. He likes to move very explosively to the ball and he's not scared to take chances''

But Escude, who had reached just one semifinal in his other 12 Grand Slam tournaments, appeared to tire.

In the last set, Agassi won the last five games. The critical game was the fifth, when Escude lost his serve with a volley into the net. Agassi broke service again in the seventh game and won the match when Escude hit a service return wide.

Now Agassi is one win away from a return to the finals.

``The best player is still alive,'' he said without identifying that player. ``That's not Pete this year. While it's surprising, it's also something you have to kind of put behind you.''

In Thursday's women's semifinals, defending champion Venus Williams plays 1999 winner Lindsay Davenport in a rematch of last year's final, and Jennifer Capriati, seeking her third Grand Slam title this year, faces Justine Henin.

A men's final between Agassi, 31, and Ivanisevic, 29, would match two of the most experienced players in the 128-man field. It also could be one of the most entertaining.

Ivanisevic shook up staid old Wimbledon on Wednesday — springing another upset, flinging his shirt into the crowd and charging into the semifinals.

When Safin's last shot landed long, Ivanisevic celebrated the latest step in his improbable comeback. He ran along the baseline toward the stands, yanked off his shirt and tossed it to cheering fans.

The Croatian then stood bare-chested on a chair by the side of the court, smiling broadly and lifting his arms. He had climbed a long way from barely making the tournament as a wild-card entry to becoming the first wild card to reach the Wimbledon semifinals.

``I am the guy who can just wake up one day and beat anybody,'' he said.

Safin didn't challenge that view, not after being hammered by 30 aces and wondering if he could even return Ivanisevic's 130 mph serves.

``If he plays like he played today, I think he will not have any problems'' winning the tournament, said Safin, a Russian who won last year's U.S. Open.

Rafter was surprised at the ease of his win as Enqvist struggled to serve well on a windy day. Even more surprising was Ivanisevic's surge on Wimbledon's grass courts.

``He's really shocked, I know, not just me but a lot of people,'' Rafter said.

Ivanisevic, ranked fourth at the end of 1996 and 62nd at the end of 1999, finished 2000 at 129th after being bothered by problems to his left shoulder.

His right shoulder blade has a tattoo that was in evidence for the second time in the tournament. He also flung his shirt into the crowd after his win over Andy Roddick.

Ivanisevic lost in the Wimbledon finals in 1992, 1994 and 1998. Now he is one victory from a return trip.

``I'm playing the best tennis ever I played at Wimbledon,'' he said in his fractured English. ``To stop will be big disappointment. So I don't want to stop.''

Last year Safin won seven titles, the most on the tour, while Ivanisevic dropped to his lowest year-end ranking since 1998.

But the way Ivanisevic keeps hitting aces, there appears to be little problem with that shoulder. He charged the net for winning volleys and hit three balls between his legs, entertaining the crowd.

Ivanisevic won the first-set tiebreaker as all five of his serves went unreturned. In the second set, he broke to go up 6-5, then held for a 2-0 lead.

In the fourth-set tiebreaker, Ivanisevic's first break came when he won the third point on Safin's serve. Ivanisevic went ahead 6-2 and, before his next serve, he kissed the ball as if in anticipation that it would bring him the winning point.

But Safin broke serve, making it 6-3, then lost his serve, ending the match and starting. Ivanisevic's celebration.

Rafter, a two-time U.S. Open champ, is 7-0 in Grand Slam quarterfinals.

He dominated the first two sets before Enqvist broke serve to lead 2-1 in the third set. But Rafter broke back, forcing a tiebreaker.

Rafter took command, going ahead 5-1 as he broke two of Enqvist's first three serves. With the score 6-2, Rafter needed to win just his next serve to take the match.

But he failed and, when Enqvist held his two serves, the lead was down to 6-5. Rafter then ended any doubts with an overpowering serve for an ace and a semifinal berth. He smiled and threw a ball into the crowd.

There was a rich international flavor in the men's quarterfinals. For the first time since 1968, players from eight different countries reached the round. In seven of the last nine years, two Americans made it to the semifinals.

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