A Throwback...

It was the summer of 1992. In what was destined to be his last dance, John McEnroe had reached the semifinals of Wimbledon and was two steps away from what would have been a fairytale championship. For huge McEnroe fans, like me, it was the day of reckoning. Between Johnny Mac and the King George Cup stood a brash young man of 21, who along with his Vegas disposition,brought a game unconventional to the grasscourts of Wimbledon, but deadly anyhow. It would be fair to say that Agassi destroyed McEnroe in that contest and by the end of it all, McEnroe looked an old man. For the record, Agassi went on to win the final and claim his first major. 12 years and 8 grand slams later, Agassi is now the elder statesman of tennis although, in no way,a spent force.But his face off with Roger Federer in the Australian open quarter finals,was definitely a throwback on that day of June 1992. For huge Agassi fans like me, it was another day of reckoning. Agassi was up against a 22 year Swiss, who is taking tennis to sublime levels, not seen since John McEnroe started dating Tatum O'Neal. It would again be fair enough to say that Federer destroyed Agassi - as ruthlessly as Agassi had McEnroe - in this, thier latest encounter and could go on to take his 3rd major in a row. Of course there are fallacies in this analogy. At 34, Agassi is one of the fittest men on the tour -perhaps fitter than McEnroe ever was (not that Johnny Mac needed it much!). He is still on top of his game and is arguably one of the two men - the other being Safin - who can pose any kind of threat to Federer's 'A' game. But it was Deja vu, all the same! BBS