Agassi146;s farewell will not be easy

Andre Agassi8217;s final dash across the bright blue courts of the US Open will either be a long embrace or a quick goodbye.

Andre Agassi8217;s final dash across the bright blue courts of the US Open will either be a long embrace or a quick goodbye.

Though he avoided Roger Federer8217;s bracket in the draw ceremony at the United Nations, the unseeded Agassi will open his 21st and last United States Open against Andrei Pavel of Romania, and he could face Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus in the second round.

If the 36-year-old Agassi wins his first three matches, Andy Roddick could be waiting in the fourth.

Agassi, who says he is retiring from competitive tennis after the US Open, could meet Federer in the final, but plenty of work exists up to that point, said Patrick McEnroe, Agassi8217;s former teammate and a tennis analyst now.

8220;Baghdatis plays a similar game to Andre,8221; McEnroe said yesterday of the 21-year-old Australian Open runner-up and Wimbledon semi-finalist. 8220;He can take the ball early and go up the line. Baghdatis has the ability to make Andre change directions. That could be a difficult match for Andre.8221;

Agassi, who lost to Federer in the championship match last year, will be the story line of the US Open for as long as he is firing ground strokes.

He is the focal point of two 30-second television advertisements for the championship and has long been one of tennis8217;s most popular stars.

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Though loud applause and long ovations will greet Agassi, big serves and younger legs will, too.

8220;This is probably the toughest quarter in the draw,8221; said McEnroe, citing Roddick8217;s partnership with coach Jimmy Connors as an example. 8220;Roddick seems to be finding his game. He seems to be playing a lot more aggressively and his mind-set seems very positive. The fact that Jimmy Connors was willing to take the job, after not being that visible in tennis since he retired, said a lot to Andy.8221;

On the opposite side of the draw, Federer, who is the top-seeded player and the two-time defending champion, will face Yeu-Tzuoo Wang of Taiwan in the first round and could meet James Blake in the quarterfinals.

The No 2-seeded Rafael Nadal of Spain will open against the often-injured, hard-hitting Mark Philippoussis of Australia.

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The unseeded Serena Williams will meet Lourdes Domiacute;nguez Lino and could face Ameacute;lie Mauresmo of France, the top-seeded player, in the fourth round. The defending champion, Kim Clijsters, withdrew because of an injured left wrist and Maria Sharapova of Russia, who is seeded third, is scheduled to meet Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands in the first round.

Shikha Uberoi loses in qualifiers

NEW YORK: Shikha Uberoi faltered at the final hurdle with a straight-sets loss in the women8217;s singles qualifiers of the US Open at New York, USA, on Saturday. The US-based Indian went down 6-3, 6-1 to Agnieszka Radwanska.

8211;Damon Hack