For one brief, shinning moment it looked as if tennis' comeback king could summon the magic once more.
At 35 years old Andre Agassi, the oldest Grand Slam finalist in 31 years, did something few tennis players have done recently: he won a set against the top player in the world, 24 year-old Rodger Federer.
While Agassi ultimately lost the match 3-6, 6-2, 6-7, 6-1 it will be remembered in tennis history as the last match of an unprecedented, unimaginable, and truly magical run by one of America's most beloved athletes.
But to understand that magic, one has to understand what he was up against. Since bursting onto the tennis scene in 1999, Federer has won five Grand Slam events (the 2004 Australian and US Opens, as well as the last three Wimbledon Championships.) He hadn't lost his last 22 tournament finals, a streak that reaches back to 2003. And Agassi hadn't beat Federer since April 2002, a losing streak that had reached seven matches.
As expected, Federer steam-rolled his competition en-route to the Sunday afternoon final. With American phenom Andy Roddick bounced out of the tournament in the first round, Agassi was left as the highest American seed for the New York faithful to root for. And root they did.
Agassi basked in the roar of crowds more than 20,000 strong as they seemingly willed him to victory throughout the tournament. Younger (and unseeded) Americans James Blake and Robby Ginepri also blazed cheer-worthy trails through the draw.
Blake's triumphs were rewarded with a prime-time showdown against Agassi in the quarterfinals. Their epic five-set battle continued into the wee hours of Thursday morning, ending after 1 a.m. on the east coast. Still, much of the crowd remained until the last points cheering both players.
After winning, Agassi told the crowd "the true winners here tonight were tennis and its fans."
Next in Agassi's draw came the other American young-gun, Ginepri. And much like his battle with Blake, Agassi's battle with Ginepri was long, exhausting and truly electrifying. TV commentators marveled at Agassi's ability to match players who were more than a decade younger than himself stroke for stroke.
What's more, Agassi has been battling through what could have been a career-ending injury. Inflammation of his sciatic nerve flared during his first-round loss at the French Open less than three months ago. Instead of calling it a career, Agassi battled back. He underwent painful cortisone injections and did extra weight training. And miraculously his 35 year-old body held up through three consecutive five-set matches, a first in his career.
With only 24 hours between his semifinal win over Ginepri and his showdown with Federer, many wondered if Agassi's body would fail him.
Which is why, when Agassi tied the match at one set apiece, the crowd was abuzz with wonder. To many, it became a real possibility that Agassi could beat Federer, a man who some have argued could become the best player in tennis history. But alas, it was not meant to be. Federer picked his game up a notch, winning the third-set tiebreak 7-1. The momentum briskly shifted, and the world's best quickly disposed of the aging comeback kid, winning the final set 6-1.
As the crowd roared with a prolonged ovation, Agassi waved and blew kisses, thanking them for the support he had received during his 20 years of competition. As the sun set on New York and this year's Open, Agassi's future is full of questions. But for one moment, the crowd could bask in the magic most had never seen before and may never see again.
