3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (6). Andre Agassi, coming from two sets down and battling back from break point after break point, bested James Blake to advance to the US Open Semis at age 35.

I’ll come straight out: I was rooting for Blake. The emotional and physical trauma he’s gone through this past year, you couldn’t help but root for his fairy tale trip as a wild card this year. And even with the loss, Blake showed once and for all that he will be a force on the ATP tour. But Agassi showed himself to be a true champion this year–just amazing grit and determination that make him one of the greats. I can honestly say this was one of, if not the best, tennis match I’ve ever witnessed.

Congratulations to both of these incredible men.

Now that all of my favorites are out of the men’s draw (my favorite player is Paradorn Srichaphan, who also lost in a 5th set tiebreaker), I turn my attention to the woman’s draw. While I’ve always have been a big Mary Pierce fan, I can’t help but root for Kim Clijsters of Belgium. She’s like the Phil Mickelson of Woman’s Tennis (pre-Masters)–a truly dominant player and class act who has never won a major. Since my favorite men’s player of all time was Todd Martin (who’s one chance at winning a major was stopped–in five sets, naturally–by Andre Agassi), I don’t want to see her retiring without having hoisted a Slam title at least once. So I’m going with her.

Consider this an Open Thread (haha, get it? Open thread), or a Tennis thread. Your choice.