Agassi is calm but deadly

There's an American love-in going on. A rootin', tootin' push for the boys and the star-spangled banner. World number one Pete Sampras rang Andre Agassi to congratulate him after the French Open win. Agassi appeared to watch Jim Courier play on Wednesday.

For tennis players this is French kissing in public. There is a lot of love going down.

"It's hard not to have strong feelings towards your fellow Americans out there," said Agassi after his 6-3 6-4 6-3 win over 21-year-old Argentinian Guillermo Canas.

"I mean our generation are at the tail end and we are old enough now to realise that there are a lot of great memories and that we've given to each other. Me, Jim (Courier), Pete (Sampras), Michael (Chang), Todd (Martin), all the guys . . . to show support now is something I think now we wish we should have done more of," he added.

Finally the Americans are taking on the British at their own flag-waving game and Agassi, who can draw more from a crowd than most players here, is on top of his.

Slimmer, more reflective and with his all-round game purring, the Las Vegan is relishing the hard courts and has also found some time to get nostalgic. Agassi, it appears, is at peace with himself and the world.

"To do something you love is quite a luxury in life and to do something you love and for it to be appreciated is overwhelming. There's been a lot of years out there, a lot of sweat, a lot of disappointment and a few accomplishments, and for it to be appreciated so openly speaks for itself," he said.

Less love on Centre Court where the poisonous match between the German pairing of Boris Becker and 21-year-old compatriot Nicolas Kiefer unfolded. The two players don't talk since a falling out in 1998 when Becker was manager of the Davis Cup team and Kiefer a player.

In a public spanking of sorts, the former champion gave the young Turk a lesson in the methodology of serve-volley tennis, winning in three sets 6-4 6-2 6-4. A cold brush of fingers across the net ended this particular spat.

"You are not going to have a conversation after you have just battered each other for two hours," said Becker in his defence.

"It was great to be on Centre Court and it brought out the best in me. I can't say this is my place anymore. I used to own it but Pete Sampras now has the key," he added.

The heavy hitters also punched their way into the third round.

Goran Ivanisevic, Richard Krajicek and Tim Henman were typically unfussy, with last year's finalist Ivanisevic the only one of the three forced to go to four sets.

"I think I'm playing good tennis, very concentrated. I'm not losing my mind and I'm pretty happy with the way things are going,' said Ivanisevic.

Predictably, he defended the big-serving game and criticised the idea of introducing bigger, slower balls. "This is Wimbledon. You cannot expect that you play slow tennis. You have a final, me and Pete, you cannot expect rallies.

"You have the French Open where you can watch rallies all day. Small balls, big balls, no balls. You see how many people are waiting outside.

"They love it. This is the most traditional tournament and you expect to bring a balloon here and play tennis ?"

Krajicek, who beat Todd Woodbridge 7-5, 6-4, 6-4, heaped praise on the other contenders but not himself.

"I'm looking at Tim (Henman) and Pete (Sampras), but actually I have to say that Greg (Rusedski) has been very impressive," he said. "Also Agassi. He's whacking the return and whacking the second shot and whacking everything," he added.

The match between number three seed Pat Rafter and his doubles partner Jonas Bjorkman ended in victory for the Australian in four sets 6-2, 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (7/9), 6-2.

The US Open champion now faces another Swede, Thomas Enqvist.