Merciless Nadal crushes Agassi

LONDON, July 1 (Reuters) Andre Agassi's 14th and final Wimbledon fling was ended in brutal fashion by second seed Rafael Nadal today, the Spaniard winning 7-6 6-2 6-4 on a baking Centre Court.

The 36-year-old American was given a thunderous reception when he walked on court and an emotional one at the end as he bowed and blew kisses to the crowd in the historic arena he has graced so many times.

For more than an hour the Las Vegan shotmaker went toe to toe with the merciless 20-year-old double French Open winner who had bounced on to court like a prize fighter.

Nadal's relentless baseline power stretched every sinew in Agassi's creaking frame, but the 1992 champion refused to buckle, fending off break points at 1-2 and 2-3 and then saving three set points at 4-5.

Agassi looked to have gained the upper hand when he led 5-2 in the tiebreak, but he threw away the iniative with a couple of costly errors before an astonishing running forehand pass and an ace clinched the opener for Nadal.

Agassi, who played his first grand slam match when Nadal was only two months old and who is retiring after this year's U.S.

Open, wilted in the second set, dropping serve twice.

With his wife Steffi Graf watching from the royal box, Agassi re-grouped in the third and kept his nose in front on serve until the seventh game when Nadal's pressure earned him another service break.

There was no way back for Agassi and three games later Nadal ended the contest with an ace to reach the fourth round of the grasscourt slam for the first time where he will play Irakli Labadze of Georgia.

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