Agassi, Rafter Renew Rivalry

A look at today’s Wimbledon men’s semifinals:

No. 2 Andre Agassi vs. No. 3 Pat Rafter

Head-to-head: Agassi leads, 9-4.

This is the fourth time they’ve met in the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament, the third in a row at Wimbledon. Agassi, 31, won at Wimbledon in 1999, 7-5, 7-6 (5), 6-2. Rafter, 28, won last year, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. They met again in the semifinals of the Australian Open in January, and again they went to five sets before Agassi prevailed, 7-5, 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3.

“They’re always ones to remember,” Agassi says of his matches with Rafter. “Win or lose, you really cherish the opportunity to raise your level at the right time. I’m certainly going to have to do that.”

Rafter, who, like many big servers, has had shoulder problems, says he will take six months off at the end of the year to determine whether he should continue playing, but his results during this fortnight and in Australia have reinvigorated him.

“There’s nothing more exciting than playing a guy like Andre at Wimbledon,” he says. “It would be better if it was the finals, actually.”

Agassi, the Wimbledon champion in 1992, didn’t lose a set this year until the quarterfinals, when he beat Nicolas Escude, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. Rafter has lost two sets, but he rolled over Thomas Enqvist in the quarterfinals, 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (5).

No. 6 Tim Henman vs. Goran Ivanisevic

Head-to-head: Henman leads, 4-0.

There is no question which player is most burdened by the weight of expectations. Henman, 25, has at times staggered under the pressure of trying to become the first Englishman since Fred Perry in 1936 to win Wimbledon.

Ivanisevic, meantime, is a three-time Wimbledon finalist, but his ranking has dropped to No. 125 because of shoulder problems the last two years. Failing to earn a berth in the tournament, he received a special invitation.

Because of his amazing comeback and his charisma, Ivanisevic, 29, has enjoyed popular support this week. “I feel like I’m maybe going to ask for the English passport soon,” he says. “They just love me.”

But not today. Ivanisevic believes Henman might crack.

“On big points, he can get tight,” Ivanisevic says. “He may throw some double faults. Everybody gets tight. But, you know, when you play at home, the biggest tournament ever. . . . All England is talking about Henman, winning, losing, holidays, all this stuff. We’ll see how he’s going to handle that.”

Henman has experience, twice before reaching the Wimbledon semifinals. But he has had some nervous moments this year, going to four sets in three consecutive matches. Ivanisevic has also been taken to four sets three times, but he always has been able to come up with his big serve when he needs it. He has 150 aces in five matches, 56 more than anyone else.

Henman acknowledges that he has been “as tight as a drum.”

But he believes the home court is an advantage.

“The more support the better,” he says.