Agassi and Roddick Eliminated

Andre Agassi doesn’t let leads like this get away very often.

Up one set and a break in the second set to Fernando Gonzalez, Agassi saw his advantage slipp away Saturday night in a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) loss in the semifinals of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic at Washington.

The fourth-seeded Gonzalez will play the 10th-seeded Tim Henman, who also rallied from a set down and beat second-seeded Andy Roddick, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (1), to reach his first final of the year.

Having battled James Blake through three sets on Friday, Agassi, now 21-2 on hard courts this year, failed to put away a match at a tournament he has won five times in 15 years.

The two traded huge ground strokes the entire match. But it was one of Gonzalez’s softest shots of the night -- a forehand he pushed wide -- that gave Agassi his only break point of the first set. Gonzalez provided more charity by double-faulting on the next point, giving Agassi a 5-3 lead.

Agassi appeared more workmanlike as he broke Gonzalez in the opening game of the second set, despite two forehands up the line from Gonzalez, to fight off two earlier break points.

With Agassi having already timed the pace, Gonzalez began to unleash a series of drop shots and slices that threw off the eight-time Grand Slam winner enough to get the second set even at 2-2.

“I had the match under my control and the game he broke back in the second set he played three drop shots, two of which were off second serves,” Agassi said. “I’d hate to go to sleep counting on that shot, but that being said, he played them really well.”

Gonzalez returned a forehand that clipped the tape and just landed in to give him a break and the second set.

“Andre brings too much pressure,” Gonzalez said. “You miss a first serve and he’s going in. He don’t let you play. Sometimes you have to change and make him play the way he don’t like to play.”

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Anna Pistolesi easily defeated Klara Koukalova, 6-2, 6-0, to win the Idea Prokom Open at Sopot, Poland, for her first title of the year.

In the men’s semifinals, French Open semifinalist Guillermo Coria defeated Luis Horna, 6-2, 6-2, and David Ferrer beat Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo, 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-4.

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Motor Racing

Brian Vickers stayed close to Shane Hmiel all night before making the decisive pass on lap 181, then held on to win the Kroger 200 for his first career NASCAR Busch Series victory. It was the first victory in 47 career starts for Vickers, who at 19 is the youngest driver in NASCAR.

Vickers, who was fifth on the Busch Series points race, started third in a Chevrolet in the 200-lap race at Indianapolis Raceway Park and spent most of it right behind Hmiel, also in a Chevrolet.

Juan Pablo Montoya won his first pole position of the season, leading a 1-2 finish for Williams-BMW in qualifying for today’s Formula One German Grand Prix at Hockenheim.

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Soccer

Mia Hamm scored three goals in a game for the first time in her Women’s United Soccer Assn. career to lead the Washington Freedom (9-6-4) to a 5-0 victory over the San Jose CyberRays in front of 9,269 at Washington.

Abby Wambach scored the other two goals. San Jose (7-9-3) was without several top players. Forward Pretinha was out following knee surgery and defender Brandi Chastain sat out with a quadriceps strain.

Marinette Pichon scored two goals to help the Philadelphia Charge end a five-game losing streak with a 3-0 victory over the Atlanta Beat in front of 7,802 at Villanova, Pa.

Emily Burt added a goal and an assist for Philadelphia (4-11-4), which also ended an eight-game winless skid. Atlanta (9-4-6) had its five-game unbeaten streak come to an end.

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Miscellany

Mike Tyson has filed for Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

The former heavyweight champion has squandered nearly $300 million in ring earnings through lavish spending and bad advice.

Michigan defensive back Marlin Jackson has been charged with felony assault. A warrant on charges of felonious assault and aggravated assault was filed in Washtenaw County Court, first assistant prosecutor Konrad Siller said. He wouldn’t discuss what led to the charges.

Each of the felonies carry a penalty of up to four years in prison and a $2,000 fine.

Jackson, a junior, had 98 tackles and six interceptions in his first two years with the Wolverines and was a second-team All-American last season.

Amigo Hall, a 27-1 longshot, rallied in the stretch at East Rutherford, N.J., to win the Hambletonian, harness racing’s biggest race. It was the fourth victory for driver Mike Lachance in the $1-million race.