Roger Federer claimed a 6-3, 6-1 victory over a shell-shocked Andre Agassi on Saturday to reach the final of the Dubai Open.
Having failed to show his best form throughout the week, including during his 6-3 7-5 quarter-final victory over Mikhail Youzhny earlier in the day, the Swiss world number one was virtually unplayable, tying up the match in just 51 minutes.
"It was an incredible match for me," said Federer. "I'm very, very happy of course. I didn't expect anything like this today because the way I was playing in the early round matches I was really struggling with my rhythm.
"I thought against Agassi it was going to be extremely hard, and the fact I was able to pull off such a magnificent match is very special to me."
Hitting winners almost at will, he surpassed even his own high standards during the match, at one point scurrying back and hitting a lob that landed right on the baseline to leave even Federer shaking his head in wonder.
"That was unbelievable," the Swiss said. "It was one of the best shots in my life. You try to scramble everything back if possible, but I thought it was lost and just tried to get the right angle on the ball.
WRIST TWIST
"And it finished for a winner. I don't know what happened. I've got to see a replay. I stretched to the limit and lucked to the limit.
"I know I'm very good at maybe bringing back some impossible balls. I know I can get them back because I can really twist my wrist, but in a match, on a point like this against Andre, it's a different story."
In a highly entertaining match which showcased placement rather than power, it was Agassi who made the steadier start, holding a break point at 1-1 that was saved by Federer with a service winner.
Federer then reduced his errors and games went comfortably with serve until 4-3, when Federer broke Agassi to love and took the opening set by winning 12 of the last 13 points.
Agassi found his back against the wall as Federer continued his momentum into the second set, dropping his serve when Federer hit a winning pass on his second break point after Agassi had saved the first with a second serve ace.
After Federer had earned a further break to lead 3-0 Agassi moved into containment mode, but had no chance of turning the match around. Finally, he ended his frustrated challenge with a whimper, dropping the final game to love and finishing with a double-fault.
NOT SURPRISED
"I've seen him play that way before. I'm not surprised," said Agassi. "He picked up his level, and he was just too good in the second set. To lose my serve a second time in the second set, it was an incredible game that he played.
"I could have made some more second serve returns and some points in the first set. I could have made a few less errors, but it was much more him out there tonight. But in tennis you have to do it every time, and I'll make him do it again soon."
If he is still playing next year, Agassi says he will return to Dubai.
"It's been an incredible week and it's taught me a lot," he said. "For somebody to dream it, to believe it and then to go out and make it happen, that's an incredible thing to see.
"Here in Dubai they have that vision and that passion to execute something that others might not ever even dare to dream. To see it first-hand is remarkable. And that's not to mention the cultures that live peacefully together. It's the way the world is meant to be.
"The one message I'll take from here is, come to the Middle East before you form any opinions."
Federer, the twice defending champion, will play eighth seed Ivan Ljubicic in the final, after the Croatian defeated fifth seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo 6-4, 6-3.
It was the 20th victory of the year for Ljubicic, who has now reached four finals this year, and a remarkable three finals in the last three weeks.
Ljubicic was previously beaten by Federer in both Doha and last week in Rotterdam after leading the final set tiebreak 4-2, with his other loss coming against Joachim Johansson in Marseille.
