Sampras sets up Agassi final

Pete Sampras was not at his best - but it was enough

Pete Sampras used all his years of experience to overturn deficits in both sets to win his semi-final over Yevgeny Kafelnikov at the Tennis Master Series-Indian Wells tournament.

Sampras will now meet great rival Andre Agassi in the final, after the latter overcame Australian Lleyton Hewitt in three sets, 6-4 3-6 6-4.

Third seed Sampras advanced to his first final at the venue since winning back-to-back Indian Wells titles in 1994 and '95 with a 7-5 6-4 over the Russian.

Slow start

The seven-time Wimbledon champion admitted that he had suffered from the exertions of his quarter-final with 11th seed Patrick Rafter.

"I got off to a slow start," said Sampras, who erased deficits of 2-5 in the first set and 1-4 in the second.

"I lost my first two service games, just felt a touch flat. But once I kind of got through the stiffness that I felt a little bit this morning, you (just) play another match."

In what was a scrappy game, the 29-year-old Sampras showed the kind of determination which has made him the world's dominant player during thew last six years.

In serious danger of falling behind a set at 2-5 down in the first, Sampras kicked his game into gear and reeled off the next five games in quick succession to take the set.

Golden opportunity

Kafelnikov, a two-time Grand Slam champion, was serving for the set at 5-3, but could not close it out.

From 30-30, he made two errors -- netting a backhand and then a forehand - to lose his serve and blow a golden opportunity.

"It was one of those days where I felt like I was playing well, but I wasn't able to capitalize on the right points at the right time," said the Russian.

"That's what makes a difference."

A change of racket helped Sampras in the second set.

From 4-1 down, he put together another impressive five-game streak that closed out the match.

For Agassi, the route to the final was much tougher.

In a seesaw match in which both men had trouble holding serve and finding consistency on their groundstrokes, Agassi broke Hewitt to win the contest when the sixth seed dumped a forehand into the net to end a long rally.

Agassi had appeared to have lost his focus when he was broken at love when serving for the match at 5-3. But the Las Vegan bore down on Hewitt's weak second serves and took the contest in one hour and 51 minutes.

Sunday's final between Agassi and Sampras will be the 30th meeting between the two old American rivals, with Sampras holding a 17-12 edge.

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Semi-final results

P Sampras (USA) beats Y Kafelnikov (Rus)
7-5 6-4
A Agassi (USA) beats Lleyton Hewitt (Aus) 6-4 3-6 6-4