The oldest Grand Slam finalist since 39-year-old Ken Rosewall unsuccessfully took on Jimmy Connors at the 1974 US Open, Agassi awaits either top seed and world No. 1 Roger Federer of Switzerland or No. 3 Lleyton Hewitt of Australia in tomorrow’s final.

The 1994 and 1999 US Open champion and a three-time runner-up, Agassi opened the match by breaking Ginepri, but the 22-year-old returned the favor five games later.

The veteran broke Ginepri again in the ninth game and held to take the first set in 33 minutes.

Ginepri and Agassi exchanged breaks in the fourth and fifth games of the second set, but Agassi saved seven break points in the sixth game to pull even at 3-3.

Although he had a right to be discouraged, Ginepri saved a break point in the next game and broke Agassi in the 12th game to take the set and even the match.

Agassi broke his opponent in the third game of the third set, which he claimed with another break in the ninth game when Ginepri pushed a forehand wide.

Ginepri claimed a 4-3 lead in the fourth set with a break and held thereafter to force a decisive set.

In the fifth set, both players held until the sixth game, which Agassi snatched with a backhand dropshot winner.

He held at love for a 5-2 lead, and after Ginepri held, Agassi closed out the match at love with an ace.

Agassi, who improved to 3-0 here and 4-0 lifetime against Ginepri, who was playing his fourth consecutive five-set match.

In Saturday’s second semi-final, Federer is a heavy favourite over Hewitt, who has lost the last eight meetings, including a straight-sets romp in last year’s US Open final.

Federer, who has ended his fellow 24-year-old’s Grand Slam challenge in four of his last six majors, has won 33 straight hardcourt matches, one shy of the record twice attained by Pete Sampras.

The Swiss star is 143-9 since the start of 2004. With the exception of his fourth-round match against Germany’s Nicolas Kiefer, has not been tested here.

While the men’s side of the draw has the chance to produce a repeat winner, a first-time champion will come from the women’s side when France’s Mary Pierce faces Kim Clijsters in a prime-time encounter.

The 12th-seeded Pierce has won two Grand Slams and appeared in the finals of three others. But this is her best showing at the US Open.

The 30-year-old Pierce is the first Frenchwoman to reach the finals here. She advanced to her second Grand Slam final with wins over three consecutive higher-seeded opponents.

On Friday, Pierce generated some controversey in her 3-6 6-2 6-2 victory over sixth-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva.

After dropping the first set, Pierce was granted a 12-minute injury timeout as a WTA trainer worked on her back and right leg.

The timeout appeared to change the momentum for Pierce, who at one point in the third set won 16 of 19 points to easily advance. She is the first No. 12 seed to reach the finals in the Open era (since 1968) and will be seeking her 18th singles title.

Pierce, who lost in the finals at Roland Garros to Belgium’s Justine Henin-Hardenne, has won 22 of her last 24 matches and faces another formidable Belgian in the fourth-seeded Clijsters, who is looking for his first Grand Slam championship in four tries.

Clijsters has enjoyed a remarkable return to form following her left wrist surgery in June 2004.

She has won a tour-best six titles this season, including three in US Open series events.

Ranked as low as No. 134 on March 6, the 22-year-old Clijsters is 55-6 this season.

On Friday, Clijsters advanced with a 6-2 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 victory over top-seeded Maria Sharapova.

Clijsters, who has won eight of her 11 three-set matches this season, needed the extra set after reaching match point five times in the second set.

Saturday’s championship will be for the biggest purse in women’s sports history.

The winner will receive 2.2 million – 1.1 million in US Open prize money and 1.1 million in US Open Series bonus money.