Agassi answers old query

Andre Agassi is so often confronted with questions about advancing age, and how much longer he can continue to play, that he may have had a few moments of perverse pleasure when a significantly younger opponent, Jiri Novak, withdrew because his body rebelled yesterday.

Rotten though it was for the Czech to sustain a groin injury before his first Masters Series final, and still worse though it was for so colourful a new venue as the Pabellon de Cristal to suffer such an anti-climax to its inaugural Masters Series, for Agassi it was just what the physio ordered.

He will go to St Petersburg today in better shape for having missed the best of five sets final, and with better prospects of making up the 43 points which are all that now stand between him and Lleyton Hewitt at the top of the ATP Champions Race.

But it does mean that Agassi may be pestered even more about age. If he is to deny Hewitt he will become the oldest year-end world No1 of them all - at 32 years and seven months even older than the obstinately enduring Jimmy Connors when he last did it.

"My body's still holding up," said Agassi when interrogated yet again about his longevity yesterday. "And my mind is still determined to get better and to play. I think I can find a way for a few more years."

Agassi also reckons fatherhood has prolonged his career, which may be good news for Tim Henman.

The arrival of the Briton's first child a day earlier than predicted on Saturday means Henman is more likely to defend his title at this week's Swiss Indoor Championships, and is less likely to lose the place at the year-end finals which seemed to be slipping away all last week.

If the Basle organisers allow Henman to begin on Wednesday, he will have had more than three days with his wife Lucy and the 8lb 4oz newborn Rose Elizabeth, which may convince him that he can spend another week away.

Agassi has had a year in which to consider the effect of son Jaden Gil upon his career, and his conclusions bode well.

"In a sport which does not really have an off-season it is very important to be able to get away from it," said Agassi. "Having a child can enable you to do it more easily. It has made it easier for me on court, no question."

· Patty Schnyder gave her home crowd plenty to cheer about in the Swisscom Challenge final yesterday, beating the defending champion Lindsay Davenport 6-7, 7-6, 6-3 and saving a match-point along the way, writes Eleanor Preston in Zurich.

The American, who has an injured right shin, has opted to miss this week's tournament in Linz in order to rest and have more tests on the injury ahead of the year-end Sanex WTA Championships in Los Angeles in two weeks' time, an event she is now almost certain to qualify for after her efforts this week.