Tennis: Agassi and Williams kiss Wimbledon goodbye

Agassi said saying goodbye meant as much as winning. Picture / Reuters.

LONDON - With blown kisses and a sad smile, Andre Agassi bade Wimbledon farewell on Saturday after losing to a ruthless Rafael Nadal in the third round.

The 36-year-old's defeat was no great surprise, unlike that of another American, Venus Williams. The women's champion lost in three sets to Serbian Jelena Jankovic in the biggest shock of the tournament so far.

Double French Open champion Nadal made no allowance for sentiment in a 7-6 6-2 6-4 victory on the Centre Court where Agassi won the first of his eight grand slam titles 14 years ago.

The Las Vegan retires from tennis after the US Open and he said: "To say goodbye, for me, this means as much as winning.

"It's been a lot of incredible years, I'll never be able to repay you for how you embraced me."

Jankovic, the 26th seed, reached the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time with a 7-6 4-6 6-4 victory over three-times champion Williams on court two.

"There are definitely some things I could have done better but I think she played well," said a downcast Venus.

Agassi, one of only five men to have won all four grand slam events in his career, tried everything to prolong his final visit to the All England Club.

Time has caught up with him, though, and he could not contain 20-year-old Nadal's fulminating groundstrokes on the court where he won the first of his eight grand slam titles.

The Spaniard produced an astonishing forehand pass and an ace to snatch the first set tiebreak after Agassi had led it 5-2.

From that point on Nadal dominated in a display that proved the claycourter is a genuine contender for the grasscourt grand slam.

"It's unbelievable for me to play the last match with Andre, one of the best players in history," said second seed Nadal. "Today I played my best match on grass so I am very happy."

Labadze, the first Georgian to reach the fourth round since Alex Metreveli in 1976, faces Nadal next.

- REUTERS