Seventh seed Andre Agassi outlasted unseeded American Robby Ginepri 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 on Saturday to reach his sixth U.S. Open final.
Ginepri twice fought back from a set down but the 35-year-old Agassi recovered to set up a final against world number one and defending champion Roger Federer or Australian third seed Lleyton Hewitt.
"I'm in the final, it's awesome," said Agassi, the oldest man to reach a Grand Slam final since 39-year-old Ken Rosewall made the U.S. Open final in 1974.
"You never know when it's going to be your last match, and you just want to give it your all, and in the fifth set I got lucky on a couple of shots and made it.
"We're down to the home stretch. I'll be out here tomorrow and let it all hang out."
The 22-year-old Ginepri, who won three consecutive five-set battles to reach the last four, dropped his serve in the opening game and though he levelled at 3-3, Agassi broke again to take the opening set.
Agassi, champion in 1994 and 1999, began to make uncharacteristic errors on his backhand and Ginepri snatched the vital break in the 12th game of the second set to level the match.
Just as it looked like Ginepri might build on his momentum, though, he was forced to run more and more by the accuracy and power of Agassi, who broke twice to regain the lead.
Ginepri looked out of it but somehow he broke to lead 4-3 and held on to force a final set.
As he did against James Blake in the previous round, though, Agassi found his best tennis when he needed it to break once and hold on to reach the final.
"Andre was just too good today," Ginepri said.
"That's why he's still out here playing and in the final tomorrow."
