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| Andre Agassi hits a forehand during his straight-sets win over Julien Benneteau of France during day 4 of the Mercedes-Benz Cup.© Ronald Martinez/Getty Images |
LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - American Andre Agassi found career win No. 801 a lot easier to come by than No. 800.
Agassi defeated Julien Bennetau of France at the $380,000 Mercedes-Benz Cup on Thursday night, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2, to move into the quarterfinals of the hardcourt event.
The 34-year-old Agassi, the top seed, became the sixth male player to record 800 career victories with a 6-3, 6-1 triumph over fellow American Alex Bogomolov Jr. on Tuesday - his first win since March at the NASDAQ in Miami.
Agassi had dropped his last four matches, losing in the first round of the last three. He also has been suffering from inflammation in his right hip. Agassi will face German Tommy Haas, who dominated Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark, 6-2, 6-0, in the quarterfinals.
Earlier Thursday, South African Welsey Moodie upset fifth seed Sjeng Schalken of the Netherlands, 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 7-5. Moodie's quarterfinal opponent at the first hardcourt summer event leading up to next month's U.S. Open will be American wild card Jeff Morrison, who shocked second seed Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand, 7-5, 6-4.