New York ? With a spry skip at the end to blow kisses to the crowd, Andre Agassi showed he still had legs and spirit aplenty, even if he was the oldest Grand Slam finalist in 31 years.

The seemingly ageless marathon man had more energy than a buffer, younger mirror image of himself in baseliner Robby Ginepri to win a third straight five-setter at the U.S. Open on a broiling Saturday afternoon and give himself a shot at a ninth Grand Slam title.

Agassi, the owner of U.S. Open titles in 1994 and ’99, surely will be the underdog against defending champion and top seed Roger Federer, a 6-3, 7-6 (0), 4-6, 6-3 victor in three hours against 2001 champ Lleyton Hewitt.

Federer overcame five set points in the second set and crushed the disconsolate Hewitt in the tiebreak. The Australian, who fell to Federer for the ninth straight time, had the small consolation of winning a set against him after losing 17 in a row.

“I expect a tough match,” Federer said of playing Agassi, though the Swiss has beaten him in their last seven matches. “He always makes the opponent run. I’m ready to run, defend myself and play aggressive when I have the chance.

“It’s Andre. It’s more emotional. … This is one of the biggest matches in my career. I better be playing well.”

Federer, who owns five Grand Slam titles and is 22-0 in finals during the past two years, is 44-1 on hard courts this year and 70-3 overall.

Agassi delivered an exclamation point to his 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 triumph with a 120-mph ace, his 17th of the match, on his last serve, shook hands with Ginepri, then bounded happily onto the court to make his trademark kisses and bows to the 23,582 fans giving him an ovation in packed Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“Oh, how do you find words for what this means? This has been some of the greatest memories I’ve ever had on the court,” Agassi said. “I’ll have these memories the rest of my life. Being in the finals at 35 just means you’re going to have to put up with me a lot longer.”

Agassi’s wife, Steffi Graf, and children Jaden and Jaz were among those watching him raise his game once again in a fifth set – the first time in his 20-year career he’s had to play three five-setters in a row.

“He’s still got it,” said the 22-year-old Ginepri. “That’s why he’s still going at age 35. He still believes that he can compete with anybody.”