HOUSTON, April 26 (UPI) -- Rivals Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras won their matches Friday night to set up their 33rd career meeting.
Agassi, the second seed, extended his ATP winning streak to nine matches, cruising to a 6-3, 6-3 quarterfinal victory over Denmark's Kristian Pless at the $400,000 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships.
Fourth-seeded Sampras registered 13 aces and posted his 18th victory in 22 lifetime encounters with compatriot and seventh-seeded Todd Martin, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3).
In Saturday's other semifinal, defending champion Andy Roddick, the third seed, faces Guillermo Coria of Argentina at the Westside Tennis Club.
Roddick rolled over Davis Cup teammate James Blake, the fifth seed, to reach his second straight semifinal. Coria outdueled Australian Wayne Arthurs, 7-6 (8-6), 7-5.
Sampras currently holds an 18-14 lead in his career series with Agassi. But Agassi has won three of their four meetings on clay.
Agassi broke Pless' serve in the ninth game of the second set to close out the match.
"I was hitting my shots well and consistently throughout the match," Agassi said. "I feel great and I've been working hard. Every day is a new day and I'm trying to get better."
The Las Vegas native is gunning for his third ATP crown of the year, having captured the hardcourt titles at Scottsdale and Miami.
Meanwhile, Sampras has not won a tournament since Wimbledon 2000 and has not lifted a claycourt trophy since the 1998 Atlanta event.
Roddick improved his career record here to 10-0. The Florida resident also won two Davis Cup matches in Houston three weeks ago as the Americans beat Spain in the Davis Cup World Cup quarterfinals.
