NEW YORK -- Andre Agassi ran like a kid, Pete Sampras pumped his fist like a rookie, and the two old Americans made it back to the U.S. Open final.

It's a most unlikely pairing of players who are past their peaks. On Saturday, though, they played as if they were still on top.

	Andre Agassi will be vying for his fifth title of the year.

"We're both here again,'' Agassi said. "It's going to be a blast.''

They've met in two previous U.S. Open finals, Sampras winning both in 1990 and 1995. They got back there with shot-making reminiscent of those days and energy suited for players 10 years younger.

The 32-year-old Agassi beat 21-year-old defending champion Lleyton Hewitt 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (1), 6-2. Sampras, 31, beat Sjeng Schalken, who turns 26 Sunday, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4), 6-2.

The final Sunday will produce the oldest U.S. Open champion since Ken Rosewall, who was 35 when he won in 1970.

Sampras said the final would be "a huge moment for both of us, for the game, two older players, two rivals over the years. He brings out the best in me.''

The crowd should be split in its sentiment but, for a change, Agassi won't be rooting for Sampras.

"We've grown up together. You hear all this talk about his game, where he's at, where he's not at,'' Agassi said. "Inside my own heart and mind, I've been pulling for him.''

It will be a clash of styles, both still very effective.

Sampras beat Schalken with powerful serves and aggressive volleying at the net. Agassi knocked off the top-seeded Hewitt with patient baseline play and timely rushes.

Sampras beat Agassi in the Open quarterfinals last year and holds a 19-14 lead in their career matches. But Agassi is having a much better year, having won four titles.

Sampras is winless in more than two years after winning Wimbledon in July 2000 and lost there in the second round this year. Seeded just 17th, he's fired up for the Open, where he won four times and was runner-up the last two years.

Agassi, seeded sixth, was in trouble several times against Hewitt. But he responded, finally winning when he broke Hewitt's serve for the third consecutive time.

Ahead 0-40 in the final game, Agassi lost the next two points. On a hot day, the bald whirlwind finally closed out the match in 2 hours, 59 minutes with a forehand winner to the corner.

He raised both arms, smiled weakly, as if in relief, and shook hands with Hewitt. Only then, as the cheers that boosted him throughout the last game grew, did he raise both arms, pump his fist and blow kisses to the crowd.

Imagine how the fans will sound Sunday when they watch two old-time favorites.

"Nothing in my career compares to playing against Pete,'' Agassi said. "Pete's the best I've ever played against, and that forces you to get that little special rush of blood that makes you do that thing that's special.''

The women's championship was to be decided Saturday night between top-seeded Serena Williams and her second-seeded sister, Venus.

Agassi won the last four games against his Australian opponent and took 11 of the last 12 points.

"He was too good on the day. I felt like I had chances,'' Hewitt said.

He wasted a break point that would have tied the third set 3-3, then Agassi hit a crosscourt backhand that Hewitt missed, almost crashing into a chair near the umpire's seat.

Agassi ended that game with a service winner, then broke Hewitt at love.

Agassi began the last game with an ace. Hewitt then hit a forehand wide and Agassi reached back for his seventh ace. Hewitt hung in by winning the next two points before Agassi placed his forehand out of Hewitt's reach.

Agassi pulled off one of the most remarkable shots of the tournament with the second-set tiebreaker even at 1-1. He kept changing directions to run down shots before finally winning with a forehand volley past Hewitt. Agassi went on to win that tiebreaker.

With the third set tied 5-all, the crowd chanted, "USA! USA!'' as Agassi was preparing to serve. It didn't help as Hewitt won the game.

Hewitt won the first five points of the tiebreaker and forced a fourth set.

But he couldn't capitalize on other chances _ losing the first set after going up 3-0 and the second after serving with a 5-3 lead.

In the other semifinal, Sampras used powerful serves and dominant net play to reach his third straight Open final. He lost to Marat Safin in 2000 and Hewitt last year.

"He was placing the ball so good with 120 mph serves,'' Schalken said. "I couldn't touch the ball.''

Fired up by his return to the Open, Sampras flashed his trademark fist pump after several critical points. After match point, he didn't have to walk far to shake Schalken's hand.

That's because Sampras finished Schalken off with another backhand volley a few feet from the net.

Sampras won 62 of 85 points at the net while Schalken tried only nine and won them all. Sampras was just as dominant with his serve, belting 23 aces to five for Schalken.

"My serve is my weapon. I'm going to use it whenever I can,'' Sampras said.

His fastest serve was 133 mph. Schalken, a consistent baseline player, never surpassed 108 on his serve.

Sampras was the world's top-rated player from 1993-98 and won his record 13th Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon in 2000.

This year's Wimbledon experience "was the emptiest I felt in many years,'' he said. "The years of dominating are over, but I still believe that I can win a major.''

The first two sets came down to tiebreakers after neither player broke service.

On the first one, Sampras won the first four points then dropped the next five but eventually won with a backhand at the net.

"Yeah! That's what I'm talkin' about,'' he yelled as he pumped his fist.

The winning point in the second tiebreaker was typical: a strong serve, a return by Schalken and a backhand volley at the net.

"He comes to the net all the time,'' Schalken said, "puts the pressure on me.''

The first service break came in the fourth game of the third set and was the only one Sampras needed. Schalken had two break points in the seventh game, but Sampras won with a backhand volley.

In the final game, Schalken was ahead 30-15 but didn't get another point as Sampras kept charging the net.

When his final volley got by Schalken, Sampras pumped his fist again, just one win away from ending his title drought.