Andre Agassi enhanced his magnificent form at the ATP Tour World Championship by polishing off Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten 6-4 75 to become the first man to qualify for the semi-finals.

The world number one, who has re-stamped his mark on the game with French and US Open titles this year, can relax today as Pete Sampras and Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti play the last match in his Red Group.

The only thing certain is that Agassi has reached the last four a decade after winning the first tournament when it was played in Frankfurt in 1990.

In the other group, Yevgeny Kafelnikov scored his second victory of the week and only a bad defeat to Nicolas Kiefer would scupper his last four dream.

Agassi had to struggle slightly when world number three Kuerten recovered from a first-set break in the battle of current and former French Open champions. The 29-year-old American nudged ahead 43 with a second break to seal the opener. The second set stayed on serve until Agassi produced two break points from a leaping overhead smash.