PARIS -- There is a moment in every champion's life when potential crystalizes into something more tangible.

	Andre Agassi just couldn't seem to get ahead of Guillermo Coria.

Guillermo Coria, a scandalously young-looking Argentinean, had such a breakthrough on Tuesday. So did Martin Verkerk, the gangly Dutchman.

Coria, 12 years younger than his idol, Andre Agassi, beat the No. 2-seeded American 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Verkerk, who had never won a Grand Slam singles match before this tournament, sent home No. 4 seed Carlos Moya 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 4-6, 8-6

Both unlikely winners knocked out former champions at the French Open and advanced to the semifinals.

When Coria ended Agassi's quest for a ninth Grand Slam singles title, he looked almost stricken and patted Agassi sympathetically on the back. And then he collapsed, his head resting on the net at Philippe Chatrier, overwhelmed by the enormity of his accomplishment.

	“	Listen, I'd rather not be his idol and play him on hard court than be his idol and play him on clay. You're dealing with Xs and Os out there. It's not for me to suggest that I'm going to win every time I play on hard court, but I definitely know that on this surface, he poses a tremendous threat to everybody. ”
		— Andre Agassi

"I was very, very happy," Coria said, "because I had really given my best in this match. I'm never going to forget this day. He congratulated me at the end. He told me that he hoped I would be lucky, and I have a racket that he gave me as a souvenir."

"Listen," Agassi said, "I'd rather not be his idol and play him on hard court than be his idol and play him on clay. You're dealing with Xs and Os out there. It's not for me to suggest that I'm going to win every time I play on hard court, but I definitely know that on this surface, he poses a tremendous threat to everybody.

"I take it as a big compliment any time a peer has a high level of regard or respect for me. It's the ultimate compliment."

While Agassi struggled in his second-round match, coming back from a two-love deficit against 19-year-old Mario Ancic, he had settled down and won his third- and fourth-round matches in straight sets. Coria, who had seemed nervous in his two previous meetings with Agassi and failed to win a set -- including the round of 16 at this year's Australian Open when Coria retired with calluses and blisters -- was not widely viewed as dangerous.

Coria, however, is an interesting case. He came into the match with a 22-4 record on clay, one of the best in the game. At 5-foot-9, 145 pounds he isn't big enough to earn a lot of free points on his serve; speed and craftiness are his best weapons. It was his head that has always been questionable. Although he won here as the junior champion in 1999, his career was marred by a six-month drug suspension that began in August 2001.

Coria's previous win, over countryman Mariano Zabaleta, had stretched over two days and a total of four hours and 42 minutes. And, initially, Coria seemed overmatched. When he lost the first set 6-4, it looked like the 1999 French Open champion might roll in straight sets.

But Agassi, who seemed to lack energy from the beginning, lost control of the match. Coria looked like a younger version of Agassi, taking the ball perilously early with astonishing hand-eye coordination. He would hit heavy topspins to Agassi's backhand, then creep in and blast forehands down the line.

"He might have made 15 in a row there between the second and third set," Agassi allowed. "That's too good."

It was over in a startling two hours and 32 minutes.

Verkerk, who has easily been the most demonstrative entrant here, staggered and fell over backward on Suzanne Lenglen after match point, clearly delirious. The 6-3 Dutchman -- the anti-Coria -- has a huge serve and a wonderfully heavy backhand. Despite the extraordinary circumstances surrounding him, those weapons didn't disappear when he needed them. Verkerk won the first two sets, but Moya, the 1998 champion here, gathered himself.

With Moya serving at 6-all, Verkerk exerted himself again. At 30-all, he hit a forehand volley winner and, with Moya jogging back to the center of the court, put a laser forehand behind him down the line, for the break. With each flourish, he'd raise his fist to the crowd -- full of adoring Dutch fans -- and his eyes seemed to cross ever so slightly.

His first serve in the 14th game was unreturnable, the second was an ace. The third was also unreturnable. And after he pulled himself together and shook Moya's hand, the final returns were impressive. Through five matches, he has a tournament-high 93 aces, 27 of them against Moya.

He is only the fifth player in 75 years of French Open history to reach the semifinals in his first attempt.

And so, Rod Laver's 1969 Grand Slam accomplishment is safe for another year. Agassi, the Australian Open champion, just didn't have the energy to reach the semifinals here.

"Winning all four in one year would certainly rank up there with one of the most difficult things to do in all of sports," Agassi said. "To do it in your career is quite an achievement. For me, it's something I certainly value a lot.

"You know, sports is a very honest thing. The scoreboard, it doesn't lie. Today he won the match. He was better. But it also leaves room for incredible stories and accomplishments. So to say something's not possible (Wimbledon?) is a naïve statement because anything's possible."

Greg Garber is a senior writer for ESPN.com.