U.S. FACES FRANCE ON ROLAND GARROS CLAY

King Pete (and Prince Andre) bail on Davis Cup
Agassi told PMac 'maybe'

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

Susan Mullane Camerawork USA, Inc.

If you are an American legend and you just won your fifth U.S. Open and 14th Slam title in spectacular fashion, you pretty much know you are going to get a free pass from bailing on Davis Cup, especially if you are a highly sympathetic and beloved character such as Pete Sampras.

But there is no free pass here.

While it's understandable that Sampras is emotionally drained from his incredible two-week run in Flushing Meadows, Sampras did say at the year's outset that he was committed to playing Davis Cup all year, come rain or shine. When it poured, captain Patrick McEnroe stuck with him, even though Pete looked like hell after he was stunned by Alex Corretja in Houston. PMac always propped Pete and was one of the few analysts to keep saying that his magic would return, even during his darkest hours.

So how does Pete repay Pat when the sun shone brightly on him once again? By not even bothering to get on the plane to Paris, when the team could really use him either as a doubles player or singles (or backup singles) player. Couldn't Pete have taken a week off and arrived in Paris on Wednesday refreshed? Please.

Sure, the U.S. still has about a 40 percent chance of winning the tie, because both Andy Roddick and James Blake are capable of upsetting Sebastien Grosjean and Arnaud Clement on clay at Roland Garros if they are in a good frame of mind and don't play too impatiently. They both are athletic and have great forehands, which is a formidable dirtball combo.

But in all probability, the U.S won't win both singles matches on Friday, which is a why they need to win the doubles point and you can't convince me that Todd Martin and Blake are favored to take out Fabrice Santoro and Michael Llodra on clay.

BLAKE WILL BE STRONG BUT DRAINED
Even if they do, what shape will Blake be in on Sunday? I wouldn't completely put it past him to win three matches in Paris, but it would be a near miracle for a guy who's conditioning has always been a little bit suspect.

What this means is that Roddick may have to win both his singles matches and given that his ankle is sore and his confidence has to be down after he thrashing that Sampras gave him in New York, that's also doubtful.

So Captain Mac is in a nearly impossible position and if his team manages to pull off the upset, he'll more than deserve the new two-year contract the USTA just gave him. In fact, he should be given a third year if they pull off the feat.

Sampras left McEnroe in a real bind and has been tying his hands for a few weeks now. First of all, Sampras said before he regained his magic in N.Y. that he didn't want to go to Paris and just play doubles, even though he hasn't had a decent singles win at Roland Garros in six years. But Mac was patient with him and then when Sampras finally hit his ethereal level last Sunday, he gave him a chance to play singles again. That's a sound decision because the way Pete is playing right now; confidence alone could carry him to victory on clay. But no, he bailed on his captain and friend, probably telling him he's open to play the December final, should they make it there.

"I think Pete needs some time to digest what happened, think about what he wants to do, whether that means not play the rest of this year, whether that means maybe not even play again," McEnroe said. " I think he's just worn out.

I certainly understand that.

PAT EXPLAINS HIS PHILOSOPHY

Susan Mullane Camerawork USA, Inc.

"As I've said from the start when I took this job, I've said it in regards to Pete, to Andre, to whomever, I really want the guys who want to be there," PMac said. "Pete needs to rest now. Obviously I feel we need guys there that are going to bring a lot of energy to the table. With James and Andy especially, as we look ahead to the singles, being our two singles players, that's who we have, and that's what I want to have.

"I would never be one to want to put these guys up against a wall and say, 'You have to be there.' That's not the way I see the Davis Cup. That's not the way I see building the right chemistry and morale on the team. Pete deserves to digest it all. Let's face it, if the Davis Cup were held at a different time, if it wasn't right after the U.S. Open, he might play. But with the schedule being as it is, quite honestly I can't really blame him.

"I'm not going to say, "Pete, you've got to play.' That's not the way I do business. That's not the way I'm ever going to do business. I don't believe in that. I've seen too many situations in Davis Cup where the so-called best player is there and they didn't really want to be there for whatever reason. That doesn't work. It never works. What works is having your best players, we all know that. But you want to have them with the right frame of mind and mentality.

"Let's be honest, as great as Pete is, it's not a lock to have Pete play on clay. James and Andy have both had great results on clay and can play well. They'll have fresh legs. To me that's the key."

Fresh legs, yes, but enough confidence to beat the French in France? We'll see next weekend.

Agassi told PMac 'maybe'
And now on to Agassi, who McEnroe held out hope might play had he won the Open, even though Andre has said all year that Davis Cup is not in his career plans anymore. Apparently, while Agassi was telling the press no way, he was telling PMac maybe. All that ended when he suffered the most disappointing loss of his career to Pete. Now it's almost assured that the two will never meet in a U.S. Open final again and Andre will end his U.S. Open career 0-4 against Pete. That's not the chapter in Andre's biography that Agassi will ever turn to.

"I think there was a small chance that maybe he would change his mind, but I never was counting on that," McEnroe said. "I never was expecting that he would. Obviously I'm going to give him another opportunity to do that, but I certainly wasn't surprised that he declined. … [If he had won the Open] there probably is a better chance. Whether or not he would have wanted to, I just don't know. But I think there was a better chance. Andre is exhausted. He's extremely disappointed I'm sure about losing in the final. He wants to rest and relax. He's probably thinking about how much he wants to play the rest of the year. We certainly would have loved to have him back."