Taking a Minor Detour

Even the most well-meaning fan has a way of cutting to the quick, coming down with tennis-shoe-in-mouth disease.

Two-time Grand Slam finalist Mark Philippoussis, a former top-10 player from Australia, has had it happen, and not just once, forcing him to reassess the state of Scud.

“I remember going shopping a few times and as I give my credit card, they’ll go, ‘Oh you’re Mark Philippoussis, I’m such a fan of yours,’ ” he said. “And then they say, ‘So, how long ago did you retire?’ I’m thinking, ‘I’d better start winning some matches.’ ”

At least they weren’t asking: Didn’t you used to be Mark Philippoussis?

Philippoussis was smiling as he retold his story of retail shock therapy, sitting in an office at the Calabasas Tennis & Swim Center shortly after winning his quarterfinal match Friday night. He defeated 28-year-old Tyler Cleveland, 6-3, 7-6 (6), in a $50,000 challenger tournament, and will play countryman Nathan Healey today in a semifinal.

These days, the sight of a top player dropping to tennis’ minor leagues is no longer so jarring. Andre Agassi practically pioneered the move, playing challenger events in 1997. His road back from the abyss, No. 141 in the world, started in the same sort of low-key event.

And Calabasas was exactly, delightfully that Friday. Philippoussis played in front of, at most, a couple of hundred spectators and it was so quiet that a cellphone ringing would have sounded like a burglar alarm. Opening a bag of chips was done at one’s peril; Philippoussis heard a telltale crinkle in the seventh game of the match and teased his friends sitting courtside.

This is his second challenger in two weeks, the first one having resulted in a quick exit. “I played Sacramento,” he said. “I don’t know if you call it playing.”

His reasons for playing challengers -- the winner here will earn $7,200 -- is directed toward the Australian Open in January.

“My goal is to get into the top 100 for the Australian Open and not have to rely on a wild card,” said Philippoussis, who is ranked 129. “That’s my short-term goal. I’m looking at these challengers just as a steppingstone.... I’ve said this the last couple of years, and I’ll keep on saying it -- without a doubt, I know my best tennis is ahead of me.”

Still, watching a man with one of the world’s fastest serves, a top-10 player in 2003, performing in the valley on an autumn evening in front of an intimate gathering seemed a little ...

Cleveland, ranked 397th, supplied the word: “Surreal.”

Philippoussis, who will turn 30 in November, is taking more than a page out of the Agassi playbook. He has been training in Las Vegas with Agassi’s former coach, Darren Cahill, and longtime trainer, Gil Reyes, and even had dinner with Agassi.

“He definitely had advice,” Philippoussis said of the recently retired Agassi. “For me, honestly, he’s been my inspiration the last few years. Considering guys used to retire at close to 30, 31, and he won seven of his eight Grand Slams after the age of 29.

“For him to still have that drive, to go do that, to prove so many people wrong, to get back and win Grand Slams and get to No. 1 ... is just amazing.”

Philippoussis plans to return to Las Vegas after this tournament to continue working with Reyes and Cahill, and indicated he would like to continue the training relationship. Ordinarily, Philippoussis would be in the San Diego area, engaging in his other passion, surfing. But his short time with Cahill and Reyes has him thinking differently.

“To show how much I’m enjoying being in Vegas with those guys and training, [surfing has] never crossed my mind,” he said. “Normally, I’d miss it and I’d ache to get in the water. I can’t even believe it myself. I haven’t thought about it once.”

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lisa.dillman@latimes.com