Tennis : To Them, 17-Year-Old Agassi Is an Old-Timer

They stood posing for pictures, almost awkwardly, and the curiousity seekers wanted more.

Pete Sampras, 16, seemed almost baffled by the attention. Certainly, he had earned it with his two singles victories in the main draw of the recent Newsweek Champions Cup at Indian Wells. Still, to the uninitiated this rush--or crush--of adulation can be disconcerting.

Then, there was 17-year-old Andre Agassi, who was standing with Sampras. He was taking it all in stride, as well he might, having spent more than two years on the pro tour.

To the up-and-comers, kids such as Sampras and Michael Chang, Agassi must seem light years away. He is ranked in the top 20 and is rapidly moving toward the top 10. Furthermore, Agassi pushed Boris Becker to the limit in the semifinals at Indian Wells before Becker beat him, 7-5, in the third set. Open a tennis magazine, and there you see Agassi endorsing this product or that.

To the other youngsters, he must look like Andre the Giant.

To the public, seeing his long, two-toned hair, which is shaved on the sides and spiked and highlighted on top, he must look like Andre Rotten.

After winning the U.S. Indoor, his first major pro title, at Memphis in February, however, Agassi came off quite another way, working the crowd with the fervor of a TV evangelist. He rushed over to his parents, Mike and Elizabeth, and hugged them in the stands. Then, Agassi turned his long acceptance speech into a mini-sermon, punctuated with praise to the Lord.

Obviously, this 17-year-old is not a typical tennis prodigy.

“The Lord takes care of me,” he said. “Christianity is a way of life. It gives me the presence of mind. It keeps my priorities straight so I don’t get caught up in money or fame. . . . I keep to myself. I’m not going to preach or anything. But if people want to know what makes me tick, then I’ll talk about it.”

More than ever, Agassi has become aware of his growing popularity and stature, which should only increase when he represents the United States in Davis Cup play next month in Peru. Agassi realizes that a 17-year-old can become an important role model.

“I want to be remembered as someone who fights as hard as he can on the court and who enjoys tennis,” he said. “Off the court, I want to be remembered as someone who kept his head on his shoulders and never got caught up in money and stuff like that.”

Add Agassi: He recently received a most surprising endorsement--from John McEnroe--a few months ago. McEnroe approached Agassi in a hotel lobby in Portland, Ore., and pronounced Agassi most likely to succeed. That is, most likely to succeed in rescuing U.S. tennis.

“He just started talking to me,” Agassi recently told the San Diego Union. “He was asking me about my training habits, telling me how he didn’t take training that seriously when he was younger, telling me how I should.

“Then he basically told me, ‘You’re the next one who can do it for the U.S.’ He actually had a sincere heart about it. I was shocked.”

Tennis Notes

The Chapman College men’s team, No. 1 in the nation among Division II schools, has two individuals ranked in the top 50--a group consisting of all three divisions. Senior Miles Walker, No. 32, and junior Olivier Amerlinck, No. 43, are the only Division II players in the rankings. Walker, who finished second in the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. individual tournament last year, has recorded victories over 10 Division I opponents. The Panthers are the defending national team champion.

John McEnroe, last spotted hauling away $182,000 at the Stakes Match last November, will resurface in the final of the Forum Challenge Series. McEnroe is scheduled to play Stefan Edberg on April 25. The winner will receive $100,000, the loser $40,000. The 15th-ranked McEnroe holds a 6-1 lead over Edberg in previous meetings, but Edberg is ranked No. 3. . . . PGA West will honor Tracy Austin next Saturday by dedicating a court to the two-time U.S. Open champion. . . . The 89th Ojai Valley tournament will be played April 21-24. This event includes the Pacific 10 men’s and women’s tournament, the men’s and women’s invitational as well as other collegiate and junior competition.

USC will play at UCLA April 9 in the first of two dual matches between the men’s teams. Despite a recent, one-sided loss to Pepperdine, USC is No. 1 in the nation. Pepperdine, however, should move up in the next poll because its victory over USC wasn’t reflected in the latest ranking period. Stanford is tied for third, UC Irvine is No. 6 and the Bruins are No. 8. . . . UCLA, once again, will be host school for the NCAA women’s team and individual tournament at the Los Angeles Tennis Center. Team play will start May 11, individual competition May 16.