THE SIDELINES : American Doubles Team Fades

Defending champions Rick Leach and Jim Pugh, weakened by a combination of injury and fatigue, lost their second straight match in the Masters doubles championship today and were virtually eliminated from the tournament.

“I don’t think we’ll make it now,” Leach said after the Americans lost 6-3, 7-6, 7-6 to Darren Cahill and Mark Kratzmann of Australia on the second day of the round-robin part of the event. “It’s going to take something astronomical for us to go through.”

Cahill and Kratzmann, who moved to 2-0, look certain to reach Saturday’s semifinals when the tournament reverts to a knockout format.

In the other section of the eight-team draw, Todd Witsken and Jorge Lozano kept their hopes alive by upsetting Paul Annacone and Christo van Rensburg 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6 -4.

Witsken and Lozano, the world’s 12th-ranked pair, gained a berth in the tournament when three higher-ranked teams withdrew. They moved to 1-1 and had to win their final round-robin match Friday to be sure of a semifinal berth.