Krickstein Won’t Be Ready for Mexico : Davis Cup: U.S. will turn to Agassi or Berger for first-round match next weekend at La Costa.

The U.S. Davis Cup team lost another player to injury Saturday when Aaron Krickstein took himself out of next weekend’s first-round match against Mexico because of a groin injury. U.S. team captain Tom Gorman said he will name either Andre Agassi or Jay Berger to replace Krickstein.

Krickstein pulled groin muscles nine days ago while playing in the Australian Open and goes to the sidelines to join Michael Chang, who separated a bone in his hip while practicing six weeks ago. Gorman selected Brad Gilbert to replace Chang and play one of the two singles positions.

Krickstein injured his groin in his third-round match in Melbourne, then aggravated it severely in his fourth-round defeat to David Wheaton last Sunday.

“I probably should have defaulted that match, but it’s hard to do that in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam,” Krickstein said.

While there was a chance Krickstein would not be able to play Davis Cup singles, he thought he might recover soon enough for the match against Mexico at La Costa. However, Krickstein has not been able to even hit a ball since returning to Florida to recuperate.

“I need three or four more days to recuperate and that just wouldn’t give me enough time to get ready,” Krickstein said. “I was optimistic that I’d be able to play, but I just can’t do it.”

Said Gorman: “He probably shouldn’t have played that match against Wheaton.”

Gorman, who passed over Agassi when he announced the first-round U.S. team last month, said he will choose between Agassi or Berger and that he will probably reach a decision today.

If Agassi is chosen, he will get a chance to make a comeback. It was Agassi who lost to Boris Becker and Carl-Uwe Steeb in a 3-2 semifinal loss to eventual 1989 champion West Germany.

Agassi’s sagging fortunes, coupled with John McEnroe’s decision not to play in the first round, threw the singles positions wide open for Chang and Krickstein--and now Gilbert and possibly Agassi again.

Rick Leach and Jim Pugh will make their doubles debut against the Mexican team of Leonardo Lavelle and Jorge Lozano, who also play singles. The other member of Mexico’s team is 22-year-old Agustin Moreno.