Gorman Winds Up Winner in Davis Cup

The big winner in the Davis Cup’s second round wasn’t Aaron Krickstein or even the United States. The big winner was Tom Gorman.

Gorman’s turbulent tenure as coach of the U.S. team has been marked by disagreements with John McEnroe and Andre Agassi, a hip injury that sidelined Michael Chang, and Gorman’s decision to replace the long-standing doubles team of Ken Flach and Robert Seguso with upstarts Rick Leach and Jim Pugh. It hasn’t been easy.

But the Americans’ victory over Czechoslovakia in Prague this month tightened Gorman’s grip on a team that, at times, appeared to be trying to sabotage him. Despite the controversies, he and the squad have emerged stronger.

Gorman was willing to excuse McEnroe for not wanting to play in every round, given his commitment to Davis Cup in the past. But he was right in not surrendering to the demands of Agassi, who insisted on bringing an entourage of advisers and coaches to Prague before he would consent to play. The result was this: Gorman replaced Agassi with Krickstein, who won both his singles matches, while Agassi came off sounding like the spoiled brat he is.

In fact, the big loser of the Davis Cup match was not Czechoslovakia, but Agassi. He did not play in the Australian Open. He may again skip Wimbledon. He did not play Davis Cup. Bud Collins, that rascal in the broadcast booth, calls Agassi “The Duke of Ducking.”

Even if Agassi changes his mind and decides he wants to play for the United States in the semifinals against Austria in September, Gorman might not welcome him back. Krickstein deserves another chance to represent his country. Brad Gilbert wants to play again, too.

Plus, if McEnroe becomes available and Chang stays healthy, Gorman will have an especially tough time deciding who should be selected. But that may be the biggest step toward establishing order on the Davis Cup team.

At least, the coach -- not the players -- will do the choosing.

Tog team match: Martina Navratilova has signed a licensing agreement with Herman Geist Inc. to distribute her line of athletic clothing in the United States. Zina Garrison is one opponent who is already wearing Navratilova’s designs on court. “I had to play Zina at the Virginia Slims of Washington,” Navratilova said. “It’s strange to play someone wearing your own clothes.”

In a recent telephone call, Navratilova also had this to say:

--On her play this year: “The last few years, I wasn’t focused on being No. 1 because I either didn’t have the mind or body to do it all. Now I feel I have both.”

--On her decision to skip the French Open because it’s too close to Wimbledon: “Playing on clay and then playing on grass is crazy. You might as well play golf on cobblestones.”

Lofty beginning: Leftovers from Jennifer Capriati’s loss to Navratilova in the final of the Family Circle Cup last week:

Capriati debuts on the Virginia Slims rankings at No. 25. Since 1986, when players were first required to play three tournaments before attaining a ranking, the record for the highest ranking had been held by Monica Seles, who two years ago debuted at No. 88. Before 1986 -- when six tournaments were required to attain a ranking -- Andrea Leand held the record by debuting at No. 18. It’s worth noting that among the players ranked ahead of Capriati are No. 5 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, No. 11 Helena Sukova, No. 13 Nathalie Tauziat, No. 15 Laura Gildemeister, No. 18 Natalia Zvereva, No. 22 Helen Kelesi. Capriati has beaten all of them. Former U.S. Open champ Hana Mandlikova is ranked behind Capriati at No. 26.

Seles’ ranking of No. 4 is a career high. She has jumped over Sanchez and No. 6 Garrison.

Austin is suing: Tracy Austin, whose comeback was derailed after an automobile accident in Short Hills, N.J., last year, has filed a lawsuit seeking unspecified damages from the Boss Glass Company and Steven Reynolds, who was driving the firm’s van when it collided with Austin’s car in a hotel parking lot.

The suit claims that Austin, 27, has undergone a bone graft in an attempt to repair a broken right leg suffered in the crash. William O’Day, Austin’s lawyer, said: “We don’t know yet if this is a career-threatening injury.”

Austin, who won the 1979 U.S. Open at 16, unofficially retired in 1984 but returned two years ago to play a limited doubles schedule.