Gorman’s Status Is Uncertain : Davis Cup: Captain does not say whether he will return after U.S. beats Australia, 3-2. Agassi withdraws with injury.

The United States will open defense of its Davis Cup title next February in Mexico City, but will Tom Gorman be there?

The United States defeated Australia, 3-2, this weekend to win its first Davis Cup since 1982, but Gorman is apparently undecided about returning for a sixth year as team captain.

“If asked, I’ll think about it,” Gorman said Sunday, but he refused to say whether he would accept reappointment to his post.

Gorman has not received overwhelming support from the United States Tennis Assn. in the past, but his position has changed radically because of the U.S. victory in the Davis Cup, although Stan Smith is reportedly waiting in the wings as a replacement.

David Markin, president of the USTA, indicated Sunday that he wanted Gorman to stay on the job.

“I would like to think if he were asked, he would return,” Markin said. “He hasn’t verbalized that he wants to be reappointed. You can read what you want to read into that.”

Markin, who said that Gorman’s “performance is improving,” believes the USTA stand is clear.

“If we didn’t fire him when we lost, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to fire him when we’ve won,” Markin said.

The United States, which has won the Davis Cup a record 29 times, will play Mexico, probably on clay, Feb. 1-3. Michael Chang said he isn’t sure he will be on the squad. “No one is certain who will play or who the captain will be,” Chang said.

Gorman said there is a time limit.

“They’ve got seven weeks (to select the team),” he said, with a smile. “They’d better hurry.”

Australia won both of Sunday’s singles matches to make the score of the U.S. victory in the final, 3-2. Richard Fromberg defeated Chang, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3.

“We both knew it was really kind of an exhibition,” Chang said.

Agassi managed to turn a meaningless match into a happening when he retired in his meeting with Darren Cahill.

Agassi, who lost the first set, 4-6, walked off the court after winning the second set, 6-4, unable to lift his arm to wave to the crowd after injuring his stomach muscles in the fifth game of the second set.

Agassi was whisked out of the Suncoast Dome and examined at Bayfront Medical Center, where trauma surgeon Dr. Steve Epstein diagnosed him as having torn a rectus muscle. The rectus muscle is attached under the sternum.

“He’s really hurt,” said Nick Bolettieri, Agassi’s coach.

Cahill didn’t seem convinced.

“He didn’t look injured to me,” Cahill said. “I see no reason why he couldn’t continue. You never know with Andre. If he wasn’t injured, it was a disgrace.”