FRENCH OPEN: MEN’S FINALS : Americans Get Feel of Clay as Agassi Takes On Courier

Suddenly, the red clay at the French Open doesn’t feel so foreign to Americans any more.

With Andre Agassi from Las Vegas and Jim Courier from Dade City, Fla., playing for the men’s singles championship today, it’s no secret that someone from the United States is going to win the Grand Slam event that has been the hardest for any American to capture.

Michael Chang won it in 1989, Agassi reached the final last year and now he’s back again with his former roommate at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

The last time two Americans played for the French tennis championship was 37 years ago, in 1954, when Tony Trabert defeated Arthur Larsen, the first of two consecutive French Open titles for Trabert.

Courier, 20, who would rise to No. 4 in the rankings with his first Grand Slam title, has never been past the fourth round in a major tournament before. But he is pleased with the All-American element in today’s final.

“I think it’s great,” he said. “It’s the second one out of the last three since Pete (Sampras) and Andre at the U.S. Open. To those who are asking where the Americans are, we are here.”

Agassi, 21, is a three-time Grand Slam finalist with his reputation at stake as well as his No. 4 ranking and he will be favored to win.

“If I go out and lose, it will bother me,” Agassi said. “I might not see another final”

Agassi is 4-2 against Courier, but he has split two matches at the French Open. Courier won a four-set third-round match in 1989, but Agassi won the rematch last year in four sets, including 6-0 in the deciding set.

Courier won their only other meeting of the year, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, on cement at Indian Wells.

Seeded ninth, Courier said any nervousness he may have felt disappeared in his four-set semifinal victory over Michael Stich.

“I’m just going to enjoy myself,” Courier said.