Clay Doesn’t Mean Cakewalk : Davis Cup: Steeb is specialist on slower courts, and U.S. doubles team is 0-2 on the surface.

Since there is nothing like a little controversy to get the tennis ball rolling in the Davis Cup, let’s get started:

--The clay issue: The United States, favored to beat Germany in their semifinal matchup beginning this afternoon, might have outsmarted itself by choosing red clay.

Why? The big reason the Americans chose clay was to affect Boris Becker and he isn’t playing because of a leg injury. His replacement, Carl-Uwe Steeb is a renowned clay-court specialist.

Would the United States have chosen clay if it had known Becker would not play?

“Uh, that’s a pretty good question,” U.S. captain Tom Gorman said.

Uh, here’s another: Shifting quickly to Plan B, can the United States now slow down the clay courts enough to affect Michael Stich?

“It depends on how much we water it tonight,” Jim Courier said.

--The Boris issue: The Germans seem to be trying very hard not to show how upset they are that Becker isn’t playing. Germany’s captain, Nikki Pilic, was told that Becker needed to take two weeks off to rest after injuring his leg at the U.S. Open, but there have been reports that Becker is practicing in Monte Carlo this week.

So could Becker have pulled himself together and played two matches here?

“We would have a better team if he were here, certainly,” Steeb said carefully. “But we have to accept the decision.”

Pilic’s chilly response matched the cold front that blew through town during the night.

“He told me he needed two weeks off,” Pilic said. “That was end of discussion.”

--The doubles issue: Two other players who aren’t here--Rick Leach and Jim Pugh--were noticeable not only by their absence, but also by who has replaced them. Scott Davis and David Pate are the second-ranked doubles team in the world, but they have never played a Davis Cup match and have not won a match on clay this year.

Does this sound like trouble?

“These guys are definitely the team to be picked for this match,” Gorman said. “And I am the one making the decision.”

Now everyone knows whom to blame if it doesn’t work out. Gorman not only passed over Leach and Pugh, who are 6-0 in Davis Cup, but Ken Flach and Robert Seguso as well. Flach and Seguso are 10-1 in Davis Cup play.

Pate said the pressure isn’t that intense. “Ours is just one point out of five,” he said. “For us, taking Leach and Pugh’s place on clay was probably a hard choice, but I feel like we deserved it. Rick and Jim haven’t been playing all that well lately.”

Davis said he didn’t think their team’s 0-2 record on clay this year is bad anyway.

“Last year, we won the U.S. Clay Courts, so we do have some confidence,” he said.

The draw Thursday had two highlights. One was the separate release of black and red balloons when the German team was announced and the red, white and blue balloons when the U.S. team was announced.

The other was that Pilic got the best draw he could have expected with Stich playing first against Andre Agassi. That should give Stich enough rest to play doubles Saturday afternoon with Eric Jelen against Davis and Pate.

If Stich had to play the second match tonight, he might not have been ready for doubles and Pilic could have been forced to omit him from the doubles team.

Also, a victory by Stich over Agassi would remove much of the pressure that Steeb would feel against Courier in the second match.

It is up to Agassi to dictate whether the United States will be a front-runner or play come from behind. In something of an upset, Agassi is making his first Davis Cup appearance without his entourage. He is accompanied here only by his girlfriend and newfound confidence.

Agassi lost in the first round of the U.S. Open but said he played well in exhibitions last week in the Forum and at Dallas.

“The early exit was really a blessing in disguise,” Agassi said. “I took stock of myself. It was a where-I-wanted-to-go type thing. I’m fresh, rested and excited to play.”

Courier, who will play Stich on Sunday, when Agassi meets Steeb, said he has not seen Agassi play any better than during practice this week.

As for his own chances, Courier said: “I’ll just be ready when the bell rings.”

Davis Cup Notes

Andre Agassi said he is looking for someone to supplement longtime coach Nick Bollettieri. “My whole year has been a hit-or-miss thing,” Agassi said. “I don’t think I’ve played with the ability I maybe did the year before. For that reason, I have to question where things are. I might need a little more than just to hit tennis balls and get stronger.” . . . Kemper Arena was not sold out by late Thursday. The cheapest ticket is $90, which includes all five matches.

The playing surface weighs 210 tons and consists of one inch of Georgia clay and red brick on top of three inches of crushed gravel on top of a plastic liner, all encased in a wooden frame around the entire court. . . . Jim Courier is 0-2 in Davis Cup play, having lost both his matches in a 3-2 U.S. victory over Mexico in the first round. . . . The United States or Germany will play either Yugoslavia or France in the final, Nov. 29-Dec. 1.