TENNIS / THOMAS BONK : Captaincy Is Appealing to McEnroe

Captain John?

The John McEnroe Era as Davis Cup captain has not yet dawned, but it might not be very far off, either.

McEnroe, 33, has played 67 matches, singles and doubles, more than any other American. His 41-8 singles mark is a U.S. record and so is his 16-2 doubles mark.

In his 12th year playing Davis Cup, McEnroe is not keeping his wish to succeed Tom Gorman very much of a secret.

“I would love to do it,” McEnroe said. “Every American player who plays Davis Cup tennis would wish to be captain. But that decision is not in my hands.”

Gorman, 46, is in his seventh year as captain and is working under a one-year contract with the U.S. Tennis Assn., which decides on the captain. He has been captain for 14 victories, which ties Tony Trabert for the most by a U.S. captain.

In the last two years under Gorman, the United States won the Davis Cup by beating Australia in the final and lost in the final to France.

Gorman is naturally uncomfortable discussing applicants for his job, but said he has spoken with McEnroe about the position and that McEnroe would be a logical choice--at some point.

“We’re talking in the future,” Gorman said. “I know this is not forever, but I do say I’d like to continue.”

Add Mac: On the subject of second-ranked Jim Courier’s absence from this weekend’s Davis Cup match, McEnroe said Courier made a mistake.

“When push comes to shove, he should be playing,” McEnroe said. “But he’s Jim Courier and he’s got his own opinions right now.”

And what would McEnroe have done if he were captain? “I would be definitely more involved in the decision.”

Coach Carl: What did Carl Chang bring with him into the interview room after younger brother Michael Chang won the Players Championship? A cheeseburger and french fries.

By the way, Carl Chang, who began coaching Michael seven months ago, is the early leader for coach of the year honors. Michael has won three tournaments this year, 12 consecutive matches and has improved his ranking to No. 6.

Hijinks: Gorman arrived at the U.S. Davis Cup team meeting Thursday night dressed as . . . Andre Agassi. Gorman donned a long blond wig and a headband.

Said Agassi: “I’ve finally met somebody I can relate to.”

Hijinks II: Gorman was still dressed as Agassi when he left the meeting and walked across the hotel lobby. He passed a group of fans who seemed startled, according to Ed Fabricus of the USTA.

Said Fabricus: “Their comment was, ‘He sure looks a lot older than we expected.’ ”

Obviously nervous: What did Czech doubles specialist Cyril Suk do immediately after Thursday’s draw, which pitted him against boyhood idol McEnroe? He went windsurfing.

Goodby: Remember Federation Cup? Now forget it.

Fed Cup, the women’s tennis equivalent to Davis Cup, seems to be near changing from a weeklong, 32-team event to something like the yearlong Davis Cup playoff format.

The International Tennis Federation, which runs both the Davis Cup and Federation Cup, will vote in September to kill the existing format in 1995. According to Mike Davis, director of marketing for the ITF, the current Fed Cup setup puts too much of a strain on the host country, is not attractive to television and doesn’t attract the top players.

Sponsors of last year’s Fed Cup in Nottingham, England, lost an estimated $600,000. Monica Seles, Gabriela Sabatini and Martina Navratilova did not play.

Looking out for . . . : For what it’s worth, the No. 1 ranking will be at stake the week of April 6 in Tokyo, where No. 1 Stefan Edberg and No. 2 Courier are entered.

More rankings: The five players who made the biggest jump in the rankings from this time last year are 1) Jimmy Connors, No. 589 to No. 36; 2) Markus Zoecke, 167 to 48; 3) Oliver Delaitre, 143 to 43; 4) Alberto Mancini, 110 to 15, and Richard Krajicek, 93 to 22.