TENNIS / CHAMPIONS CUP : Rosset Sends Agassi Packing

What has two wings, travels at 508 m.p.h. and is full of doughnuts and tacos? Why, it’s Andre Agassi’s jet, of course.

Agassi is writing a new page for the frequent-flier handbook as he soars back and forth from tennis tournament to Las Vegas to tennis tournament in his Lockheed Jet-Star, which comes stocked with two pilots as well as Agassi’s favorite snacks.

On Wednesday, Agassi flew in from his home in Las Vegas, lost to Marc Rosset in three sets in the Newsweek Champions Cup, then flew back to Las Vegas, covering the distance each way in exactly 23 minutes.

Make no mistake, though, this jet is no toy. For Agassi, flying is serious business, not a trivial pursuit.

“I don’t have it to screw around,” said Agassi, who took exception to any suggestion that his $2-million purchase should be considered anything but the ultimate in sheer convenience and match preparation.

“Twenty-three minutes. It takes me longer to get from the hotel to the court,” he said. “Don’t question how I prepare. I take a lot of pride in my preparation.”

Agassi took two 23-minute flights in his preparation Tuesday. Fueled by doughnuts, he flew from Las Vegas to practice in the morning, then hit the sky and headed home.

Second seeded Pete Sampras had no problems with his sore right foot or with Luiz Mattar, 6-4, 6-4. Sampras, who strained ligaments in a tournament at Philadelphia, said he will know more about his foot when he gets up today.

“I was definitely aware of it during the match (because) I was a bit hesitant,” Sampras said.

The Agassi who showed up for his match with Rosset looked as if he was in a hurry to get back to the runway. Agassi led by a set and a break before Rosset grounded him.

Agassi tossed away nine break-point chances against Rosset--five in one game--and lost, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, in his opening match.

Agassi was puzzled.

“I don’t feel like I was beaten,” Agassi said. “I didn’t come out the winner.”

It was an odd sensation shared by both of last year’s Wimbledon finalists. Sixth-seeded Goran Ivanisevic lost in straight sets to Alberto Mancini, 6-3, 6-2, complaining later that he felt strangely “heavy” when he walked on the court.

It wasn’t a total loss. At least Ivanisevic managed to retain his uncanny ability to play poorly in the Newsweek tournament. His defeat to Mancini was Ivanisevic’s fourth opening loss in five years in this event.

Ivanisevic was hard-pressed to come up with an explanation.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” he said. “As soon as I walk on the court, I don’t know how to play tennis anymore.

“Probably is mental thing. Every time is close, then I start to think. Is not good.”

As if he wasn’t playing poorly enough, the speaker for the public address system on the roof began playing music during an Ivanisevic service game in the second set.

From game point, he lost his serve, then knocked a ball off the speaker. Unfortunately for Ivanisevic, it was his best shot of the day. He said the music really didn’t bother him anyway.

“I was gone already,” he explained.

Not long afterward, so was Michael Stich. The 1991 Wimbledon champion, seeded eighth, blew four match points in the second set, saved four match points in the third set at 5-5 and wound up losing to Fabrice Santoro, 3-6, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-5).

Tennis Notes

Brad Gilbert, who won his first-round match the hard way by dropping a first-set tiebreaker and taking a third-set tiebreaker, did the same thing Wednesday, defeating Jared Palmer, 6-7 (7-3), 6-4, 7-6 (9-7). Gilbert saved two match points, the second on a running backhand down the line. “I’m not going to die,” Gilbert said. “I’m going to keep fighting and something good will happen.” . . . In the marathon match of the day, Wayne Ferreira defeated Emilio Sanchez, 6-7 (7-2), 7-6 (7-1), 7-5, in 3 hours 6 minutes. . . . Richey Reneberg, who upset Stefan Edberg in the second round and plays Ferreira next, credits Mission Hills pro Tommy Tucker for helping him come back from a herniated disk. . . . Andre and his Jet, Continued: Andre Agassi is also relieved he doesn’t have to spend more time in airports “interacting” with people, because “that’s what makes you sometimes irritable.” . . . Last year, Goran Ivanisevic won three games in his opening-round loss to Richard Krajicek. “But I win five games, that is big improvement,” said Ivanisevic, who is planning on coming back to to play next year. “When I win a first round, then I not going to come back.”