U.S. OPEN NOTES : Bruguera Fails Despite McEnroe

Good news-bad news for Sergi Bruguera, the former French Open champion.

The good news was that in an effort to improve his hard-court game, the clay specialist was able to enlist John McEnroe as a coach. The Spaniard and the New Yorker worked together last week before the U.S. Open and this week, concentrating mainly on Bruguera’s serve.

The bad news is that Bruguera apparently failed to learn whatever McEnroe wanted to teach him. Daniel Vacek defeated the 11th-seeded Bruguera in the second round Thursday, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.

Afterward, Bruguera was peppered with questions about his association with the volatile McEnroe, who is now a television commentator. Bruguera said his attitude toward tennis changed for the better.

“I was more . . . more happiness to go to the court because he was there,” he said. “Before, I was going, ‘Oh, I don’t want to practice.’ With him, I had a great week this week. I think I learned a lot and I was happy about going on court and play.”

Bruguera was asked, if McEnroe was such a good coach, why did he lose?

“Well, he is not a god,” Bruguera said. “He cannot make me a god.”

That may be news to McEnroe.

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Marc Rosset of Switzerland did what he was supposed to do, beating Patrick Rafter of Australia, 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

The 13th-seeded Rosset still had to answer questions about his dismal record in four Grand Slam events, as opposed to his excellent record elsewhere on the tour. Rosset is apparently tired of the questions.

“I am asked the question four times a year,” he said hotly. “You know, when I find the key of why I don’t play so well, I am going to have a big press conference and tell the press why. Right now, I don’t know why. If I knew, I would play better.”

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Monica Seles’ path to the final of the U.S. Open became less treacherous, thanks to Yone Kamio of Japan. Kamio defeated Marianne Werdel Witmeyer, 6-2, 6-7 (7-0), 6-3.

Werdel Witmeyer, of Oceanside, has made a reputation this year by beating seeded players. Her hard-hitting style and relentless chasing down of balls would have been a test for Seles. Kamio, ranked 28th, plays a flat shot that Seles might enjoy putting away.