Agassi’s Comeback Plan Brings Him to Burbank

It was just a few weeks ago that Andre Agassi once again vowed to work his way back to the top of the tennis world.

An injured right wrist and equally wounded confidence has precipitated Agassi’s drop from No. 1 in 1996 to No. 141 in the rankings this year. After a first-round loss to Todd Martin at the Eurocard Open in Stuttgart, Germany, last month, Agassi promised to embark on a full fall schedule.

For the people at the Burbank Tennis Center, that made for a big surprise.

Odd as it seems, Agassi has entered the $50,000 HealthSouth USTA Challenger of Burbank. His presence at the tournament, which runs Monday through Sunday, is akin to watching Ken Griffey Jr. play in a minor-league game.

“Incredible,” said Tim Stallard, tournament director. “From what I’ve heard, his normal appearance fee is $200,000. We’ve got a first-place check of $7,200.”

Or, as one tour official put it: “This will be like watching Bruce Springsteen play at a corner bar.”

Challenger tournaments, held throughout the world, occupy the rung below full-fledged ATP Tour events. What they lack in cash, they make up for with ATP points that are used to determine rankings.

Winning a Challenger can earn a player 60 points, roughly equivalent to reaching the round of 16 in a Grand Slam tournament.

The tournaments offer valuable experience for up-and-coming players such as Sargis Sargsian, who won the Hall of Fame Tennis Championship at Newport R.I., last July, and Daniel Nestor, a Canadian pro who upset Thomas Muster last year.

They also offer warm-ups for established pros returning from injury. And sometimes highly ranked players will dip down from the tour to grab extra points by fitting a Challenger into their busy schedules.

The average Challenger features a smattering of players ranked from No. 50 to No. 175, with a few bigger names sprinkled in.

“You’re always trying to tell people how good these tournaments are,” Stallard said. “There is so much talent out there.”

Burbank’s 60-man draw includes Sargsian and Malivai Washington, a 1996 Wimbledon finalist who is coming back from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. Agassi, despite his fallen ranking, is the undisputed headliner.

“He’s still one of the most recognized players in the world,” said Steve Starleaf, the tennis center’s executive director. “He has already really helped ticket sales.”

And that has helped this first-year tournament make a name for itself. The Challenger came to Burbank by way of Austin, Texas, where Stallard makes his home.

The promoter runs a total of eight men’s and women’s tournaments nationwide.