Agassi Prevails, Then Unleashes

By LISA DILLMAN

Sept. 4, 1998 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

NEW YORK —

Andre Agassi needed nearly three hours on Thursday to solve Guillaume Raoux of France, scrambling through five sets and finally landing in the third round of the U.S. Open.

Dismantling the U.S. Tennis Assn. for its handling of the Davis Cup site selection and fellow American Michael Chang was a simpler task, taking about 15 minutes. His discontent with the Davis Cup emerged this summer, specifically his objection over the choice of Milwaukee--and how it was chosen--for the semifinals against Italy, Sept. 25-27.

After the eighth-seeded Agassi defeated Raoux, 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (8-6), 3-6, 6-1, he moved on and took aim. These days, the list of American Davis Cup dodgers is much longer than the one confirmed participant, Todd Martin.

Agassi, who played in the first two rounds this year, has a conflict with a dinner for his foundation in Las Vegas. Jim Courier is out because of a career-threatening arm injury. Pete Sampras and Chang are not interested.

Chang has no conflict but is said to be concerned about his fitness level. Agassi was bothered by Chang’s lack of participation, then said he is so upset with the USTA’s handling of the Davis Cup that he might not play again either.

“Michael is a good guy in many ways,” Agassi said. “But I absolutely disagree with the way he has handled himself toward Davis Cup. I think that’s not right. I think it’s horrible for the game. And I think it shows a lack of respect.”

Should the United States defeat Italy, Agassi said he will not play in the final against either Sweden or Spain and might never play again.

“If it was in my backyard I wouldn’t walk out the back door,” Agassi said.

That wasn’t all.

* On Davis Cup captain Tom Gullikson:

“Nothing against Gully, the players need to be able to [have some] say, not just give our opinion,” Agassi said. “I went through this when we went from Tom Gorman to Gully. It is your captain and the players should pick their captain.”

Agassi believes players have a right to help determine where Davis Cup matches will be held.

* On John McEnroe as a potential captain:

“There is probably a lot of fear factors giving up the reins,” Agassi said. “That’s why John didn’t get the job. Here is a guy who has done as much for Davis Cup as anybody and he didn’t get the job because he is going to speak his mind.”

Sampras will probably not make any Davis Cup appearances in 1998 but was more diplomatic. “If they had it earlier in the year or maybe played Davis Cup once every two years, I will be more inclined to play,” he said. “Less is more, that’s my philosophy.”

He felt a lack of recognition when he led the U.S. team to the Davis Cup title in 1995.

“It was one of my best efforts of my career,” he said. “It’s not like I wanted a parade or something, just some sort of appreciation, which I just really felt wasn’t there.”

Unlike Agassi, the top-seeded Sampras did not need to go five sets in his second-round match, but he was pushed against wild-card entry Paul Goldstein before winning, 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.

The crowd was firmly behind Goldstein, 22.

“It is kind of how American crowds are; they love to see the underdog do well,” Sampras said. “It wasn’t like they were rooting against me. They were pulling for him. . . . Maybe when I am 33, I will be the underdog.”

Two other young Americans were knocked out in the second round. After a slow start, Adrian Voinea of Romania defeated 20-year-old Bob Bryan of Camarillo, 0-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4. Marat Safin of Russia beat 17-year-old Taylor Dent of Newport Beach, 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (7-2).

The third set helped Dent salvage some pride. “I can play a lot better against these guys, and I’m still beating them and getting close when I lose,” he said.

Drama on the women’s side was mainly limited to the great patch controversy. Fifth-seeded Venus Williams ended it--at least temporarily--by wearing a Corel WTA tour patch on the left shoulder strap of her Reebok-designed outfit in her 6-1, 6-3 second-round victory over Anne Kremer of Luxembourg.

Williams was fined $100 by the WTA for not wearing it during her first-round match on Tuesday. Her father, Richard, had hinted at possible legal action, and Reebok issued a statement, saying it felt the patch regulation was arbitrarily enforced.

“I wasn’t sending any message,” she said. “I generally wear the patch.”

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