Sampras, Agassi to Play Davis Cup for McEnroe

John McEnroe, the new U.S. Davis Cup captain, will travel to Zimbabwe in February with the strongest team in years, including Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. A thumbnail sketch of McEnroe’s traveling party, which the USTA will announce today:

* Agassi: Finished the year No. 1 and won the French Open and U.S. Open, completing his remarkable return from the abyss.

* Sampras: This year’s Wimbledon champion, often a reluctant Davis Cup participant, opted to join the side after McEnroe made a recruiting trip to Los Angeles in the fall.

* Todd Martin: Played the best tennis of his life in 1999, losing to Agassi in the U.S. Open final and reaching the season-ending ATP Championships at Hanover, Germany, for the first time in his career.

* Alex O’Brien: Won the U.S. Open doubles title this year with partner Sebastien Lareau of Canada and a stirring five-set doubles match with Sampras against Australia in the Davis Cup quarterfinals in July.

It will be the first time a U.S. Davis Cup team will play a tie in Africa.