The Los Angeles Times Interview

Naturally, we all knew John McEnroe would say some strange things along the winding road of Davis Cup.

Stress happens.

Before the first round, the new U.S. captain questioned the integrity of Pete Sampras after he pulled up injured with a torn hip muscle, and then he speculated about the intentions of doctors who treated him in Australia.

Then he unleashed some bizarre conspiracy theories involving the chair umpires in Zimbabwe. Of course, most recently, there was the fun blame game last weekend, particularly on Saturday, when the Czech Republic took a 2-1 lead in the Great Western Forum. He called his players “spoiled” and ripped the media. (Good thing McEnroe wasn’t aware that not all of Sunday’s reverse singles appeared live on TV.)

This was all bound to happen. Almost everyone knew it.

What hasn’t happened, however, is the most surprising development of McEnroe’s short tenure. Veteran Mac watchers predicted he would put himself in the lineup, starting with doubles. Here was a guy who was ripping the doubles players on the ATP tour, saying he was better than most of them.

It hasn’t happened. Not yet, at least.

McEnroe has shown amazing diplomacy in this regard. On Friday in a conference call, he was asked back-to-back questions about playing doubles against Spain in the semifinals, July 21-23. The door was cracked open and McEnroe declined to slip through it.

His reluctance has been understandable. He didn’t want to anger Andre Agassi and Sampras or upstage doubles specialists, Jared Palmer, Alex O’Brien and Rick Leach.

Now, there is one question: Why not?

McEnroe can’t do much worse. Leach and O’Brien lost to Zimbabwe in five sets, making a hero of the relatively unknown Kevin Ullyett, and O’Brien and Palmer were swept in straight sets by Jiri Novak and David Rikl last weekend.

The time to do it is against Spain. If anything, the Spaniards have struggled more than the United States in Davis Cup doubles, still searching for a solid combination. Since the match will be in Spain on clay, possibly in Barcelona, the United States is considered the underdog.

“I sort of look at it as a 50-50 shot,” McEnroe said. “I would call it a coin flip.”

McEnroe could select a team of Agassi, Sampras, Todd Martin and himself. Martin has a 30-4 lifetime record against Spaniards, according to the ATP, and won a prestigious clay-court event in 1998 at Barcelona.

McEnroe could play doubles with Sampras or Martin. Sampras could play singles the first day, and then doubles, and Martin could step in on the final day, if necessary.

Now that McEnroe has shown some reluctance to place himself in the lineup, a trial run is in order, perhaps accepting a wild-card spot with Sampras in an upcoming clay-court event. That move would certainly increase interest in the ATP tour, as well as the Davis Cup, giving a big boost to a sport in need of a revival.

QUOTE, UNQUOTE

Czech Republic captain Jan Kukal on McEnroe: “I think John McEnroe is going to be probably the best captain ever for U.S., but he still doesn’t have enough experience. It’s only his second match. . . . But this is not easy job because, at the beginning, when I was coaching, I was also playing every point with them. You cannot do that as captain. You have to relax in between points. This is what he [McEnroe] cannot do now.”

McEnroe on Kukal: “Tell him thanks for the advice. I would recommend he work out a little harder.”

LAST MAC ADD

After the clinching match, Sampras had some fun with McEnroe. McEnroe was asked a question, and the first word of the question was “seriously.”

McEnroe: “Seriously? I was serious.”

Sampras broke in, subtly imitating McEnroe, saying, “You cannot be serious.”

LOCALLY

Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil has entered the Mercedes-Benz Cup at UCLA’s Los Angeles Tennis Center, July 24-30, joining No. 1-ranked Agassi as an early entry. It could be another tough turnaround for Agassi, who is expecting to be playing for the United States in the Davis Cup semifinals at Spain.

Kuerten will be representing Brazil in the semifinals at Australia, July 14-16.

Because of the scheduling difficulties, last year’s winner, Sampras, said he is not planning to play at UCLA.

At least 16 Grand Slam champions and former Ojai participants will to Ojai to celebrate the 100th tournament, April 27-30. Among those scheduled to appear are Jack Kramer, Ted Schroeder, Dodo Cheney, Alex Olmedo, Gene Mako, Bob Falkenburg, Dennis Ralston and Louise Brough Clapp, according to organizers.