Roddick Out of the Draw at UCLA

The dreaded Friday curse -- withdrawal of a marquee player on the day of the draw -- hit the Mercedes-Benz Cup men’s tennis tournament at UCLA.

This time, the target was something of a surprise. All the questions had been about the injury status of Andre Agassi, who has been out because of a sciatic nerve since the French Open. Instead it was Wimbledon finalist Andy Roddick, ranked fourth, who withdrew because of a sore right knee.

“I am deeply disappointed I will be unable to compete in the Mercedes-Benz Cup,” Roddick said in a statement. “After consulting with my coach and trainer, we feel that it is critical that I have some recovery time.”

Earlier Friday, Roddick lost to Robby Ginepri in the quarterfinals, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 7-5, at Indianapolis after squandering three match points in the 10th game of the third set, and was said to have received treatment afterward.

Roddick, who has won three titles in 2005, is in the midst of what would have been five consecutive weeks of tournament tennis. The week after the Mercedes-Benz Cup, he is entered in Washington, an event managed by his representatives, SFX Sports. After that, there are two mandatory Masters Series events in Montreal and Cincinnati.

He has appeared twice at UCLA, reaching the semifinals in 2002 and losing in the first round in 2001.

Roddick’s withdrawal means Agassi will be the top-seeded player in the event, followed by Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia, last year’s finalist Nicolas Kiefer of Germany, defending champion Tommy Haas of Germany and Taylor Dent.

Wild-card spots went to James Blake, Cecil Mamiit and Paul Goldstein. Mamiit secured his spot by winning the All-American shootout on Friday.

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Attempts to keep the Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells are progressing on several fronts.

The board of the U.S. Tennis Assn. is meeting this weekend at Charleston, S.C., and among its agenda items is the status of the financially struggling event.

“We are going to consider making an equity investment,” said USTA President Franklin R. Johnson in a telephone interview. “We’re going to at least broach the subject with the board but not make a final decision.”

That could come at a later meeting in October.

Johnson had a lunch meeting earlier this week with Indian Wells tournament officials Charlie Pasarell and Raymond Moore. Pasarell and Moore, of PM Sports, own 50% of the tournament and the management firm IMG owns the other half.

“I’ve told them that we certainly want to do our part to keep the tournament in the U.S,” Johnson said. “I’m very willing to contemplate making an investment if that will help them get there.”

Also at the lunch was publishing executive George Mackin. In a separate interview, Mackin confirmed that he and his business partner, Bob Miller, and other individuals are involved in the management buyout of IMG and are backing Pasarell and Moore.

“We’re right in the throes of working closely with Charlie and Raymond and the city of Indian Wells, and the USTA, to keep the tournament in Indian Wells,” Mackin said.

Among the rumors circulating when the story of Indian Wells’ financial problems broke in March was that the tournament would be sold and moved to China.

Mackin and Miller own Tennis magazine and have formed The Tennis Company. Mackin said their group would comprise six to eight investors, including tennis celebrities and high net-worth individuals. Paul Annacone, the former coach of Pete Sampras who now works with Tim Henman, has been with The Tennis Company since January.

“We don’t have anything concrete or tangible at this stage other than everyone seems to be working with good intent toward the purpose of keeping us here for the next 50 years,” Moore said. “It’s hugely dependent on the city of Indian Wells, to whom we’ve given a proposal. It seems to have been met favorably.

“What we’re doing is changing the partnership to one that is a strategic partnership, in which people have a vested interest in the game. I’m not criticizing IMG at all. IMG has many different deals and many different aspects. These people, their only interest is tennis, and that’s obviously very healthy.”