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Will tournament launch new star?

Jeff Agase Click Here for more articles by Jeff Agase  

It didn’t get any better than this, we thought. The 2001 Mercedes-Benz Cup final, right in the heart of campus. And just five syllables, universally recognizable in the tennis world: Sampras, Agassi. Like a showdown between No. 1 and No. 2 in college football, this was a rare treat. Agassi was back on top, playing as though he scoffed at the baby-faced newcomers who had been all the rage before the tournament began. And though Sampras had seen his game slip in the last year, here he was in a final staring across the court at his quintessential rival. McEnroe to his Borg. Ali to his Frazier. Apollo himself couldn’t have brought fans a clearer, more beautiful day. Heck, even the construction workers in De Neve Plaza took a rest from their incessant pounding. It was almost too perfect. We should have known.

  Taylor Dent Age: 21 Height: 6’2 Weight: 195 lbs. Turned Pro: 1998 2002 Titles: 1 Career Titles: 1 Career Earnings: $0.4 million

Those who walked away from Los Angeles Tennis Center that Sunday can say they saw the two best tennis players of a generation. They can’t say they saw a great match. Or even a good one, for that matter. Agassi rolled over a seemingly uninterested Sampras 6-4, 6-2 in 90 minutes. Sampras, perhaps the greatest serve-and-volleyer of all time, double-faulted seven times. When asked what he’d do next, Sampras seemed perfectly happy to drive home and be with his wife, actress Bridgette Wilson. That afternoon, he clearly wasn’t the workaholic, systematic executor of old. It was no Grand Slam, but in many ways it was the straw that broke the back of a great rivalry. Agassi is here this week, but Sampras is absent. And even if he were, Agassi-Sampras would no longer be the no-brainer, collision-course pick for the final. Tennis has long feasted on the power of visible rivalry, and ratings have predictably sunk with Sampras and Agassi bowing out early this year from visible tournaments – namely the French Open and Wimbledon. So the sport finds itself at the kind of inflection point that seems to come around once every five or 10 years. Status-wise, Sampras and Agassi are still in a league of their own, but their results haven’t rivaled their levels of popularity this year. The same things are being said this summer as last. Tennis is hungry for something new. Many of the players the sport is looking to for an infusion of excitement will be at UCLA this week, and every one of them would love a hardcourt win with the U.S. Open just over a month away. Will it be the fiery, sometimes difficult Andy Roddick? Some believe there is a void in American tennis to be filled, and that Roddick’s aggressive nature is just what the sport needs. Will charismatic Gustavo Kuerten reel in even more boisterous supporters? His is the kind of free-flowing, que-sera-sera personality that can supercharge a crowd, but he has yet to find much publicized success away from the clay of Roland Garros. Even if he hadn’t withdrawn from the Mercedes-Benz Cup, it definitely wouldn’t be Lleyton Hewitt, the latest “Uh, Who?” number one player in the world. Following a trend in the Benz Cup that has become disappointingly routine, the Aussie pulled out of the tournament this past weekend, citing injury. And don’t by any means forget about Agassi. Though he’s flown a bit below the radar this year and is nearing typical retirement age, he’s still ranked fourth in the world and has the most dangerous return in the game. Whatever does end up happening, there is a strong possibility the Mercedes-Benz Cup could be the first step for a player or pair of players toward filling the superstar vacuum in tennis. All of them play with the specter of Agassi-Sampras hanging over their heads. Indeed, many will watch this week with the memory of not only last year’s final, but of all the titanic battles between the two legends. All the while, we’ll undoubtedly keep returning to the same question. Will it ever get any better?

Up-and-coming players at UCLA this week

  Andy Roddick Age: 19 Height: 6’1 Weight: 180 Turned Pro: 2000 2002 Titles: 2 Career Titles: 5 Career Earnings: $1.3 million

By Elizabeth Newman

DAILY BRUIN CONTRIBUTOR

enewman@media.ucla.edu

Older tennis aficionados may not recognize many names on the roster of the 2002 Mercedes-Benz Cup, currently being held at UCLA's Los Angeles Tennis Center. Tommy Haas, Taylor Dent, Jan-Michael Gambill, Andy Roddick. While unfamiliar to some, these recently established and rising stars on the Association of Tennis Professionals tour are out to give household names like Michael Chang and Andre Agassi a run for their rankings. In the process, the impact these players are leaving on the world of men's professional tennis is being felt like one of their serves. Roddick, at 19, is the youngest player in the tournament and is seeded fourth. The first American teenager to win three or more titles in the same season since Pete Sampras won four in 1990, Roddick won his fifth title in April of 2002. Interestingly enough, it took Roddick 32 tournaments to get to that milestone, compared to Sampras' 63. The youngest American in the year-end Top 20 since Chang in 1991, Roddick's current record stands at 36-12, and if his current play is indicative, his it will only improve. In a July 15, 2001 column in the Los Angeles Times, Lisa Dillman examined Roddick as part of a group of up-and-coming players which she called “The Replacements.” In Dillman’s article, U.S. Tennis Association Coach Greg Patton offered a vivid description of this young star: “Roddick is fresh out of the oven. When you get that bread or doughnut fresh out of the oven, it tastes so good. Sampras and Agassi have been out of the oven for a long time. They've been in the refrigerator.” Rising local star Taylor Dent, 21, respects the resiliency of champions like Sampras. “I know (Sampras) wants to play at least a few more years. He is very hungry,” Dent said. “He wants to do well…everyone goes through struggling times and he is a champion, so I'm sure he will come out of it.” Dent recently made history as a member of the first father-son duo to win an ATP title when he captured the Miller Lite Hall of Fame Championship in Newport, Rhode Island. His father, Phil Dent, won the Davis Cup in 1976. Taylor Dent was the third freshman ever to win the California Interscholastic Federation high school tennis championship — after Sampras in 1987and Jon Leach in 1988. “I think every country has waves of players. I just think that’s the way it goes and I think that the next American wave will be in full strength in maybe three years,” Dent said. “I also think it’s tough, you have two of the best players of all time in Sampras and Agassi and at the same time you have some of the greatest players like Courier, Chang, and Todd Martin. Those are big shoes to fill.” Jan-Michael Gambill, who finished his 1999 season as the youngest American in the ATP Top 100 for the two consecutive years, echoes Dent's sentiments about the next wave of players on the ATP. “Tennis goes in cycles,” he said after practicing at the Los Angeles Tennis Center on Saturday. “What Andre (Agassi) and Pete (Sampras) have done is going to be very difficult to replicate…but yes, I think we'll be the next set of great guys.” Gambill will face veteran Michael Chang in the tournament's first round. Chang, although only 5 years older, turned pro eight years before Gambill and now stands at number 121 in the rankings versus Gambill's 49. In 2000, Gambill and Chang met in the Mercedes-Benz Cup final, but Gambill had to forfeit in the third set due to an ankle injury. The 32-year-old Agassi, a pro since 1986, is probably the best-known name at this tournament. Currently ranked fifth on the tour, he finished 2000 as the oldest player in the Top 10. His 2002 record of 29-5 has earned him the second seed in the tournament behind Haas. Agassi and Haas have faced each other six times–Agassi leads the series 4-2. Other players looking to gain experienceat the tournament include Justin Gimelstob and Kevin Kim, two former UCLA players both picked as wild cards in Friday night's draw. Xavier Malisse, Max Mirnyi, Cecil Mamiit, Sebastian Grosjean, and Robby Ginepri -- all tour players hoping to rise in their rankings -- will be serving, volleying, and hitting their best this week in hopes that they too can be the next Sampras or Agassi.

Mercedes-Benz Cup hosts top names in tennis, Hollywood

By Bruce Tran

DAILY BRUIN REPORTER

btran@media.ucla.edu

  Andre Agassi Age: 32 Height: 5’11 Weight: 170 Turned Pro: 1986 2002 Titles: 3 Career Titles: 52 Career Earnings: $24.5 million

Hollywood stars will line the court, and the sound of squeaking sneakers will prevail, but it won’t be a basketball game at the Staples Center. Balls will be hit in every direction, and some of the most crucial calls will be barked by the umpire, but it’s not a game at Dodger Stadium or Edison Field. For this week anyway, Los Angeles won’t just be a town for basketball and baseball fans, but a mecca for tennis fans across the nation. The 76th Mercedes-Benz Cup returns to UCLA’s Los Angeles Tennis Center as some of the top names in professional tennis vie for a share of the one million-dollar jackpot. Some of the entrants in the tournament include defending champion Andre Agassi, two-seeded Tommy Haas and up-and-coming American Andy Roddick. The tournament starts July 22 and culminates with the crowning of the champion on Sunday July 28. The Mercedes-Benz Cup pits 32 singles players against each other as well as offering a sixteen-team doubles competition. The proceeds from the Mercedes-Benz Cup will benefit the Southern California Tennis Association, which offers programs, leagues and tournaments to youths and adults alike. The two noticeable withdrawals from the tournament are Lleyton Hewitt, fresh from a Wimbledon victory, and Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson. Hewitt has viral gastroenteritis, while Johansson is suffering from a knee injury. “We are disappointed to lose Lleyton and Thomas,” tournament director Bob Kramer said. “We still have a strong field, and one we know will provide a very entertaining week for our fans.” Americans have won the Cup six consecutive years but the streak is threatened by the recent play of the European players. Threats to Agassi’s throne include Haas, Gustavo Kuerten and Sebastien Grosjean. Haas, the third-ranked player on the Association Tennis Professionals tour, enters the tournament as the No. 1 seed after Hewitt’s withdrawal. One player who is just happy to be here is Taylor Dent, who won his first career ATP victory at Newport, Rhode Island this month. After shooting to a career-high No. 73 world ranking, he is hoping to keep the momentum going and maybe continuing the American streak. “I’m very motivated to do well regardless of anything else going on around me,” Dent said. “Right now, I’m very hungry to keep my momentum. The European players are doing unbelievable. They are all going to be tough.” In addition to the official tournament, Agassi and Kuerten will team up with celebrities Michael Bolton, Kelsey Grammer, James McDaniel, Dennis Miller, Matthew Perry and Dr. Phil McGraw in a celebrity doubles matches at the 11th annual “Gibson/Baldwin Night at the Net” on July 22. Proceeds will benefit MusiCares, a foundation dedicated to health and human services for the music community. Sports-wise, Los Angeles may be considered a basketball and baseball town. But for this week anyway, the spotlight turns away from Staples Center, Edison Field and Dodger Stadium, and squarely onto the blue courts of UCLA’s Los Angeles Tennis Center.

SURFACE

Pacific Pave (Similar to U.S. Open surface)

TICKET PRICES

$25-$60 for daily tickets

Call (310) 824-1010 or 877-LA TENNIS

SCHEDULE

Monday, July 22 11 a.m.

“A Night at the Net” Charity Event 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 23 11 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Pavilions Kids Day 9 a.m.

Wednesday, July 24 11 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 25 12 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Senior Day 10 a.m.

Friday, July 26 (quarterfinals) 12 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Ladies Day 9 a.m.

Saturday, July 27 (semifinals) 1 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Sunday, July 28 (finals) 1 p.m.

TV SCHEDULE

• Fox Sports West in Southern California

• Fox Sports cable channels nationally (check local listings)

• Saturday, July 27 1:00-3:00 p.m. (Live)

7:00-9:00 p.m. (Live)• Sunday, July 28 1-3 p.m. (Live)

PAST CHAMPIONS

(During Open Era)

Singles Doubles

2001 Andre Agassi B. Bryan & M. Bryan

2000 Michael Chang P. Kilderry & S. Stolle

1999 Pete Sampras B. Black & Ferreira

1998 Andre Agassi Rafter & Stolle

1997 Jim Courier Lareau & O'Brien

1996 Michael Chang Barnard & Norval

1995 Michael Stich Haygarth & Kinnear

1994 Boris Becker Fitzgerald & Woodforde

1993 Richard Krajicek Ferreira & Stich

1992 Richard Krajicek Galbraith & Pugh

1991 Pete Sampras Frana & Pugh