By TOM A. MCFERSON Special to the Daily Press
There is plenty of tennis to played at this year Mercedes Benz Cup at UCLA this week, even if No. 1 ranked Lleyton Hewitt is out.
After Hewitt to a form of viral gastroenteritis, Mercedes Benz Cup officials desperately need second seeded Andre Agassi to make it to the weekend tournament. He will try to take his first step towards the goal by beating Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark. They were scheduled to play Tuesday night.
Agassi has looked motivated and sharp in practice, and he appears more than ready to make another run at a Mercedes Benz Cup title. His draw appears favorable also, with Agassi not scheduled to meet a big name player until Gustavo Kuerten in the quarter-finals.
Agassi, winner of seven grand slam titles and currently ranked fourth in the world, has always enjoyed Southern California, once owning a home in the Pacific Palisades. He has won two titles here, in 1998 and 2001.
Another former champion, Michael Chang, winner of this event in 1996 and 2000, bowed out with a heart-breaking loss to Jan Michael Gambill. After the match, Chang discussed the state of his own game, the frustration he is feeling with his results (Chang has accumulated a 2-13 record this year on the tour), and his commitment to improving his game.
Taylor Dent and Andy Roddick, two young Americans who have been labeled with “The Future of American Tennis,” also won their first round matches. Dent, who currently lives in Huntington Beach, is coming off his first tournament win two weeks ago in Rhode Island. With some luck, Dent and Roddick will meet in the quarter-finals.
Other big names in the tournament include Tommy Haas of Germany, currently ranked No. 3 in the world; Xavier Malisse of Belgium, a semi-finalist in last month’s Wimbledon; 11th ranked Sebastien Grojean of France; and three-time French Open winner Gustavo Kuerten.
The Mercedes Benz Cup is played at the Los Angeles Tennis Center on the campus of UCLA, near Pauley Pavilion. The singles draw is comprised of 32 players, the doubles draw is comprised of 16 doubles teams. Total prize money is $1 million. Dates are July 22-28. Matches begin at 11 a.m.
Tickets are still available. For more information, call (310) 825-2101, or visit the tournament’s web site at www.mercedes-benzcup.com. Discounts are available for certain sessions for students, senior citizens, and USTA members.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 24, 2002. Read the original PDF.