What happened to that guy Andre?

LONDON, JUNE 28. For Andre Agassi, it is a big question - when to bow out graciously?

Reflecting on his 200 Grand Slam appearances in a rollercoaster career that has taken him from the heights to the depths and back up again, he said: ``looking back, what an amazing life, what an amazing life. There has been a lot of reflection for me. Gosh, if only we would have known what was to come.''

Asked by TNT Sports how he would like to retire, he said: ``I guess ideally I'd probably want a lot of people asking `what happened to that guy?' and just fade away. You want to win everything and there is the sense of romance to winning and calling it quits.''

After starting Wimbledon 2001 with a convincing first round win, he confessed: ``I don't know how my career is going to end or really when it is going to end. I can say that I hope it ends at the time when I just can't really do it anymore, can't win anymore. I hope it happens no sooner and no later than that.''

Headband or headache?

Pat Rafter was persuaded to shave off his trademark long hair in a bid to stop sweating so profusely and the laid-back Australian now wears a headband even though he says ``I look like an idiot.''

He suffered crippling cramp at the Australian Open during his loss to Andre Agassi in the semifinals. Doctors blamed the cramps on Rafter's chronic sweating and advised him to shave his head.

The most enduring sex symbol on the men's Tour grudgingly complied and now catches much of the sweat in a red and blue headband.

He said the first time he wore it on court ``I looked like an idiot. Then I thought `oh, stuff it, I'll do it'. Just got a few laughs from everyone for the first couple of days. Everyone knows I looked like an idiot but I don't care any more.''

Food for thought

Socialites at Wimbledon may gasp at what they have to pay for strawberries and cream - but they are half the price of what you pay at Royal Ascot or the Chelsea flower show, two other major summer watering holes for British high society.

The price has risen by five per cent this year to œ1.84 ($2.61) a Punnet at the Mecca of tennis for the middle classes. ``But you get at least 10 strawberries a Punnet and the cream and sugar are free,'' said a Wimbledon spokesman.

``They are terrific value. That's almost half the price of strawberries and cream at Royal Ascot and the Chelsea flower show.''

Kourna-corner

Kournikova, whose income from sponsorship and marketing deals far exceeds her on-court winnings, is sadly missed by both fans and the media.

The Sun tabloid has had to sacrifice its `Kourna-corner' section this year which used to give readers a new picture of the Russian every day.

All that is left are giant billboards of the 20-year- old advertising her sports bras and fitness workout videos. Schett thus carries a huge responsibility in a country where style increasingly swamps substance - and in a game where how you look has often been as important as how well you play.

The glamour game has done the women's game a power of good and its profile probably exceeds that of the men's game right now.

``There's a lot of fuss, especially in this country, around how you look,'' Yugoslav Jelena Dokic said. ``It is going all over the world as well. But I think women's tennis is better in every way.''

Former Wimbledon champion Lindsay Davenport agrees. ``I think every week, the fans are drawn in. It's not just the glamour, it's the personalities in the women's game. A lot of players have transcended the tennis court, which is no bad thing. I would say it's the most exciting time to be part of this game.''

Borg-Ette babe

Bjorn Borg's famous pinstripe tennis shirt is again seen prowling Wimbledon's grasscourt baselines this year.

But this time it is the women donning the famous Fila attire. Jelena Dokic was dubbed `The Borg-Ette' at the French Open earlier this month when she started wearing the distinctive shirt and shorts, a range named `Settanta' which means seventies in Italian.

The Swede was Wimbledon champion five years running from 1976-80.

Bookmakers still with Pete

Pete Sampras remained firm favourite to retain his Wimbledon men's singles title despite being pushed to five sets by British wildcard Barry Cowan.

Hill also offered Andre Agassi a 9-2 chance, followed by Lleyton Hewitt (5-1), Tim Henman (8-1), Pat Rafter (10-1) and Greg Rusedski (14-1).

Venus Williams is a 7-4 favourite to win the women's title, ahead of Jennifer Capriati (9-4), Serena Williams (4-1) and Lindsay Davenport (9-2).

- Reuters

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