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Agassi hurt American retires after slip and fall in Queen's Club match
Posted: Thursday June 15, 2000 03:37 PM
LONDON (AP) -- Andre Agassi's status for Wimbledon was thrown into doubt Thursday when he was injured at the Queen's Club tournament and withdrew from the event. Agassi slipped and fell heavily while chasing a shot early in the second set of his third-round match against Italy's Gianluca Pozzi. After playing another game, Agassi took a three-minute injury timeout as tournament trainer Doug Spreen rubbed his lower back and stretched his left leg. Agassi, looking uncomfortable, came out for the next game. Limping visibly, he lost the game. Agassi then walked off the court, slammed his racket in anger against his foot, and extended his hand to Pozzi as he forfeited the match. There was no immediate comment from Agassi. Details on the extent of his injury were also not immediately available. "He told me he hit his hip," Pozzi said. Tournament officials said Agassi, who was receiving more treatment, had apparently suffered lower back spasms. Agassi won the first set 6-4 and the score was 2-2 in the second when he retired. The top-seeded American was in control of the match when the slip occurred at 1-1 in the second set. Running full speed toward the net for a lunging forehand get, his left leg slipped from under him on the grass and he tumbled awkwardly to the turf. Agassi's shot proved to be a winner down the line, giving him a service break and a 2-1 lead. He stayed down for several moments with his head buried in the grass, while Pozzi came around the net to offer assistance. Agassi rose and walked slowly back to his chair, spending much of the changeover wincing in pain. When the match resumed, he clearly looked in difficulty and dropped his serve. Agassi then called for the trainer. He lay face down on a towel while Spreen treated his back, then flipped over as the trainer worked on his leg. Agassi went out for the next game, but made little effort as Pozzi held serve. Agassi broke his racket when he slammed it against his right foot, drawing a code violation from the chair umpire. Agassi, Wimbledon champion in 1992, runner-up a year ago and the only player in the modern era to win all four Grand Slams, was coming off a second-round loss at the French Open to Karol Kucera. Hobbled by a foot blister, he won only two games in the final two sets. Agassi took a late wild card for Queen's to prepare for Wimbledon, which begins June 26. In his first match on grass in a year, Agassi struggled to get past France's Anthony Dupuis in three sets Wednesday.
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