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Weakest link French Davis Cup coach sizes up U.S. squadPosted: Thursday September 12, 2002 11:19 AM
VERSAILLES, France (AP) -- The captain of the French Davis Cup team says he's relieved Andre Agassi won't play for the United States in next week's semifinal against France, but is disappointed Pete Sampras isn't coming. "At one stage, I almost hoped he [Sampras] would come," team captain Guy Forget told reporters Thursday. "He might have messed up and played a mediocre match." Sampras extended his record of Grand Slam singles titles to 14 by winning the U.S. Open last Sunday. After the win, he told U.S. team captain Patrick McEnroe he wasn't ready to play in the Davis Cup semis at Roland Garros, the home of the French Open. France is the defending champion. Sampras lost in the first round of this year's French, and has never advanced past the semifinals on the tournament's red clay surface. "Sampras sometimes loses control on clay when he's not feeling confident," Forget said. He was speaking at Versailles, a town outside Paris where the French team is training. Forget said he had hoped Sampras would draw big crowds to Roland Garros, where France last played the United States in the 1932 final. France won that match 3-2, but trails the United States 6-7 overall. Asked whether it was an advantage that Agassi decided not to come, Forget said: "Yes. We know his ability to play on clay." Agassi won the French in 1999, completing a career Grand Slam. He lost to Sampras in the final at Flushing Meadows last week, and later confirmed an earlier decision not to play in the Davis Cup. McEnroe's team is made up of Andy Roddick, James Blake, Todd Martin and Mardy Fish. The French team includes Sebastien Grosjean, Arnaud Clement, Fabrice Santoro and Mickael Llodra. "For Agassi, it was predictable [that he wouldn't come] -- he had said so for a long time," Forget said. "For Sampras, it was a bit more surprising. "He played a few difficult [Davis Cup] matches when he wasn't on form. After his U.S. Open victory, it would have been a good time to get back into the Davis Cup." Sampras won a first-round rubber in four sets against Karol Beck of Slovakia, but lost in five sets to Alex Corretja of Spain in their quarterfinal rubber on grass in Houston. The United States has won the Davis Cup 31 times, more than any other nation, but hasn't taken the title since 1995. France has won nine times and is tied third with Great Britain. Australia has 27 victories. Forget said he thought Roddick and Blake were most likely to play the singles rubbers for the United States, and added that Blake might be the more dangerous opponent. "I think Blake is more consistent than Roddick. Sometimes he [Roddick] can sort of blow up," Forget said. "He perhaps has less self-control than Blake."
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