Tennis-X Notes: Agassi Says Man-Up; Henin Divorce

Posted on January 19, 2007

TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Retired four-time Aussie Open champ Andre Agassi is not a fan of the Extreme Heat rule that stops play at the Aussie Open, and says players need to suck it up and get in shape: "It is about being fit and being prepared, and tennis brings both of those things together, and that needs to be respected and appreciated. This is a sport, it's about handling the elements the best. It is not about playing great. We train for this. (If you are not prepared), too bad."...From the Mail & Guardian: "Australian Open organisers on Friday defended keeping quiet about the sexual assault of a five-year-old boy in a toilet this week, saying they did so at the request of police."...From News.com.au: "Victoria police have arrested a 32-year-old man who was allegedly seen trying to film up women's skirts at the Australian Open tennis tournament." -- What the hell is going on at the Aussie Open?

Props for ESPN's addition in the booth, former Andre Agassi coach Darren "Killer" Cahill, but will he be a mainstay or soon off to coach another top player?...Pete Sampras speaking to ESPN on if he were to play Roger Federer again: "We see Wimbledon today where everyone is staying back, you know I miss the serve and volley tennis, and I would try to put as much pressure on Roger if I could and if he could pass and return great for three straight sets then it's too good. But I felt that I was very, very tough to break on grass when I was serving well and moving well. And the fact that Roger stays back on grass, it gives me a few chances to kind of take a crack at it and just kind of move to the net and try to put pressure on him. But I can't talk too much on how I'd do because he beat me the one time we played."...From the Southwest Florida Herald-Tribune: "Jim Courier, who won four Grand Slam titles and was ranked No. 1 in the world for 58 weeks, will join Bradenton's Petr Korda in an exhibition match during the third annual Serving Up A Slam Tennis Classic to be held March 15 and March 17-18 at the Longboat Key Club and Resort. The event is a three-day fundraiser that includes a doubles tournament and a dinner, along with silent and live auctions in addition to exhibitions. The function is put on by the Sarasota Sports Foundation, a group formed to help combat child abuse."...Serena Williams says she is still working on a movie script about African-American tennis pioneer Althea Gibson...From tennis writer Matt Cronin on the Justine Henin-Hardenne divorce: "In an interview with an Avenir du Luxembourg, Pierre-Yves' parents said of their son's break-up with Justine Henin-Hardenne: "We don't know what could have happened between the two of them. Pierre-Yves just told us they're both going their own way for now, to think things over." They said they haven't seen their son since October, but that he's informed them he's very unhappy. According to, another paper, Vers l'Avenir, Henin-Hardenne will soon be filing for a divorce."