Agassi Cleared…for More Exos: Tennis-X Notes

BOOK CLOSED ON METH HEAD AGASSI — International Tennis Federation (ITF) president Francesco Ricci Bitti told The Associated Press on Wednesday that despite appeals from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the statute of limitations on Andre Agassi’s admitted drug use in his book “Open” has made the incident non-punishable. Agassi admitted in his book he did crystal meth for the better part of a year. The ITF said that WADA appealed to the ATP for information they had on Agassi’s doping tests or other info but the ATP would not cooperate. “The ATP is the only entity that could have shed light on what happened, but it’s too late,” Ricci Bitti said. “WADA asked information from the ATP without much success.”

INJURIES PILING UP — list of top withdrawals from the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami: Serena Williams (knee), Juan Martin del Potro (wrist), Maria Sharapova (elbow), Dinara Safina (back), and 2008 champion Nikolay Davydenko (wrist).

MISCELLANEOUS
Dane Caroline Wozniacki is at a career-high No. 2 on the WTA Tour Rankings behind Serena Williams…This time last year, both Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin were retired…Argentina’s Guillermo Canas will make his retirement official this week as he moves into coaching. He also last year opened the Canas Tennis Academy at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park on Key Biscayne…Why does John Lloyd have to step down as British Davis Cup captain when Andy Murray is the one not representing his country? Britain must beat Turkey in Eastbourne on July 9-11 to avoid dropping to Europe/Africa Zone Group III, the lowest tier of Davis Cup…American “prodigy” Donald Young was one match away from qualifying to the main draw in Miami — until be was bitch-slapped 6-1, 6-2 by Xavier Malisse. Prodigy fail…Tim Henman is making his senior tour debut! YAWN…we mean, hurray!…Andre Agassi will play John McEnroe in an exo in July at the ATP LA Open to benefit Agassi’s school. “I am excited about and thankful for our ongoing partnership with the LA Tennis Open. They’ve been extremely generous and now with the help of my friend John McEnroe, the Foundation can continue to provide the students at Agassi Prep with all that they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond,” Agassi said. We’re thinking Agassi is less likely to shoot his mouth off as he did at the Hit for Haiti, since McEnroe is much more likely than Pete Sampras to climb across the net and punch him in the face…Here’s the worst “fix” to Davis Cup we’ve heard yet: “Gather 16 teams in one location for a tournament sometime after the US Open.” — how about just continue with business as usual, but play the semis and final in one location? Or just hit the flush handle?…