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Monday, July 28, 1997

Courier breaks through to win title

Former Bruin Justin Gimelstob defeats Andre Agassi in first-round homecoming

TENNIS:By Mark Shapiro

Daily Bruin Staff

It was probably the perfect three-week vacation for Jim Courier. After his struggles this year prompted a three-week respite, Courier came out of hibernation at the Infiniti Open.

In only his second final of the year and first tournament after his self-imposed sabbatical, sixth seeded Courier cruised to the championship with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Thomas Enqvist of Sweden.

"It's nice to show up on a Sunday and actually be playing in a final," Courier said. "I feel very solid about the way I played this week. I tried to take the offensive as much as I could, and I think I was pretty successful."

Throughout the week, the heavy groundstrokes that carried Courier to the No. 1 ranking in the world in 1992 returned with a vengeance. He steamrolled past Grant Stafford and Mahesh Bhupathi in the first two rounds, then downed defending champion Richard Krajicek in the quarterfinals and top seed Goran Ivanisevic in the semifinals before his duel with Enqvist.

Enqvist also had a relatively easy road to the finals, facing no seeded players along the way. In his first tournament after tearing tendons in his ankle, Enqvist dropped nary a set en route to the final.

His run came to an end as Courier's baseline bombardments overwhelmed the second seed.

While it was Courier that managed to walk away with the crown, the match that was on everyone's lips throughout the week was former Bruin Justin Gimelstob's first round 7-5, 6-2 upset of former world No. 1 Andre Agassi before an energized center-court crowd.

In only his second match after returning from wrist surgery, Agassi was searching for a better result than his previous effort, a first round exit at the Legg Mason Invitational.

Against Gimelstob, who was making his homecoming to the LATC after his first year on tour, Agassi again hit a first round stumbling block, as he ran aground against the all-court play that made Gimelstob a collegiate All-American and has him poised to break into the top 100 in the world.

"Justin played well, he didn't make as many errors as I've seen him make in the past" Agassi said. "I didn't capitalize on the opportunities I had. I've got to take the next step from here."

Gimelstob was unable to build on the momentum that he gained with his triumph as he fell in the second round to Byron Black 7-6, 6-2.

The harsh comedown was nothing new for Gimelstob who has struggled in his first year on the tour.

Gimelstob, who lost only two matches in his final year of college tennis, has gone 9-15 this year. Mixed in with that glut of losses were some disheartening first-round defeats to second-tier players like Bryan Shelton and Rainier Shuttler.

"It's tough, I'm not used to losing as much as I've been doing," Gimelstob said. "I have had to learn how to deal with it; it's something I don't do so well."

Certainly there have been big wins, like one over Mark Philippoussis in the Hopman Cup, or his first-round defeat of French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten at Wimbledon. But Gimelstob lacks the consistency to bring that level of play to every match.

"It shows (I am) capable of playing with the best players, it's just a matter of doing it consistently," Gimelstob said.

"I've beaten some good players ... and I've lost to some bad players, so I just go out and try and do my thing."

PATRICK LAM/Daily Bruin

Jim Courier returns the ball against Sweden's Thomas Enqvist during the Infiniti Open final, which Courier won 6-4, 6-4. See related story page 35.

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