Becker says he may remarry

Bild said the terms included a payment by Becker of $14.4 million, shared custody of their sons and the choice for his wife to live in the couple’s home on Miami’s Fisher Island or one in Munich, Germany.

Lawyers for the Beckers — who were married seven years ago in Germany where their two sons, Noah, 6, and Elias, 16 months, were born — had been working on a deal for more than a week.

AP reports from Miami: Boris Becker and his wife have reached an out-of-court settlement of their divorce case.

"They reached a global settlement and they resolved all issues," Becker’s attorney Robert Kohlman said yesterday. "It was a very good settlement for Mr Becker and for the children."

Cash to calm “fat girls” row

Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash has made a clumsy attempt to calm the row over his reported dismissal of most women players as overweight and out-of-condition.

In a column for Monday’s edition of The Australian newspaper, Cash claimed his comments had been taken out of context and told Lindsay Davenport she should not take his description of her as being built like a shot putter personally.

“I said women tennis players had different builds and different approaches to fitness — and I did say Lindsay had more of a shot-putter’s build,” Cash admitted.

“But that was in no way meant to disparage her talents. I hope she doesn’t take it as anything personal because that’s not the way it was meant.”

Cash’s comments have been slammed by women’s World No 1 Martina Hingis while Davenport, whose rise to the top of the women’s game has been accompanied by a gruelling fitness regime, deemed them unworthy of response.

Media turns on Dokic clan

Australia’s media turned on the Dokic family on Monday, calling them an embarrassment who had slapped Australia in the face.

“What the Dokics’ decision does mean is that Australia will no longer suffer the embarrassment of her father Damir,” said an opinion piece in The Melbourne Age

.

“So you are leaving the country that wanted to support and help your talented daughter? Don’t let the door hit you on the back on your way through customs, Damir.

“Send us a postcard when you get to Florida.”

Jelena Dokic announced on Sunday she would play at the Australian Open for Yugoslavia rather than her adopted country Australia.

Her father Damir claimed his daughter had been poorly treated and the draw for the first Grand Slam of the season was rigged after Jelena was pitted against World No 2 Lindsay Davenport in the first round.

Damir is currently banned from Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) venues until March because of his angry outbursts and The Age accused him of ruthlessly playing the “race card”.

“… It is when Damir plays the race card that he does the most harm,” the paper said.

“At the very least, his unsubstantiated bleating cheapens the claims of those who are victims of the very real racism that still exists in this country.

“He purports to speak on behalf of a wounded ethnic minority, but does those people more harm than good.”

Agassi out of Davis Cup

ANDRE Agassi looks to have played his last Davis Cup match after ruling out a return to the United States team for at least the next three years.

In a shattering blow for new US captain Patrick McEnroe, Agassi said he was opposed to the current Cup format and would not be available to play.

Pete Sampras has already indicated that he will not be playing in this year’s Davis Cup for the United States.

The Americans, who were beaten 5-0 by Spain in last year’s semi-final in Santander, are due to face Switzerland next month in the first round of the 2001 series. They last won the Cup in 1995.

US captains have had persistent problems getting their top players to play in the world team competition amid criticism over its format and scheduling.

Stoltenberg contemplates quitting

A straight sets first round defeat in front of his home crowd left Australian veteran Jason Stoltenberg contemplating retirement.

Stoltenberg, who was ousted by Argentina’s Agustin Calleri, said: “I’m not going to make any big statements that I’m going to stop but it’s close.

“I don’t have any desire to play another year or two.”

Now 30, Stoltenberg was playing here in his 49th Grand Slam tournament — more than any other man still playing.

But he admitted that the grind of the circuit was finally beginning to take its toll.

“Playing a match like that today, to be honest I didn’t really enjoy it that much and that’s a bit of a problem,” Stoltenberg said.

“I’m enjoying being away from tennis these days. It’s the day-in day-out travel and being away from family and all the little things that make up your life on tour.

“I’m sure in the next week I’ll have a pretty clear view of what I want to do, whether it be keep going or whether it be I’ve had enough. Right now I don’t want to make a decision based on the negative from losing that match.”

No toning down for Safin

Russian Marat Safin, tagged Czar of the Bizarre, wants it known he’s not toning down his volatile on-court temperament as he seeks his second Grand Slam tennis title.

US Open champion Safin overcame his first-round obstacle Galo Blanco to dispel doubts over an elbow injury that forced his withdrawal from the leadup Kooyong Classic.

Second-seeded Safin, 20, was wary of the potential danger he faced from the Spaniard, who dumped two-time winner Patrick Rafter out in the first round of last year’s US Open.

Safin was taken to two hours 47 minutes on centre court, but wore down Blanco to win 6-4, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5).

Safin has a reputation of an egg-shell temperament — he was fined for not trying in last year’s rapid first round loss here and says he smashed 50 racquets last year.

Asked if he intended to moderate his on-court behaviour, he lashed out.

“Who’s going to tell me this? Sorry, but I was No 1 in the world,” Safin said.

“Everybody is trying to tell me that it is bad for me. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid.”

“It’s my character. This is mine and there’s no way to change it.

“I am doing well. You saw it last year. Even breaking 50 racquets, I mean I was still No 1 in the world, at least for two weeks. That means something, no?”

Safin, who came of age when he beat Pete Sampras in the final at Flushing Meadows last September, said the Grand Slam breakthrough has strengthened his self-belief.

“Because I won one time I feel I have enough of the game, enough power — I have everything to win a Grand Slam tournament,” he said.