Upbeat Agassi gets ready for European debut

The top-ranked Agassi makes his seasonal debut on the European circuit, heading the field in the Italian Open which begins play on Monday.

Rome has attracted the strongest field on European clay this year, with only an injured Pete Sampras missing among the top attractions.

Agassi has been in Rome for nearly a week, taking part in practice sessions that have drawn thousands of fans as well as dozens of paparazzi looking for shots of the player with girlfriend Steffi Graf, forcing her to retreat to her hotel.

Agassi has also played in a charity event and appeared on a Sunday TV variety show, flanked by former Italian tennis champion Adriano Panatta and top model Adriana Sklenarikova.

“How can you ask for more than a great city, the best food in the world, women like this and the tennis?” Agassi said.

When Panatta praised Agassi for fighting back from deep in the rankings to regain the No. 1 spot, Agassi said: “It’s not about struggle. It’s about life.”

All told, his stay has contrasted sharply with tournaments in Rome a few years ago when he would fly in at the last minute, then lose early, drawing whistles and boos from the noisy Foro Italico crowd.

Agassi has compiled an uneven record on the tour this year.

After winning the Australian Open in January, his best showing has been a semifinal defeat against Gustavo Kuerten in Miami in March. In April, he pulled out of a tournament in Atlanta with a strained hamstring.

But no player has emerged as dominant on clay this season

In his first match, Agassi drew fellow American Todd Martin.

Other top seeds include No. 2 Yevgeny Kafelnikov, No. 3 Magnus Norman, No. 4 Kuerten, the defending champion, and No. 5 Cedric Pioline, winner on the clay in Monte Carlo.

In a major change this year, the men’s event in Rome, part of the Masters Series, is preceding the women’s event, which opens on May 15. Top entries include Linday Davenport, Martina Hingis and Venus Williams.