Tuesday, Nov. 4, 1997 | 10:34 a.m.
If Andre Agassi is going to attempt to climb back up the tennis mountain, it makes sense the first step should be outside his front door.
As of now, Agassi, who has fallen all the way to No. 140 on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) computer rankings, is scheduled to play singles and doubles in the $50,000 Luxor-Las Vegas USTA Men's Challenger beginning Monday at UNLV's Fertitta Tennis Complex. It will be the first time since the 1995 Davis Cup that Agassi played competitive tennis in his hometown.
The tournament is for players ranked No. 50 to 200. Tickets are $5 for the Monday-Friday sessions, $10 for Saturday's semifinals and $15 for Sunday.
Former UNLV star Luke Smith, the 1997 NCAA singles and doubles champion, also is scheduled to play. Smith was given a wild card exemption into the main draw.
But the focus clearly will be on Agassi. The game's best player just two years ago when he was ranked No. 1 for 30 straight weeks has had a year to forget in 1997. Hampered by a nagging wrist injury, Agassi hasn't come close to being the player people remember.
In 13 appearances this year, he has lost in the first round an astonishing eight times.
His best performances came early this year at the Sybase Open in San Jose, Calif., when he advanced to the semifinals and in early September when he made it to the fourth round of the U.S. Open. His most recent match was a first-round loss to countryman Todd Martin at the Stuttgart Open in Germany late last month.
Agassi has struggled so much he needed a wild card to compete in the 1998 Australian Open in mid-January.
"It was a surprise," UNLV tennis coach Larry Easley said of Agassi's decision to play next week. "But this is one of the last tournaments before the Australian Open and I think he has to test himself out."
Local tennis fans will recall Agassi participated in the Davis Cup semifinal match against Sweden at Caesars Palace in September 1995. He beat Mats Wilander in straight sets before withdrawing from the remainder of the competition with a pulled chest muscle.
Neither Agassi nor his brother Philip could be reached for comment Monday. But Nevada Tennis Association officials confirmed Agassi is scheduled to play. He will team with his coach, Brad Gilbert, in the doubles competition.
Easley said having Agassi play can do a lot to boost Las Vegas' attempt to return to the ATP Tour schedule.
"He's still the biggest draw in tennis," Easley said. "It's a great opportunity for Las Vegas to showcase the game and to get things headed toward getting the tour back here."
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