Columnist Victoria Sun: Tarango’s antics fall flat

Victoria Sun

Friday, June 30, 2000 | 11:29 a.m.

Victoria Sun's tennis column appears Friday. Reach her at 259-4078 or victoria@lasvegassun.com

A toast to Paul Goldstein for beating Jeff Tarango at his own bloody mind games at Wimbledon on Wednesday.

A standing ovation for doing what many opponents who have played the insufferable Tarango have wanted to do, but never have been able to do.

Applause for not allowing Tarango's tactics to ruin his concentration and will to fight out there.

And in short, thanks for outlasting Tarango, 3-6, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, 12-10, in one heck of a match.

Tarango, the obnoxious (this is the man whose wife once slapped a chair umpire after he lost a match) ATP Tour veteran from Manhattan Beach, Calif., was at it again during his second round match against Goldstein.

A man known more for his abrasive behavior on the court than his results, Tarango stopped play numerous times to question and glare at linespersons and the chair umpire.

Goldstein ignored Tarango's antics and played on.

At 10-9, Goldstein called an injury timeout because he said he was cramping up.

After the match Tarango refused to shake hands with Goldstein, who Tarango accused of "faking the injury."

Goldstein vehemently denied the accusation and was shocked at the suggestion. To add insult to injury, both are Stanford alums.

Only Goldstein knows whether he really did need the services of ATP Tour trainer Doug Spreen that day. But even if he just called Spreen to stop the match and disrupt Tarango's rhythm, it was a genius move because it worked.

For years, Tarango has played mind games with opponents with his on-court act so it's about time someone got him back.

That is not to say that Goldstein, a scrappy 5-foot-10 baseliner, lied about being hurt. If he did, though, Tarango gets no sympathy here.

From 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., the pros will team with 30 amateurs to play round-robin doubles before playing against each other in an exhibition from 10:45 to 11:30.

Tickets are only $25, but event organizers have decided to limit the total number of spectators to 300. Sandy Foley, executive director of the Nevada Tennis Association, said that they are close to being sold out. If you want tickets, call the NTA at 792-8384.

The proposed date for the challenger to be held at UNLV is Oct. 30-Nov. 5 with the qualifying round on Oct. 27. A challenger event run by the NTA was last held here in 1998, the year Las Vegan Andre Agassi played in it before his meteoric rise back to the top of the tennis rankings.