(Sportstoday)
ADELAIDE
Thursday 6 April 2000

Pat Cash will not be replaced as co-coach of Mark Philippoussis, with Gavin Hopper resuming the role solo since Cash and Philippoussis' management company recently failed to agree on details of a new contract.

Cash had worked with Philippoussis since his career lapsed into the self-doubting doldrums at Queen's Club in the middle of 1998, but a final one-month extension to his lucrative contract ended after the Australian Open in January.

The two parties, represented by Octagon and Pat Cash senior, could not agree on terms for a further arrangement. The 1999 deal had been negotiated by IMG during its brief association with Philippoussis, who has since returned to Octagon, which also manages Lleyton Hewitt and Jelena Dokic.

"We're not going to have any ongoing association at this point," Octagon's John McCurdy confirmed, agreeing that money was the main sticking point. "Firstly, we're trying to get a more economic situation for Mark.


"There's no doubt it's been a very good involvement over the last couple of years and there's no doubt Cashy's contributed significantly to improving many aspects of Mark's game. But he's in a unique situation of having two coaches, really, and Cashy's only ever been in a part-time situation. Gavin's always been Mark's full-time coach and that's going to continue.

"The main thing is that Mark's got to be happy with the situation he's got, and obviously he's content with Gavin, who has been with for the last four years, and who will be with him at all tournaments and during breaks back in Florida."

McCurdy added that Philippoussis' father, Nick, would be travelling with his son more often in 2000, and that there was also the ongoing opportunity to work with Davis Cup coach Tony Roche, who is contracted by Tennis Australia to work with squad members for 20weeks a year.

Cash declined to comment when contacted in London by The Age, although McCurdy said Cash and Philippoussis had "a good personal relationship and nothing's changed there". Hopper's annual contract was renegotiated late last year.

Philippoussis, who withdrew on Monday morning from this week's Davis Cup quarter-final against Germany, will not be joining his teammates in Adelaide. The Victorian has elected, instead, to remain at home in Williamstown to rest and seek treatment on his strained left calf.

McCurdy said it was vital to nurse Philippoussis through a demanding year that includes the Sydney Olympics as well as a condensed Davis Cup and tournament obligations affected by the ATP Tour's new rankings system that works heavily against players who do not contest the four grand slam and nine Masters Series events.

Having initially been reluctant to play in Australia's first-round tie against Switzerland in Zurich, and then heading straight to California to defend his San Jose title, Philippoussis was forced to withdraw from two subsequent United States tournaments with inflammation of the same knee that needed surgery after Wimbledon last year.