Big Boris has Scud sweating for glory
By LINDA PEARCE
LONDON
Friday 16 June 2000


It was the morning after Mark Philippoussis had lost his fourth-round match at the French Open but, in many other ways, it was a normal day. There would be a sleep-in, a late breakfast, perhaps he would practise for an hour, but no more.

So it was that the 23-year-old Philippoussis was still in bed, asleep, when the phone rang some time after 11am. It was Boris Becker.

"He said, 'Did I wake you up?', and at 11.15 in the morning. I was like, 'No, no, I was just doing some stretching'," Philippoussis said with a sheepish grin after Wednesday's second-round loss at Queen's Club.

"Just trying to be professional, but of course I was sleeping and it just shows you how lazy I am.

"He said he wanted to fly down on his jet with Mike (DePalmer) the next day, to come and talk to me, and he did that, he flew down in the morning and he watched my practice and he talked to me, but I already knew what I wanted and Mike was coming down to stay with me and to start off (coaching), so I had the meeting with him and so it's all good now."

Phew. Punctuation optional. Once Philippoussis started on the subject of DePalmer, his new grasscourt adviser, and the idolised Becker - whose posters once shared the space with Gabby Sabatini on his bedroom walls - Philippoussis seemed uncharacteristically reluctant to stop.

Normally, he is the king of the cautious cliche, nervous, suspicious, and determined to tell us nothing unless he can say even less.

Not this week. He spoke freely, and the repeated theme was his desire to work far harder and play (in the social sense) far less, driven by his fear of failing to fulfil the potential that Becker told him at their weekend meeting was still about 60 per cent short of being realised.

The knowledge of just how much harder he can work hit home during his first practice session, and opening footwork drill, with DePalmer, Becker's coach of five years. Philippoussis' regular mentor, Gavin Hopper, was also involved.

"I was that tired in that 20 minutes, half an hour, and I was sweating so much that it got me thinking that, 'Geez, I mean, I've got to work hard, and this is what it takes and I've got to do this, five times as much, and I'm wanting to do it now'," Philippoussis said.

"I'm really scared. A thing that Boris said to me really hit me and I thought about it and I got pretty scared. You don't want to go through life, later on with a family, at 32, 33, and think. 'God, I had so much potential, what if I'd worked harder, what if that, what if'.

"I know how hard I work to get where I am and I don't want to say `what if'. I just want to finish tennis knowing that I accomplished all that I could have, and that's what I've got to be ready for.

"I'm just doing a lot of hard work. Boris is talking to Mike on the phone and he said to him to do exactly the same work as they did, before matches, after matches and stuff."

So the first few steps are being taken. Philippoussis beat Wayne Arthurs and then lost to Goran Ivanisevic 6-3, 6-3 at Queen's, but the world No.17 and genuine grasscourt contender says his sights have not wavered from the purpose of his visit, Wimbledon, and nor has his confidence suffered from the events of Wednesday.

Philippoussis insists he is not the type of player who needs a heavy match-load to prepare for a tournament; some hard practice and a few exhibitions at Roehampton next week will do just fine.

Which is where his new team comes in. The whole Becker-DePalmer scenario had its genesis last month in the uninspiring Austrian town of St Poelten, where Philippoussis lost to Jeff Tarango in the first round of a low-key tour event and sat down for a chat with his father Nick.

"Out of the blue, I don't even know how it came up, I said to my dad, `You know it would be great working with Boris a little bit, starting on the grass and having his input on the grass coming up to Wimbledon'. I said it would be incredible.

"I just said it like that and my dad's great like that. He cares about me a lot, he loves me, and he wants the best for me, and he makes a phone call.

"We've known Mike for a while and we know he's worked with Boris for five years and we know that obviously Becker's retired and Mike's not working with anyone, and my dad just thought it would be perfect that Mike will come and work with me.

"It's worked out perfect. If my dad had told me when I was 10 years old, or 15, 16, that Boris would be looking after me when I was 23, I would have said, 'No way'. But honestly I think this is going to be the start of something good for me."

The Victorian, partly motivated by the opportunity lost when he was forced to retire from last year's Wimbledon quarter-final against Pete Sampras, said he was feeling much more excited at the same stage this year than last.

"There's a lot to be learnt and like Boris said to me when he had a meeting with me, he said to me, `You haven't reached 40 per cent of your potential yet' and he wouldn't be wasting his time if he didn't think that I could do it."

And so, armed with the confidence his new outlook and team have brought, Philippoussis believes his Wimbledon time may be now. "I'm 23. It's definitely not too early and definitely not too late and this is my chance, why not?"

PHLIPPOUSSIS BOWS OUT
(crosscourt.com)

Mark Philippoussis is often using the term "it's time" because later in his life he says he does not want to use the term "what if" when he comes to looking back on his career. The 23 year old is referring to his chances at Grand Slams and more particular Wimbledon at the moment.

Philippoussis may not have had the best of days at the Stella Artois Championships with is second round loss to Goran Ivanisevic, but the belief in himself remains and he feels can't afford to slacken off anymore. He may only be 23, but he is realising he has to grasp his chances with both hands

In what has been described as the best media conference Philippoussis has given, he opened up and talked about his hopes and his fears and his new found desire to make himself the best player he can be with the help of the Boris Becker group and the coach Becker placed so much trust in, Mike Depalmer.

For all too long Philippoussis had not exerted himself on a practice, he admitted it himself for the first time. After hitting for an hour he would go off weight boarding or bike riding with friends or socialise rather than giving himself more to the job at hand. He appreciates what has been lacking and says so with a sheepish laugh. It was after speaking with Becker and Depalmer that he came to the view he was letting his career slip by him.

"I have never practiced more than an hour on the court," said Philippoussis who used to have posters of the German and, he hastens to add Gabriela Sabatini, in his bedroom as a youngster.

"I wouldn't say it was lack of interest, I just got into a routine and that's it. But now is my time and I have to be willing to go out there and train two to three hours a day and do some fitness and train twice a day. I have never trained twice a day.

"You've got Magnus Norman who trains five hours a day, he did that a couple of years ago and it didn't show then but now it's showing. You have to work that hard. It's going to show down the track and that's what it's all about. It's incredible the way the guy has come up and it looks like he can't lose at the moment. There is so much belief in himself.

"Boris said something to me and I realise it too. I have just got to wake up and think okay one hour isn't enough, no matter how hard you do train for that one hour. I can't rely on my potential and racquet work to get through matches. You have to sweat for four or five hours and be so tired that you can't do anything else but rest and be ready to train the next day."

Philippoussis said his first training session with Depalmer was exhausting and it got him thinking that he has to put in the greater effort.

"I have to do it and I am willing to do it now and I'm really scared. What Boris said to me really hit me. You don't want to go through life, later on with a family at 31, 32, 33, and think, 'God I had so much potential, what if I worked hard, what if, what if.' I know I worked hard to get this far and I don't want to say 'what if'. I just want to finish tennis knowing I accomplished all I could have but I have to be ready for it," said Philippoussis.

He says this month in England is one he enjoys a lot, his parents are both in London and he has friends around him and it is "like home", and he is "excited" about what lies ahead at the All England Club.

Team Scud, boom boom
By LINDA PEARCE
LONDON

To win Wimbledon, Mark Philippoussis has found someone who has been there and done that, three times - Boris Becker.
Mark Philippoussis is not so much employing Boris Becker to plot his grasscourt program as planning it with Mike DePalmer, a former Boris mentor who is still involved with Team Becker. It seems that Boom Boom chats to Mike who talks to Scud who puts it all into practice. Successfully, so far.
Whoever is doing the moulding, and whatever influence they wield in tandem with the Australian's permanent coach, Gavin Hopper, there is plenty of raw material with which to work on the pet surface of the big-servers. Few come bigger.
Philippoussis launched his London campaign in straight sets against Davis Cup squadmate Wayne Arthurs at the Stella Artois championships at Queen's Club on Tuesday. Currently ranked 17th under the ATP Tour's entry system, but with the prowess and potential to sway those who matter, Philippoussis is rightfully expecting a mention when the Wimbledon seeds are announced next week.
``I'm working with Mike DePalmer who was Becker's coach for five years, so he's in the team now,'' Philippoussis said after his 6-3, 7-5 defeat of Arthurs, another big-serving danger on grass. ``So I speak to Boris on the phone and he speaks a lot with Mike. I think they call each other close to every day and he tells Mike what to work on and how things are going.''
Asked what Becker and co could bring to the game of a player who won Queen's in 1997 and last year led eventual Wimbledon winner Pete Sampras by a set before being forced to retire with a knee injury, Philippoussis said: ``I couldn't possibly try and understand the things he's learnt over the years through experience.
``All that he's done, that he's accomplished in his life, he's got a lot to give, for sure. This is my opportunity and I've just got to listen and learn. I don't know how long it will go. It's a great opportunity and it's good for me because I looked up to him when I was a kid. So it's very exciting.''
Philippoussis gained some measure of revenge on Sampras in the first round of the French Open, before being tipped out in the fourth by impressive young Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero. Far more at home on grass than clay, his next opponent at Queen's will be Goran Ivanisevic, the three-time Wimbledon finalist he beat in the 1997 Queens final to claim his only grasscourt title, the year before teaming up with former adviser Pat Cash.
And the Australian's Wimbledon chances? ``I don't really like to say anything, but I just know what I'm capable of doing, and I just want to go in there and do what I have to do,'' Philippoussis said.
``I'm feeling good. Every year I'm getting more experienced, it's just a great feeling playing at Wimbledon, especially that centre court. I got to play a couple of matches (there), I dreamed of playing on that court when I was a kid and it's just a good feeling. I'm hungry and very happy and comfortable to be on the grass and looking forward to this month.''
While a sluggish Sampras was pushed to three sets by local wildcard Arvind Parmar, the flop of the tournament so far has been British No.1 (as they like to say over here) Tim Henman. The eighth seed was embarrassed 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 by American qualifier Bob Bryan, and may now have to enter next week's Nottingham event to ensure he has enough pre-Wimbledon practice.
``There is no reason for it and no excuse for it,'' said Henman, on whom most English hopes rest. Beaten last year in a classic final by Sampras, Henman said he did not believe Queen's had been a particular personal formguide. ``I don't think it's had a great bearing on my Wimbledon play. I shall definitely try and push this out of my mind as soon as possible.''
More fortunate was rising Russian star Marat Safin, a 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 victor over France's Julien Boutter, in his first match under the grasscourt tutelage of Stefan Edberg's former coach Tony Pickard. Others already through to the third round include Cedric Pioline (who dropped the first set before he beat American Jan-Michael Gambill 5-7, 6-2, 6-3), Gianluca Pozzi, Andre Pavel and unknown Frenchman Michael Llodra, the son of a former Paris St-Germain soccer player.
Although Parmar surprised Sampras before losing 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 6-3 on centre court, the biggest upset was caused by Bryan, the 22-year-old Californian whose qualifying victims included his twin brother Mike and whose mother, Kathy Blake, once reached the semi-finals of the mixed doubles and the third round of singles at Wimbledon.
Bryan, a tall left-hander, is ranked 202 under the tournament entry system compared with Henman's 14th. But that counted for little on the Brit's home turf and Henmania will be a little late starting this year as a result.



Becker on the line for Scud
sports.news.com

By PATRICK MILES
15jun00

AS a child learning the craft, Mark Philippoussis saw Boris Becker on the top of the heap and wanted to be there himself.

At 23, he has a chance this month to emulate the German by taking the Wimbledon singles title and making an indelible mark on the sport – and Becker will be in his corner.
The Australian this week began a working relationship with Becker that has so far been confined to telephone conversations.
It involves a slightly mystifying three-way link-up between the player, the former champion and the coach, Mike DePalmer, who guided Becker's career for five years and remains a business associate.
"I started to work with him here. I don't know how long it will go on," Philippoussis, who was due to meet Goran Ivanisevic in the second round of the Stella Artois Championships late last night (AEST), said of his new mentor.
"It's a great opportunity and it's good for me because I looked up to him when I was a child."
Philippoussis, who defeated his Davis Cup team-mate, Wayne Arthurs, 6-3 7-5 in the first round here at Queen's Club, was being coached by his father Nick after his parting with Pat Cash earlier this year, but he is now training with DePalmer and using Becker as an "adviser".
"He's in the team now," Philippoussis said. "I speak to Boris on the phone. He speaks a lot with Mike, close to every day. He tells Mike what to work on and how things are going."
It took Philippoussis, the No.11 seed, just over an hour to overpower Arthurs. He broke the left-hander's normally reliable serve at 2-3 in the first set and again at 5-5 towards the end after the players had exchanged service breaks in the second set.
Philippoussis said the match was good preparation for an encounter with Ivanisevic. "He's a similar kind of player [to Arthurs] with a big lefty serve," he said.
It has not been a good week for Cash. His two latest pupils, compatriot Andrew Ilie and the American Vince Spadea, both lost in the first round here.
Ilie, the No.16 seed, could not find a way past Brazilian Andre Sa.
Spadea's opponent and fellow countryman, Justin Gimelstob, must have been deeply concerned when he dropped the first set.
Spadea was on a 19-match losing streak and notoriety was due to whoever brought it to an end. But Gimelstob won the next two sets and 19 became 20 for the player whose fortunes presently lie in the hands of Cash.
Tim Henman, the No.8 seed and local favourite, caused dismay among his supporters by losing in the second round to American qualifier Bob Bryan.
The event almost lost another drawcard when lesser known Briton, Arvind Parmar, who was given a wild card and beat Australia's Scott Draper in the first round, took a set off the No.2 seed, Pete Sampras. But the Wimbledon champion rallied to win 6-7 6-4 6-3.

SCUD HOPES FOR SUCCESS IN LINK WITH BECKER
By Louise Robson
LONDON, June 13 AAP - Mark Philippoussis expects his new coaching alliance with triple Wimbledon champion Boris Becker to pay dividends this year but wouldn't tip himself as a top contender for the most sought after prize in tennis.
The 24-year-old was the first Australian to advance to the second round at the Queen's Club tournament here today, knocking out compatriot Wayne Arthurs in straight sets.
Philippoussis beat Arthurs 6-3 7-5 to reach tomorrow's meeting with big-serving left-hander Goran Ivanisevic, the man he beat to take his only grass court title here in 1997.
Philippoussis parted with 1987 Wimbledon winner Pat Cash earlier this year and recently added the expertise of Becker to his coaching team.
The big-serving Melburnian, whose 1999 Wimbledon ended with a knee injury in his quarter-final against Pete Sampras, said he was ready and hungry for the challenge this year.
"I was happy with the way I played last year and I wouldn't have liked to finish the way I did -- who knows how long I would have gone on?" he said.
"But this is doing it on the grass. It's time I think for me to get excited and make my move."
Philippoussis, 11th seed at Queen's, said he expected to be among the 16 Wimbledon seeds but refused to tempt fate by predicting success.
"I never like to say these things," he said.
"I just know what I'm capable of doing. I just want to go in there and do what I have to do."
Arthurs, 29, caused a sensation when he went 111 games at Wimbledon last year without losing serve but fell in his first round encounter against his countryman here.
He gave Philippoussis the ideal rehearsal for his second round match as he unleashed 12 aces -- the same number as his opponent -- across the west London grass and a torrent of oaths as his game began to founder.
Errors from Arthurs and well-anticipated shots from Philippoussis cost the Adelaide left-hander the first set.
It was a similar story in the second as Philippoussis broke for a 5-4 lead; Arthurs broke back but Philippoussis retaliated and served out the set without dropping another point.
"It was tough to play Wayne in the first round on grass and it was important to return serve and make him play," Philippoussis said.
"I thought it was a rather good match first up, the first one's always tough obviously but I'm happy with the way I've played."
Philippoussis started working with Becker last week after his fourth round exit from the French Open.
"I don't know how long it will go for," he said.
"It's a great opportunity and it's good for me because I looked up to him when I was a kid. I've just got to listen and learn."
Philippoussis was the only seed with a straightforward win as four top players struggled in second round matches after first-round byes.
British eighth seed Tim Henman received a humiliating setback to his Wimbledon preparation as US qualifier Bob Bryan brought off the upset of the day 7-6 (7-2) 6-4.
Russian seventh seed Marat Safin took three sets to conquer France's Julien Boutter of France and second seed Pete Sampras dropped a set against British qualifier Arvind Parmar before his testing 7-6 (10-8) 6-4 6-3 win.
French fourth seed Cedric Pioline also dropped the first set before he beat American Jan-Michael Gambill 5-7 6-2 6-3.