By JUSTIN FLYNN

Monday, January 29, 1996 

Australia's starvation of top line tennis players is frustrating but spare a

thought for poor, young Mark Philippoussis.

Like Patrick Rafter at last year's Australian Open, Phillipoussis stumbled

amid all the hype and carry on surrounding his fourth round clash against

fellow Aussie Mark Woodforde.

A few days earlier, the youngster they call ``Scud'', because of his booming

serve, had thrashed the pants of world number one Pete Sampras.

And I mean thrashed. Sampras looked second rate against Philippoussis'

thundering serve and crisp ground strokes didn't he?

But once again the media stepped in and built Philippoussis up to be the

``Australian Tennis Saviour''.

The God-like creature to take all our tennis woes away forever.

Yes, we in the media often have a lot to answer for.

Remember last year when Rafter was ominously making his way through the

early rounds of the Aussie Open?

He beat Marcus Ondruska of South Africa in an epic five setter and then had

to confront Andre Agassi.

Okay, I know the media has been accussed of making mountains out of

molehills in the past but what was to follow on Channel Seven was nothing

short of ridiculous and embarrassing.

Just for the sake of ratings the match was billed as the clash of the

tournament. The young Aussie gun against the flambuoyant one from Las Vegas.

``The match of the century'' I heard one commentator call it.

Here we had the best player in the world against a talented young hopeful.

In short it was a mismatch and everyone knew it, even Channel Seven.

Predictably, Agassi beat Rafter in straight sets and the Queenslander has

had one setback after another since, whether through poor form or injury.

I don't pretend to be a tennis expert.

Hell, I used to play a former workmate every Friday afternoon.

We played about 20 times I reckon and through all that I managed to win one

set out of about 40 and that was only because she had a crook ankle. Yes you

read correctly _ she!

But like thousands of other Aussies, I stayed home last Saturday night to

watch the Sampras-Philippoussis match and basked in the glory _ just like

everyone else.

After the match I went out and everyone was talking about it. Could he go

all the way?

He didn't.

I went to Flinders Park for the first time last Sunday and the name

Philippoussis was on everyone's lips.

It was a sad end for the Williamstown lad wasn't it?

But I didn't know who to feel sorry for _ Phillipoussis or Woodforde.

Here was Woodforde, an Aussie through and through, but the villain for

beating our ``Scud''.

It is too early to tell whether Philippoussis will be the next big thing in

Aussie tennis.

Certainly, it seems that way. He's only 19 and anyone who can dispose of the

best player on earth at that moment in that sort of style is pretty handy.

That's why we in the media often have a lot to answer for.

Leave Philippoussis be.

I for one (if it's of anyone's concern) reckon he will make the top 10.

If he does he will have beaten the odds and the enormous public expectation.

Expectation that has been brought on solely by the media.

Heaven help Phillipoussis when he finally makes the finals of a grand slam

event.

What sort of monster will we create then?

Rome wasn't built in a day.

Just ask Philippoussis or maybe even Patrick Rafter.