The call came from a young woman watching practice yesterday at Melbourne Park, witnessing the Australian Open's 16th seed flexing his power game and showing no signs of the neck injury that forced him out of the Kooyong Classic final on Saturday.
There was no reply from Mark Philippoussis, hitting with co-coach Pat Cash on the eve of today's first-round match against Israeli qualifier Noam Okun, just an extended autograph session once the on-court work had been done. But a potential answer was the troublesome Philippoussis neck was travelling a little better than his battered public image.
In the wake of the latest Philippoussis controversy, over his 11th-hour withdrawal from the match against Andre Agassi, it was confirmed Philippoussis would take his place in the third match scheduled for Rod Laver Arena today. Cash rated the Williamstown slugger's fitness as 90per cent and his ball-striking form as exceptional. For those demanding refunds on their Kooyong tickets, the Philippoussis popularity rating may not be quite as high.
Cash said Philippoussis might have been in doubt for the Open had he played at Kooyong, where his absence from the scheduled final was described by tournament director Colin Stubbs as "a nightmare" for sponsors, box-holders and the public.
"He couldn't have played properly," Cash said. "He was very disappointed about not being able to play, but I think if he'd had a go and pulled up sore he would have been out of the Open. I know myself that you have to treat injuries with the utmost respect.
"He seems to be about 90 per cent, but [should be] 100 tomorrow. He's a little bit sore but it recovered in about 24 hours last time and we hope it does the same this time. But there's a little worry that something like this happened two weeks ago. He usually only gets it about once every three years, and this is twice in a row.
"He feels good, he's hitting the ball I think the best I've ever seen him, so that's a good sign. We just hope he gets through the early rounds reasonably well and he's fresh for the later rounds."
Australian Open chief executive Paul McNamee said he spoke to Philippoussis after practice. "Mark said he felt good, so he's all set to go. He's feeling a lot better," McNamee said.
Philippoussis and tournament favourite Pete Sampras should be suited by the faster conditions at Melbourne Park this year. The issue was raised at the ATP Tour meeting on Saturday, with Andrei Medvedev and several Spanish baseliners expressing displeasure over the resurfaced courts and the lighter, quicker balls.
The big-servers should be among those to benefit most, and not only does Sampras fit that category but the American also says he is fully recovered from the back injury that forced him out of the year's last grand slam, the US Open. Sampras hopes to break the record of 12 grand slams he shares with Australian Roy Emerson, with whom he yesterday christened the Melbourne Park centre court in its official new life as the Rod Laver Arena.
Regarding his injury as an end-of-year break, Sampras trained throughout December, much of the time with Australian fitness expert Brett Stephens, before arriving in Melbourne for last week's Kooyong Classic.
His quest for a third Australian title will have to come from a star-stacked top half of the men's draw the world No3 shares with fellow seeds Agassi, Philippoussis and Richard Krajicek, but Sampras was unfazed yesterday.
"The top half seems a little stronger," he said. "But you've just got to go out and play and not worry about the draw and if I'm playing well, hopefully, I'll be tough to beat."