TENNIS : WIMBLEDON : Sampras and Agassi Make Small Splashes

They sprinkled some tennis in with the rain here Thursday, where the big winners were Pete Sampras and the apparel company that makes the duds for that dashing dude, Andre Agassi.

Sampras, the U.S. Open champion who grew up in Palos Verdes and had not won a match here in two previous tries, was one of the six winners on yet another day when the rain, rain would not go away.

Only 52 matches have been completed in four days of what has become the worst rain-plagued Wimbledon on record. Officials are starting play earlier each day and considering countless other options to finish this fiasco on time. Unfortunately for them, the rain keeps getting in the way.

There was just enough of a pause in the wet stuff Thursday, however, to provide some entertainment for the fourth consecutive ripped-off crowd. Tournament Referee Alan Mills said recently that Wimbledon was “desperately sorry” about its no-refunds-no-matter-what policy.

Even though they had Sampras out on a lesser court, he drew a crowd and responded with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Danilo Marcelino of Brazil, No. 140 in the world. Sampras’ big serve so dominated the match that he won 80% of the points when he got his first serve in, and he had seven aces and 24 service winners out of the 87 points he won.

Sampras, ranked ninth in the world and seeded eighth here, had lost previous Wimbledon first-rounders to Todd Woodbridge in 1989, a close four-setter; and to Christo van Rensburg, in 1990 in straight sets.

“I just think I’m a little bit stronger physically and mentally than last year,” Sampras said. “I think I have grown up a lot since last year, and a lot of things have happened, like winning the U.S. Open and stuff.”

Speaking of stuff, that’s exactly what Agassi was strutting during a 76-minute cameo performance in which he also played some fairly impressive tennis on a surface that is not his favorite. All things considered, Agassi was a splendor on the grass.

The young star from Las Vegas has not exactly had a warm and cuddly relationship with Wimbledon and has refused to play here since his one-round appearance in 1987.

Part of his resistance, it has been said, is inspired by the white-only dress code imposed by those who call the shots here. So when he agreed to play Wimbledon this year, much was made about how far he would be able to dress up without getting dressed down.

So when he walked out on Centre Court with first-round opponent Grant Connell of Canada, there was more than casual notice taken of his apparel. But he wore a white warm-up suit and kept it on throughout the entire warm-up.

Finally, after winning the toss and electing to serve, the great moment had come. He went to the sidelines, sat in his chair and began.

It was exactly 3:51.32 p.m., London time.

The crowd was hushed. The Duchess of Kent, in the front row of the royal box, leaned forward a tad. The only stirrings were from a few pigeons that were circling overhead.

Agassi started by taking off his shoes. No Gypsy Rose Lee he.

Off came the sweat pants, then the warm-up top. And there he was, the Ivory Snow boy, all in white, from his headband through his white spandexed thighs to his socks and shoes. No dashes of color here or there, as are now allowed. No stripes, bars, zigs or zags. Nothing that would even come close to testing Wimbledon’s will. The only blemish was a tiny black logo near his left shirt pocket that gave the name of the clothing company that is hoping to turn Andre’s whites into lots of green.

Quickly, many in the news corps cleared out, some disappointed with the player who had brought the world “Image is Everything” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Tennis” going straight.

“The kid choked,” said Bud Collins, veteran tennis broadcaster, columnist and advocate of red plaid pants.

Almost as an afterthought, Agassi and Connell began to play. Connell, a good grass-court player with doubles skills and a big left-handed serve, won the first set, 6-4, before Agassi turned his game up a notch and took the second set, 6-1. Then, at 1-1 of the third, raindrops kept falling on their heads and play was called for the day, putting Wimbledon only 171 matches behind schedule.