Gourmet Agassi putting in quality time at famed

Prior to the serious stage of competition at the indoor event which precedes his title defence next week at the Paris Masters Series tournament at Bercy, Agassi was able to sit down for a feast at the restaurant of famed local chef Paul Bocuse.

Long gone is the 30-year-old Agassi's McDonald's past, when as a teenager he would chow down regularly on cheeseburgers and fries. Now, as a 30-year-old five-time Grand Slam champion, his tastes are more sophisticated.

"My goal here is to eat at Paul Bocuse at least three more time this week," he joked after reaching the second round at the expense of doubles partner Sargis Sargsian of Armenia. The Monday night meal at the world-famous Bocuse establishment was certainly one to remember.

But Agassi has a lot more than fine French food on his mind as the long tennis season draws to a close - there's the equally pressing matter of whipping his dormant game into shape. Lyon is only the American's second event since losing to flashy Frenchman Arnaud Clement in the second round of the U.S. Open in late August.

That disappointment marked the end of Agassi's competitive tennis for nearly two months. He made his return at last week's Masters Series event in Stuttgart, losing in the third round to Andre Pavel.

With his place at this month's eight-man Masters Cup in Lisbon already booked courtesy of an Australian Open title in January, Agassi knows he has some work to do on his game with avoiding embarrassment one of his prime motivations.

"Working on a challenge can become very enjoyable," he said as he prepared for a Thursday match against either German Tommy Haas or Arnaud Di Pasquale of France. "I'm still competitive that's something I want to be. Tennis is getting tougher, I don't enjoy all the travel and the work around the court, but I think there is more good out there in the game for me," he said.

Agassi said that despite gaining automatic entry to the Lisbon field, he wants to advance over this week and next from his current ninth standing in the year-long point table to actually reach the Top eight legitimately.

The wildcard entry for Grand Slam champions outside the top eight was initiated as the former ATP world championships merged with the Grand Slam Cup for the Masters Cup.

Not everyone likes this new format. Aussie Lleyton Hewitt, who together with Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Thomas Enqvist and Alex Corretja fights for three vacant berths, named Agassi's participation from outside the top eight "strange" and "a little bit silly." Agassi agreed: "It's crucial to qualify. Getting in on a wild card it not the same to me, it's not really qualifying, in my opinion."

(la/dpa)