Possums and parrots are protected in Australia but Andre Agassi is not. His Australian Open was ended yesterday by Spain's Alberto Berasategui, a man the organisers would cheerfully shoot. In two matches he has robbed them of first Pat Rafter, the nation's heart-throb, and now the little bald one.
Being fit is not, as Agassi found out under the floodlights, the same as being match fit. The American's shortage of sustained top class competition since last year's US Open, where he lost to Rafter, caught up with him against the Spaniard who simply never stops running and is supremely quick around the baseline.
At first all seemed well, with the spring-heeled Agassi, who dropped out of the top 100 last year and is currently ranked 87, leaping into a two-sets lead. It was as if all Melbourne was celebrating, for suddenly a massive Australia Day firework display lit up the sky from across the river Yarra.
"I think President Clinton has attacked Australia to take his mind off other things", remarked John McEnroe. Berasategui appeared a little puzzled by the loud bangs; more likely he was merely bemused by the initial quality of Agassi's ground strokes.
But this little Spaniard, who holds his racket as if it were a frying pan, grew stronger and stronger once he had taken the third set. Agassi, by contrast, began to drip like a candle, and slowly burn out. Berasategui won 3-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 and plays Chile's Marcello Rios next.
"Obviously I'm disappointed," Agassi said afterwards, "but having gotten this far I've no intention of wasting all my efforts. This was the first step of my comeback."
In truth nobody can ever be sure what the American, who was watched by his wife Brooke Shields, will do next. Yet he does appear serious about trying to get back to the top, having returned to the lowest of satellite tournament lows last year.
There was never a moment in the match when Agassi did anything other than give his all. But a new generation is beginning to close in behind him now, a generation who respect but no longer fear him. Agassi will be 28 in April, and time is short if he is to add to his three Grand Slams.
Todd Woodbridge, the conqueror of Greg Rusedski, was the final Australian remaining in the singles draw but another foreign import, France's Nicolas Escude, proved every bit as solid and enduring as the flying buttresses which support the mighty cathedral of his home town, Chartres.
Yesterday match against Woodbridge, which he won 7-6, 6-3, 6-2, was played with the roof closed, the early morning mixture of grey skies, drizzle, and fresh winds being more redolent of Filey in August than an Australian summer. Cliff Richard was here, so the roof was shut promptly to reduce any risk of an impromptu concert.
