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Friday, July 18
Agassi's big challenge could be Steffi

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Andre Agassi said wife Steffi Graf was "mad" at him after he trounced Rainer Schuettler 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 to win the Australian Open on Sunday.

The American revealed last week that Graf had promised to play mixed doubles with him at the French Open in May if he won his fourth title in Melbourne.

But after the most lopsided Melbourne final since 1926, Agassi winced at the prospect of holding his wife to the promise of a Paris love match.

"She's not too pleased. I don't think anybody appreciates how hard this is going to be for me to get her out there," he joked.

"There is nothing about this she is going to enjoy. Hopefully I'll have 50 years with her to be mad at me about more things."

Graf, who won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, retired from tennis in August 1999 and has not played since.

According to Agassi, delicate negotiations might still be needed before they play their own version of "Mr. and Mrs." in Paris.

"It's going to be my responsibility to make it happen. I'm the one that said it. I've got to make it up to her somehow. Count on me to work on it," said the 32-year-old, who married Graf in October 2001.

Their son, Jaden Gil, was born the same month.

Agassi junior is about the only one in the American's camp who will not have to go through some form of torture after the final.

Coach Darren Cahill will face the electric razor after promising to copy the Agassi "hair"-style, while long-time trainer Gil Reyes -- a strict non-drinker -- must down a margarita prepared by his charge.

The 33-year-old Graf played mixed doubles with John McEnroe at Wimbledon in 1999, reaching the semifinals.

But Agassi warned that, despite 30 Grand Slam singles titles between them, they would stand little chance of winning the French Open together.

"I assure you, if we play we don't have much chance. First of all, I don't play doubles. Secondly, if I did play doubles, I don't usually play against women," he said.

"I guarantee you, you would see a big smile on my face and we would have a lot of fun. But I could never aggressively hit at the woman."

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