TENNIS - TARANGO , O'BRIEN SPRING TWIN UPSETS UNDER THE LIGHTS .
Larry Fine
NEW YORK 1996-08-30
Andre Agassi escaped disaster on Thursday but Wimbledon finalist MaliVai Washington and Marcelo Rios were not so fortunate on a night of upsets at the U.S. Open .
The 11th-seeded Washington fell short of reprising his Wimbledon miracle comeback as he lost to red-hot wildcard Alex O'Brien 6-3 6-4 5-7 3-6 6-3 in a two hour 51 minute struggle on the Stadium court .
Next door on the grandstand , 10th seed Rios lost to another player with a Wimbledon connection -- bad boy Jeff Tarango .
The temperamental left-hander defeated the Chilean 6-4 4-6 7-6 6-2 .
The day programme went smoothly although sixth-seeded former champion Agassi had to wriggle out of a dangerous 3-6 0-4 hole , winning 18 of the last 19 games against India 's Leander Paes .
But the night belonged to the upstarts .
Washington , who climbed back from a 1-5 deficit , two sets down in the third set against Todd Martin in the Wimbledon semifinals , looked poised for another sensational comeback .
O'Brien , a winner two weeks ago in New Haven for his first pro title , served for the match at 5-4 in the third set before Washington came charging back .
" I just kept saying to myself , ' keep giving yourself the best chance to win , keep battling , maybe something will happen , ' " said the 26-year-old O'Brien , ranked 65th .
" I kept my composure and I was proud of myself for that -- usually I would have folded up the tent and gone home . "
The hard-serving O'Brien , a former U.S. collegiate national champion , fired up 17 aces to ultimately subdue the never-say-die Washington .
The fifth set stayed on serve until the sixth game , when Washington , after saving one break point with a forehand winner down the line , netted a backhand to give O'Brien a 4-2 lead .
The Texan blasted in two aces to hold serve at 5-2 and then converted his eighth match point for victory when Washington found the net with another backhand from 40-0 .
" You just kind of keep fighting and you keep trying to make him play a little bit .
I think he got a little tight at a couple of moments , " said Washington . "
But I think he served pretty well when he had to . "
Tarango , whose Wimbledon tantrum two years ago brought him a $ 28,000 fine and suspension from this year 's tournament at the All-England Club , argued calls and taunted fans in his lively two hour , 24 minute tango with Rios on the grandstand .
A boisterous cheering section backed the distracted Chilean and booed the lanky American , who ate up all the attention .
" I 'm an emotional player , " said the 104th-ranked Tarango . "
I think I played very well tonight , very focused . "
The match turned on the third-set tiebreaker , which the American won 7-5 much to the dismay of the spectators .
" I love the crowd if they boo me every day .
It fires me up , makes me play my best tennis , " Tarango said .
" I played some of my best tennis in college when fraternities were throwing beer on me .
If tennis was like that every day , I think everybody wold be having a lot more fun . "
Rios did not appreciate Tarango 's antics .
" He 's always complaining too much , " said Rios . "
But I think it 's not that .
I think I played really bad .
It was tough to play at night .
Balls were going really fast .
I lost too many points that I never lose .
I did n't play my tennis . "
" I do n't see the ball like I see during the day .
I play an American so that 's why I play at night .
I did n't feel good on the court . "
At the end of the match , Tarango blew sarcastic kisses to the crowd , then jiggled his body to a Rios rooting section in a jeering salute .
" I support their enthusiasm , " Tarango said about the fans . "
At the same time , they 're cheering blatantly against me .
After I won I figured I could give them a little razzle-dazzle . "