It’s a testament to the personal loyalty many players feel toward Houston’s tennis kingpin, Jim “Mattress Mac” McIngvale, that Jim Courier and Andre Agassi teamed up to play doubles at this week’s U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships in Houston. Unfortunately, they were bounced out of the tournament in the blink of an eye on Monday night.
Mattress Mac, a furniture baron-cum-philanthropist, is a larger-than-life character who’s that rarity among tennis promoters—a guy who really connects with the players at a level that goes far beyond the usual two-stage, “Can you play my event?” and “Depends. What’re you offering?” transaction.
Sure, some foreign players took umbrage at Mac’s exuberant chauvinism and snobs are mortified by his bombastic ways, which are right in the mainstream of the “self-made man” tradition. But when Andy Roddick says that when Mattress Mac calls, he’s ready to drop everything and answer, that tells you something. Courier feels the same way, and so does Agassi. Mattress Mac loves the game, he loves the players, and he backs up those sentiments with his time, energy, and dough. Any questions?
Andre’s been laying low since losing to Roger Federer at Key Biscayne, but as so many of you thrive when you have a regular Andre fix, I’m passing on this nice piece that ran the other day in the Houston Chronicle, written by friend and Fellow Press Pariah Dale Robertson. {Sorry, the link has been removed. - PB}