KEY BISCAYNE, Fla., March 31 -- Andre Agassi became the winner of the Lipton Championships for the second straight year Sunday when a stiff neck rendered Goran Ivanisevic unable to complete the first set. The Croatian sixth seed was trailing 3-0 when he left the sold-out match with 14,000 on hand. 'They were booing, I felt bad,' Ivanisevic said. Ivanisevic woke up with the neck pain, presumably from sleeping in an awkward position, and attempted to play after trying treatments of ice, heat, massage and anti-inflammatory medication and injections. 'I couldn't move, everything was blocked,' Ivanisevic said. 'I tried everything.' He is expected to recover within a day and hoped to be available for Croatia's Davis Cup match against the Ukraine next weekend. The third-seeded Agassi became the first three-time men's champion in the event, also winning in 1990 and 1995. Ivanisevic was trying to become the first non-American to capture the men's title since Ivan Lendl in 1989. 'It's just terrible for a tournament of this nature to end this way, ' said Agassi of the biggest non-Grand Slam tour event. 'Goran's played so tremendously this year. There's not much I can do on the other side of the net except feel bad. There's no question it's a disappointment.' Ivanisevic has been the year's hottest player, having won four titles and reached seven finals in nine tournaments. He entered this final with a 38-4 match record. Agassi had not won a title since Aug. 20, six tournaments ago.
After sustaining a chest muscle injury last September, Agassi did not regain championship-quality form until this event. 'Today was a big match for me,' Agassi said. 'Today I really needed to beat a top player. Unfortunately, it didn't get to happen the way I wanted it to. 'To some degree, it's nice to put myself in position where I'm the one receiving the trophy. If this had to happen in the final, I'm glad I'm here. I'm just taking one step at a time. I need a few more tournaments to convinve myself I'm there.' Many spectators stayed to watch Agassi play an exhibition against fellow American Jim Courier but it too could not be completed -- this time because of rain. Courier, the seventh seed who had been upset in the fourth round by Arnaud Boetsch, lives in the Miami area. Rain sent the players off the court with Agassi leading 5-3. Agassi played in the Lipton final for the third straight time and fourth overall. In 1994 and 1995, Agassi faced Pete Sampras, his chief rival and Davis Cup teammate. Two years ago, Sampras suffered from a stomach virus the day of the final and might have had to forfeit if Agassi had not offered to wait several hours for Sampras to recover. The big-serving Sampras did and ultimately won.
