Now Rusedski hits a new low

Greg Rusedski looked a pale imitation of his old self when he lost his last tennis match of the year in Brighton last night against journeyman Paul Goldstein.

Only he can say now whether he has enough left to make a serious impression at the top.

Rusedski, at 27, has been to peaks that most British players can only dream about. He has played in two Grand Slam finals, has been in the last eight at Wimbledon, and has drilled his way through some big reputations with a powerful left arm serve.

Yet the Rusedski who fell in straight sets to Goldstein in the Samsung Open appeared to be playing from memory.

The drive and urgency he could create and sustain are no longer with him. This was his 39th singles of the year which he finishes in debit, 20 defeats, 19 wins.

The optimism remains. Next Monday he starts work with another new coach, Pat Cash, the former Wimbledon champion who is setting up an academy in Australia.

But Rusedski will work first with Cash in London before heading Down Under on 18 December to prepare for the 2001 Australian Open.

"I don't need a coach with me every single week,"said Rusedski. "I just need someone there who knows what it is like to win a major. A major is the only thing which I have not won and I have to keep something to keep me going, to keep me motivated."