COUNTRYWIDE CLASSIC BACK TO THE FUTURE RODDICK HOPES CONNORS CAN GIVE HIM BOOST.

Byline: MATTHEW KREDELL Staff Writer

For each ball that came Andy Roddick's way, he was watching.

Every swing, every volley, every serve, every decision. He was there analyzing, critiquing, making sure his pupil was doing things the right way.

First-round matches against low-ranked players aren't usually so intense for Roddick. But he never had tennis great Jimmy Connors staring him down from the stands and making mental notes.

Roddick didn't do anything special Wednesday, but received a passing grade from his new coach in a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Rik De Voest of South Africa in the Countrywide Classic at UCLA.

``That's a good start to the week,'' Connors said. ``It's the first time he came out with me around, and the first match is never easy.''

Roddick never was in danger, but he did not dominate a player ranked 136th in the world. He broke in the seventh game of the first set, then again early in the second.

Serving for the match at 5-4, Roddick fell behind 0-40 but came back with the resiliency Connors showed during his brilliant career.

Roddick fought off three break points, then two more after reaching deuce before putting De Voest away with a volley.

Roddick, who has yet to win a tournament in a season full of struggles, began training with Connors two weeks ago after disappointing finishes at the French Open and Wimbledon.

Connors, an eight-time Grand Slam winner during his 20-year career, watched on television last week as Roddick took the advice and parlayed it into his first appearance in a final this year at Indianapolis.

Roddick wasn't scheduled to appear in Los Angeles, but asked for and

received a late wild-card entry to maintain some of that momentum.

``I was eager to get out there and play to work on stuff,'' Roddick said. ``I don't know if there's a whole lot of difference between the way I felt with him sitting there and last week, knowing he's watching every point and calling in afterward.''

Following the match, Roddick recalled the one time he saw Connors play in person. It was the 1991 U.S. Open, Connors' last, when he made a surprising run to the semifinals.

A 9-year-old Roddick flew to New York and was at Flushing Meadows to take in the match in person, a birthday present from his mother.

Connors had never coached and wasn't planning on starting when he got a call from Roddick last month.

``It's amazing what stalking someone can do,'' Roddick said, jokingly. ``I don't know if I really expected a yes. But I figured if I got a no, it only cost me 45 seconds on a phone bill.''

Also: Andre Agassi avoided the fate suffered by former rival Pete Sampras during his farewell tour by beating former USC player George Bastl 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-1 in a second-round match. Bastl, an eight-year veteran who mostly mills around minor-league Challenger events, knocked Sampras out of his final Wimbledon in 2002.

Agassi faltered in the first set, double-faulting to be broken when serving for the set up 5-4. He found a groove early in the second set, skipping across the baseline after hitting a perfectly placed lob up 3-2. That was at the beginning of nine consecutive games won by Agassi.

``I felt myself starting to play at a much better level than I've played in a number of months,'' Agassi said. ``That feels good.'' ...

In other second-round action, third-seeded Fernando Gonzalez of Chile knocked off struggling former world No. 1 Marat Safin of Russia 6-4, 6-2 and sixth-seeded Tommy Haas of Germany beat Paul Capdeville of Chile 6-3, 4-6, 6-1. ...

The Camarillo-based doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan won their first-round match against France's Arnaud Clement and Nicolas Mahut 6-1, 6-4.

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3 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Former player Jimmy Connors, who now coaches Andy Roddick, watches Wednesday's match.

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

(2 -- color) Andy Roddick stretches to reach a shot by Rik de Voest in their first round match at the Countrywide Classic. Roddick won 6-4, 6-4.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

(3 -- color) no caption (Andy Roddick)

Box:

THE LIFE A. RODDICK