PARIS. Feb 1 (AFP) The name In tennis. Andre Agassi, is I ▼ I back on duty this .—* * week, but Instead

ol Individual glory, the Las Vegan is playing once again for his country as the 2000 Davis Cup gets underway.

The return of Agassi to Davis Cup action In Harare against Zimbabwe was to have coincided with the return of Pete Sampras, the first captaincy of former hell-raiser John McEnroe and a renewed US commitment to the competition they last won in 1995.

but Sampras, much to McEnroe's dismay, has opted out. claiming a hip injury sustained in his epic five-set. semifinal loss to Agassi in the Australian Open.

To make matters worse for the American Dream Team, next best choice Todd Marlin Is also out and the Zimbabweans have home advantage and the talented Black brothers. Byron and Wayne.

The unpredictable Chris Woodruff looks like being McEnore's choice for the second singles slot, but the lie could be decided in the doubles where it is anyone's guess.

Asked to comment on the unavailability of Sampras and Martin. McEnroe told reporters in Harare he would probably have been less anxious if the two were playing.

Obviously it makes the match more difficult and more competitive. I still believe we areifoing to win."

The Americans are not the only ones missing a top player.

Title-holders Australia are

once again without Pat Ratter, but his absence did not stop them capturing the Davis Cup for the first time since 1986 in December when they defeated France 3-2 In Nice.

Mark Phlllpoussls was the architect of that triumph with wins In both singles and he will lead the challenge from Down Under again backed by the precocious Adelaide teenager Lley-ton Hewitt.

The Australians start the de fence of the Cup away to Switzerland who have been riven by a bitter dispute opposing captain Jacob Hlasek and top player Mark Rosset.

The'towering Rosset has refused to play for the Czech-born Hlasek leaving youngsters Roger Federer and George Basil to defend their colours.

Britain, without a Davis Cup title since 1936, must do without Greg Rusedski who Is still recovering from a foot operation which has kept the world's fastest server out of competition so far this year.

That leaves Tim 1 lenman as the only Briton of note against the Czech Republic on the slow clay courts of Ostrava and although Jiri Novak and Slava Dosedel are hardly top-notch players, it Is difficult to see where captain David Lloyd's three points will come from.

Germany up against the Netherlands are without top player Nicolas Kiefer who Is deeply suspicious about Davis Cup play and who says that he prefers this year to concentrate on his own ranking and the Sydney Olympics.

In his absence Tommy Haas and Rainer Schuttler will go up against Paul Haarhuis and

Slcng Schalkcn in what looks like an even contest in Leipzig There seems little to choose also between Brazil and France on the clay courts of Florianop-olls.

Brazil have an experienced, if out of form, singles duo of Gustavo Kuerten and Fernando Mellgeni, while veteran Cedric Piollnc. who powered the French to the final last year, has able backing from Jerome Golrnard and Nicolas Escude.

On the face of it, Russia should have little difficulty In ousting Belgium In Moscow.

But beaten Australian Open finalist Yevgeny Kafelnikov has only five days to shake of his disappointment, while number two Marat Safin was booed off the court in Melbourne after a pitiful straightsets. first round exit against Grant Stafford.

The Belgians have a promising clutch of youngsters in Christophe and Olivier Rochus and Christophe Van Grasse.

Clay couriers will battle it out in Murcia when Spain and Italy go head to head and here the' Spaniards with Alex Cor retja. Albert Costa and Fran-ciso Clavet are simply better one-on-one than Andrea Gaudenzi. Diego Narglso and Davide Sanguinetti.

The final tic in the elite top 16 group favours Slovakia at home to Austria in Bratislava with Karol Kucera and Dominik Hrbaty at the helm.

All the ties are Friday through Sunday with the winners going on to the quarter-finals and the losers facing a relegation battle against the winners from the second division.