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Andy Roddick says his relationship with new coach Dean Goldfine is going, well, fine.

Nevertheless, just because Goldfine is a laid-back kind of dude doesn't make it a negative in regards to Goldfine's coaching abilities;he did lead Todd Martin to a US Open final and Mary Joe Fernandez to an Australian Open final.

Goldfine's strength is rallying behind his player and helping them to see they've got the goods to succeed. How much impact Goldfine can have in terms of stroke improvement or getting him more confident approaching the net are questions yet to be answered.

"We had a relationship before we got together, with the Olympics and Davis Cup," said Roddick, noting that Goldfine made the trip to both places as the team coach. "So I was pretty comfortable with Dean from the get-go. We're pretty low-key. We work hard. Kind of stay mellow. It's going well. I'm really happy with the team I have around me right now."

Roddick also acknowledges that an alliance with Goldfine means that he will have to start spending more time again at his Boca Raton home and less time at his new digs in Austin, Tex. Goldfine is a South Florida native and resides in Aventura, which is a community in Miami. "I was there [Florida] for a week. Got there New Year's Day. I was there for seven days. I understand that he has a family and he needs to see his kids. So we'll definitely, probably go half and half on it. I'll be spending a lot of time in Boca most likely, or more time."

PMac, Reyes on Agassi and Davis Cup; McEnroe: 'It's a long shot but 'I'm just hoping'
This reporterran into US Davis Cup Captain Patrick McEnroe waiting for a ride back to his hotel late Thursday night after ESPN commentating duties on the Andy Roddick-Greg Rusedski match.

After exchanging Happy New Year's, PMac was asked how things were going and about an upcoming conversation in his immediate future. Clever guy that he is, McEnroe needed no assistance in knowing what conversation was being referred to: a discussion with Andre Agassi about returning to Davis Cup action.

"I think it's a long shot," said McEnroe, trying to be guarded. "But at least I'm encouraged that he really seems open to discussing it with me. I'm just hoping."

On Friday night, Agassi insider Gil Reyes, his long time trainer and close friends, told TennisReporters.net that Agassi is putting a lot of thought into making a decision regarding Davis Cup. He noted that Agassi has always felt his long involvement with the team has been a highlight of his career.

"I would say it's more of a possibility than a probability," said Reyes, confirming that Agassi has not dismissed playing Davis Cup this year out of hand. "Andre believes that Davis Cup is so important that it deserves contemplation and conversation, but there are many things that go into making the decision that only Andre knows."

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Brad Gilbert … back when he was Andy Roddick's coach, at the '04 US Open.

Reyes said he's not involved in the decision making process as far as Davis Cup is concerned for Agassi but that he definitely "respects McEnroe's efforts" to bring Andre back to the team.

Reyes also said that Agassi has already had a discussion with McEnroe and when Darren Cahill, Andre's coach, asked him how the talks went, Agassi's reply was,"I don't know."

Can Anyone Beat Federer?
PMac wasn't shy about offering his thoughts on how the Australian Open will shake out and it's clear he sees Roger Federer as likely to defend his title. It's not too much of a surprise since the Swiss sensation is playing brilliant tennis. The media room is still abuzz about an around-the-post forehand winner that he had to run down from almost outside the ad court to outside the deuce court against Japanese qualifier Takao Suzuki in the second round. Suzuki, by the way, offered Federer quite a nice challenge and the match was certainly a highly entertaining highlight of the first week here in Melbourne.

When asked if anyone can beat "Fed the Great," PMac replied, "Sure, there's a slim chance, but there's a chance."

Asked how Roddick might fare down here, McEnroe's said of his Davis Cup kingpin, "He has a chance and he does have an easy draw, but you never know what's going to happen."

Courier Commentating for Australian TV
Jim Courier, the former Davis Cup coach under PMac, is busy Down Under doing a smashing job commentating for Channel 7 Australia, a job that formerly belonged to John McEnroe. Apparently, McEnroe was unable to commit because he was at the time committed to his CNBC talk show, which has since been cancelled.

During the broadcast of the Roddick-Rusedski match, Courier was wondering what Brad Gilbert was saying over in the ESPN booth, believing it must have been an awkward assignment for "BG" having just been fired last month as A-Rod's coach. Courier said he talked to Gilbert earlier in the day and thus far the former coach hadn't run into Roddick. That's a pretty good avoidance effort since the Australian Open inner sanctum is pretty tight quarters.