SITTING in the players' lounge at London's Queen's Club, Mark Philippoussis is killing time before a doubles match by drawing a sponsor's logo on his racquet strings with a marking pen.

Surrounded by prefab walls and portable furniture, this could be any one of 20 tournament sites and you soon get the feeling that Philippoussis would rather be anywhere else.

Riding one of his growing collection of Harley Davidsons, perhaps, or maybe reciting the graveyard scene from Macbeth for the acting coach he plans to hire when he moves into a new place near Malibu, California.

Or rounding up the horses on the little farm he will own when he thumps that last atomic ace in precisely five years time.

But, until then, he must go where his talent takes him. To airports and hotels and players' lounges and, today, worst of all, endure one of his least favorite ordeals - the scrutiny of a journalist who will attempt to pry and second guess and criticise and distort.

Hasn't that always been the way?

``There is no doubt about that,'' he says, jumping on that proposition like a short second serve.

``They were looking for an angle, they were looking for something and it was always there for them to write.

``It's unfair, but it's what sportsmen have got to put up with.''

The media, of course, has never been out to ``get'' Philippoussis. However, after the years of feuding, claim and counterclaim and botched attempts at reconciliation, you can understand why he feels besieged.

Yet, while he still chooses to take potshots at the messenger, Philippoussis will concede, in a roundabout way, that he has made mistakes.

``I'm a young kid, I'm growing up in this world making decisions,'' he says. ``No one makes right decisions (all the time), you learn from your mistakes.

``I was a 19yearold, 20yearold kid making decisions that might have been wrong at the time, but that's part of life.''

Take that how you like, but don't expect him to say sorry. Not to anyone who doesn't keep their toothbrush in the Philippoussis family bathroom.

``I never like being told what to do by anyone except for my mother and my father and sister,'' he says.

``Put it this way, no one was going to push me around. I do what I want.

``Not in a disrespectful way or a stubborn sort of way, but I've worked hard to get there with my father, with my family. I've had their support and they are the only people I care about.''

Which is probably what those tennis authorities, reporters and moustachioed Davis Cup captains who have popped a mental racquet string trying to deal with Team Philippoussis should have realised a long time ago.

Those who tried to put the blame on Nick Philippoussis for the revolving door coaching policy or the refusal to play Davis Cup should have known that trying to convince Philippoussis that he should not accept the advice of his father was a futile exercise.

``It would hurt me less if someone would say something about me than about my family,'' says Philippoussis.

``I'm strong enough to accept that. I'm a sportsman and you can say what you want. That's fine, but they have no right to say anything about my family.

``If there is anyone to blame it's me. I'm the one making the final decision. I'm the one playing the tennis, so it's very disturbing when they say things about my family.''

It was no coincidence that the lowpoint in Philippoussis' still brief career came 12 months ago when his father was ill and the then 21yearold considered quitting the game.

``My father was sick there for a while, so tennis is not really a priority in life - there is your family and that's it,'' he says. ``When one of your family is sick like that it just opens your eyes and makes you realise how unimportant tennis is, or anything else, except your family.''

NOW, having formed a stable alliance with coach Pat Cash and fitness adviser Gavin Hopper, Philippoussis is spending more time on the road by himself. Nick Philippoussis does not like to travel, while his son has come to accept - if not like - the weekly grind.

With that acceptance, and perhaps a few mended fences, has come a slightly more relaxed attitude. But only slightly more relaxed.

Of his return to the Davis Cup fold, he provides the anticipated answers about how he ``always wanted to play for my country''. However a week in Zimbabwe does not mean he will be inviting the Woodies around for afternoon tea at the family home in Williamstown.

``No, it's just the same to be quite honest, nothing changes with me,'' he says, when asked about his relationship with the other players. ``I have feelings inside of me for what happened, but I don't become angry. I don't walk past someone and not say hello because of things like that.

``In all reality, you don't have close friends. Everyone's out to be get on top of this mountain, pushing everyone out of the way and there are no close friends.''

That also goes for Pat Rafter, the onetime companion and doubles partner with whom Philippoussis fell out during his Davis Cup exile.

Since then, relations have thawed somewhat. ``We were very close, but we are competitive,'' says Philippoussis. ``It is so hard to have a good friend (among players), it doesn't work like that. You are too competitive.

``We've worked out things. If I see him in the lockerroom we talk, there is no problem.''

PHILIPPOUSSIS is even more unlikely to be breaking bread with Lleyton Hewitt,the new pretender to the throne.

After beating Philippoussis at Queen's, the brash South Australian said he always felt he had a chance because Philippoussis was ``not mentally the strongest'' player and even accused Philippoussis of ``tanking'' a game in the deciding set.

``What can you say about that?'' muses Philippoussis when those words are read back to him.

``There is no doubt about it, it's a good thing to be cocky on the court. As an 18yearold, he's definitely cocky.

``A comment like that? He's just got to show a bit of respect. He played a good match and he won. There's no problem, I congratulate him.

``But he is an 18yearold kid who has to think before he talks a little bit instead of just talking with his ego.''

But while he might resent the accusations, there are days - perhaps too many days - when Philippoussis looks like he would rather be anywhere than on a tennis court. For this he cites becoming distracted or the odd bout of homesickness - but not a lack of tenacity or ambition.

``I want to quit in five years, but I want to have grand slams under my belt,'' he says. ``I want to be No.1 in the world which I think I can be. Then I'll quit because I will have achieved what I wanted to achieve.''

Now comes Wimbledon, where his big serve gives him perhaps his best chance to win a grand slam title.

Despite his defeat at Queen's, he gives the impression his mind has already moved forward. ``I'm not saying I'm going to go out there and kick everyone's arse and win,'' he says. ``I'm going to go out there and give it my best and I have the chance of doing very well.''