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For Pete's sake! Sampras beats Agassi in U.S. Open
By HOWARD FENDRICH
AP Tennis Writer
September 8, 2002
NEW YORK (AP) -- Pete Sampras was right all along: He did have a 14th Grand
Slam title in him. And just like the first, all those years ago, it came in
a U.S. Open final against his old rival Andre Agassi.
His serve clicking, his volleys on target, his forehand as fluid as ever,
Sampras beat Agassi 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 Sunday to win America's major for the
fifth time. At 31, Sampras is the Open's oldest champion since 1970.
And though he stopped short of saying he'll quit, Sampras did sound like
someone who's thinking about retiring on a high.
``To beat a rival like Andre, in a storybook ending, it might be nice to
stop,'' he said. ``But I still love to compete. I'll see in a couple of
months where my heart is and my mind. My head is spinning.''
Sampras' play faded in the third set and the fourth, and it was hard to tell
whether Agassi or time was taking the bigger toll. But Sampras managed to
hold on, the rebuke to his doubters as loud as the sound made by his 33 aces
as they slapped the walls behind the baselines: Pop!
Sampras hadn't won a title since Wimbledon in July 2000, a drought of 33
tournaments, and he was seeded just 17th at the Open. He's deflected
questions about whether he'd keep going for some time now, insisting
he still could produce on the big stage. After all, he figured, his 13
major titles were a record.
``This one might take the cake,'' Sampras said. ``The way I've been going
this year, to come through this and play the way I did today was awesome.
I peaked at the right time.''
When the 32-year-old Agassi put a backhand into the net to give Sampras
the last break he would need, making it 5-4 in the fourth set, Sampras
was so drained he barely lifted a fist, slowly pumping it once as he
trudged to the changeover.
He then served it out, with an ace to match point, and a volley winner to
end it. And he had enough energy to climb the stairs in the stands to kiss
and hug his pregnant wife, actress Bridgette Wilson.
Sampras played his best tennis at the U.S. Open the past two years,
making it to the championship match before losing in straight sets to
a pair of 20-year-old first-time Grand Slam finalists: Lleyton Hewitt
in 2001, Marat Safin in 2000.
On Sunday, Sampras got to pick on someone his own age: Agassi, winner of
seven Grand Slam titles. They've played each other since the junior ranks,
before they were 10, and now have met 34 times as pros (Sampras holds a
20-14 edge, including 4-1 in major finals).
``It was special. You can't get around that,'' Agassi said.
If the match signaled the end of an era, they produced a gorgeous goodbye.
The crowd of more than 23,000 in Arthur Ashe Stadium split its rooting
evenly, throwing more vocal support to whichever player trailed. Yells of
``Pete!'' from one corner would be echoed by ``Andre!'' from another.
``Pete just played a little too good for me today,'' Agassi said. `
`It's great to hear New York cheer again. It was beautiful being here.''
What a study in contrasts. Agassi is the baseline slugger, the greatest
returner of his generation, and a true showman (he is from Las Vegas,
after all). Sampras is a volleyer always looking to get to the net,
the greatest server of his generation, and almost always staid on court.
Each played the assigned role to perfection, Sampras smacking his serves
at up to 132 mph, and winning the point on 69 of 105 trips to the net.
Agassi ventured to the net just 13 times, but conjured up 19 groundstroke
winners to Sampras' 16.
Yet, as though a mirror were at the net, each also showed he can do what
the other built a career on. Sampras whipped a backhand return to a corner
to set up a service break in the second set; Agassi slammed a service winner
at 117 mph to save a break point at 3-3 in the fourth set.
``I played so well today,'' Sampras said. ``Andre brings out the best in
me every time I step out with him.''
At 4-3 in the first set, Sampras earned the first break point of the match
and converted when Agassi's backhand flew wide. Then, serving for the set
at 5-3, Sampras faced his first break point. How did he handle it? A
second-serve ace at 109 mph.
The second set was similar, Agassi not quite handling the speed and movement
of Sampras' serving -- he held at love four times -- and Sampras getting
a break.
Agassi finally was able to measure Sampras' serve with some regularity in
the third set, like a hitter who catches up to a tiring pitcher's fastball
in late innings.
With the crowd cheering Sampras' faults -- hey, they wanted to see more t
han three sets -- he obliged with a double to give Agassi set point. And
Agassi took advantage, stretching for a sharp backhand return that Sampras
volleyed into the net.
Showing a bit of gamesmanship, Sampras took a bathroom break. Then, during
the grind of a fourth set, nearly three hours into the match, Sampras faced
a break point with Agassi ahead 4-3. How did he erase it? An ace, of course.
Pop!
``He's a good pressure-point player,'' Agassi said. ``He senses the important
times of the match and puts pressure on you and elevates his game.''
They had walked out as shadows started to creep across the court, and neither
looked much like they did in their 1990 U.S. Open final, where Sampras
started his collection of majors.
Back then, Sampras was bushy haired and his arms were as thin as a ball
boy's. Agassi was Mr. Image is Everything, with long blond hair and denim
shorts. And on Sunday, there was Sampras, his hair thin on top, his bulging
right forearm three times thicker than his left. There was Agassi, his head
shaved, his outfit downright conventional. Both of their wives were in the
crowd -- Agassi's, Steffi Graf, watched with their baby son.
Based on recent play, the showdown seemed improbable. At July's Wimbledon,
both lost in the second round to players ranked outside the top 50.
But they are in great shape. Agassi was out under the midday sun, swatting
shots on a practice court in a black T-shirt. Sampras, headphones on,
jogged in the hallway outside the locker room shortly before taking the
court.
The last time they played on the Grand Slam stage was in last year's U.S.Open
quarterfinals, a match Sampras won in four tiebreakers, with neither player
breaking serve. It was presumed by many to be their last meeting at a major.
After, Agassi leaned over the net, offering good luck the rest of the way
in that tournament by whispering, ``Win this thing.''
One year later, Sampras did.
Yes, the same Sampras who beat Agassi in the 1990 U.S. Open, setting the
record for youngest winner, 19.
Nice career bookends, huh?
--
Oh, it's such a perfect day
I'm glad I spend it with you
Oh, such a perfect day
You just keep me hanging on
You just keep me hanging on
--
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