[February 5, 2003, Matthew Cronin, Reuters] U.S. Open champion Pete Sampras
pulled out of next week's tournament in San Jose because he is still not
ready to return to the circuit, his brother said on Wednesday.
Gus Sampras, the tournament director of the ATP's Scottsdale, Arizona event,
where Pete is next scheduled to play, said that while the former world number
one had not pulled out of the event yet, he was not quite mentally ready to
begin playing matches again .
"He's still searching for reasons to come back," Gus Sampras told Reuters
by telephone from Los Angeles. "At the end of the day, playing well at the
French Open or trying to win Wimbledon again might not be enough to get him
back.
"But I haven't got the feeling that he is ready to retire tomorrow."
Sampras has not played a tournament since winning the U.S. Open in September
-- his 14th grand-slam career win. He withdrew from the San Jose tournament,
his first of the year, on Tuesday, saying he wasn't fully prepared for the
event.
Gus Sampras, who spoke to his younger brother on Monday, said that he
wouldn't be surprised if Pete retired, but felt that his brother would
get the urge to play again once the season progresses.
"He told (me) he's just not ready now," Gus said. "He's been working out
a lot off court and doing some hitting, but he hasn't been playing enough
sets and doesn't feel match tough.
"It's hard to get going at the beginning of the year, especially when you
haven't played in so long. But in a month or so, I'm sure hoping he'll be
ready to play here."
The Scottsdale tournament begins on March 3.
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