Samprasfanz

Austin Tennis Classic Postponed

Sunday, 08 Nov 2009

myFOXaustin – Tennis legend Pete Sampras won 14 career Grand Slam Titles, but even he could not tame the rain as torrential showers postponed the Austin Tennis Classic in Lakeway.

The event helps raise money for the charity Children of Fallen Soldiers. Sampras’ scheduled exhibition match with Todd Martin will try to be re-scheduled for sometime in December.

Fox 7’s Dave Cody asked Sampras about Andre Agassi, who recently admitted taking crystal meth as a tour player in 1997.

“I didn’t know what to say,” said Sampras. “I respect (Agassi), he’s a friend of mine, he was my main rival in the 90’s and I tell him flat out he made a mistake absolutely. I said ‘what were you thinking and to lie about it’, but I look at Andre in the mid 20’s and his late 20’s – it was like a different guy.”

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Pete Sampras / Yuki Bhambri vs. Andre Agassi / Ryan Harrison

Oct 25, 2009

The game that made them famous does not run in the family, insisted Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, who will resume their illustrious rivalry today at The Venetian Macau Tennis Showdown.

Any hopes that the Sampras versus Agassi rivalry would continue into the second generation were dashed yesterday with the two legends revealing that their respective sons did not play the sport, which made the two Americans household names in the 1990s.

“The Sampras v Agassi rivalry is over unless Pete’s son plays baseball,” smiled Agassi. “My son, Jaden, is very much into baseball, not tennis.”

Sampras added: “Christian [his son] doesn’t play tennis. I don’t think our rivalry will continue with our children. That is not going to happen.”

Yet fans will get the rare opportunity of seeing one of the greatest sporting rivalries at the Cotai Arena today (2pm). The last time they met on court was in 2002 in the final of the US Open, when Sampras prevailed over his long-time friend and fellow-American.

“Playing Agassi is a treat for me. He is a good friend and a rival and I have not seen him in a long time,” Sampras said. “Of course it is not the US Open or Wimbledon, but we will still be competitive. We will also have some fun out there.”

It promises to be a treat with organisers also lining up the entire 75-member cast of Cirque du Soleil’s Zaia production to add to the entertainment at the 15,000-seater indoor arena.

Not that the showdown will need outside help, with Las Vegas showman Agassi in fine fettle during yesterday’s media outing, which included a hit-out with Sampras and rising stars Ryan Harrison of the United States and India’s world number one junior Yuki Bhambri on a temporary court built on the miniature golf course on the seventh floor of the resort hotel.

“I don’t think [today’s] match-up is going to be a whole lot different to any we have played in the past,” Agassi said. “I don’t have to be good, but just better than one person.”

Sampras was equal to the banter. What did he talk about after meeting Agassi for the first time in nearly five years? “Everyone talks about his wife,” Sampras, who has a 20-14 career record against Agassi, joked. “But really, it was just about our kids, our retirement, and nothing about what happened [in the past]. We don’t talk tennis or what happened at Wimbledon in 2000.”

A lifetime devoted to the game seems to have leached out any inclination to dwell on the sport. Now happily retired – Sampras seven years ago and Agassi four years – the pair looked trim and in good shape.

“It is great to be back to Macau. I was here two years ago when I played Roger Federer. That was a treat. But to play Andre is special,” Sampras said.

Pete Sampras put one over his old nemesis Andre Agassi, beating the 8-time Grand Slam champion in a final set match tiebreak at the Venetian Macao Tennis Showdown 2009. In a close affair that thrilled the 11,000 strong crowd at the CotaiArena today, Sampras nicked the showpiece event 3-6, 6-3, 10-8.

The match was preceded by a 45-minute timed encounter between junior no.1 Yuki Bhambri and America’s leading junior Ryan Harrison. Bhambri was a little fortunate to win that match with the set tied at 5-5, and the Indian ahead 15-0 in the game when the match was timed out.

The kids returned on court to partner their heroes in a doubles exhibition later, which Pete and Yuki won 7-5.

Speaking after the match Andre said, “It was a great afternoon. Playing in front of 11,000 enthusiastic fans was fantastic and there was real energy. It was a pleasure competing against Pete. It’s always a joy to test your skills and see where you are at, no matter where you are in life.

“Pete’s feel for the ball is unparalleled and his movement is still good enough that you can’t be careful with the shots you hit against him.

“It brought back a lot of old memories. It’s great when you can go out and play against someone whose game you are really familiar with. It all came flooding back to me on court, including the ace Pete did at the end (on match point).”

Sampras was lavish in his praise for his old foe, “Andre still hits the ball very clean and very heavy. His serving was great today and I think he even out-aced me. He’s a great player with a great return of serve, and it just came down to a couple of points in the (tie) breaker. It was great tennis, a great crowd and hopefully we’ll do it again.

“Back in the day, Andre was one of those players where if you weren’t playing your best, you’re going to lose. Some of the other guys I could beat them even when I wasn’t playing me best, but not Andre.”

Match Results:

Yuki Bhambri (IND) def. Ryan Harrison (USA) 5-5 15-0
Pete Sampras (USA) def. Andre Agassi (USA) 3-6 6-3 10-8
P. Sampras (USA) & Y. Bhambri (IND) def. A. Agassi (USA) & R. Harrison (USA) 7-5

Source: The Sports Campus

October 25, 2009 – Pete Sampras recovered from a set down to beat fellow retired American Andre Agassi in three sets in an exhibition match in Macau in the first meeting between the two since the 2002 US Open final.

The latest chapter of one of the greatest rivalries in tennis did not reach the same heights as their previous epic encounters, which included five grand slam finals, as Sampras came through 3-6 6-3 10-8 in just over an hour at the Venetian Macao Showdown.

Agassi edged the first set in 27 minutes with a solitary break in the fourth game, but Sampras responded with a much-improved performance in the second to prevail in 21 minutes to send the match to a decider with also a single break in the third game.

And in the third, a first to 10 championship tie-break, Sampras, who holds a 20-14 lifetime record over Agassi, was always ahead and despite a late rally from Agassi, capped the win with an emphatic ace.

Sampras said: “Andre just hits the ball so cleanly even after being retired for three years. The pace of his shots is just very heavy.

“Today he was serving great, I think he even out-aced me. It was a pleasure playing him, he is a great player with a great return of serve.

“I got off to a slow start, Andre was hitting it hard in the warm-up. Whenever I played Andre if I wasn’t on it I was going to lose. Back in the day, I could beat some of the guys when not playing well, but Andre doesn’t give you any room to breathe.”