Samprasfanz

Excerpts from the tennis channel interview on Dec 3, 2007

How did Pete prepared for the Asian exhibitions?

“I definitely stepped it up. I hit every other day for two weeks with Sam Querrey, and we were playing a lot of sets. Sam hits a very big ball and has a big serve and I wanted to play at that pace so I could find my range and find my game while getting my body used to serving-and-volleying and the change of directions and explosive movements you need for that. I stretched a lot more before and after I played and warmed up with jogging and stretching. It was as close as I have been to back in the day [during my career] when I used to prepare and focus so hard. I wanted to play well against Roger but also wanted my body to hold up to play three matches in five days. I was pleasantly surprised that my body held up quite well.”

What were his expectations from the exos?

“I didn’t know where my game was going to be. I didn’t want to be embarrassed out there and I didn’t think I would be. I wouldn’t have signed up for these matches against Roger if I didn’t feel I could be competitive. I felt if I could pull of a set [in one of the matches] that would be a big bonus for me. I didn’t think I would beat Roger. Going into these exhibitions some people expected him to beat me 2 and 2. I just wanted to compete well against him.”

On the Seoul match:

“I lacked confidence. Not only was I battling my game having not played, but I was a little uneasy with where I was at and then I was dealing with the great things Roger brings to the table. That combination made me uncomfortable. I also didn’t feel great physically because of my jet lag. I pretty much got over there the day before. So I was a little bit out of sorts and didn’t feel I got into a rhythm. I felt like I hit the ball o.k. but I felt a little overanxious and I was going for too much because I was playing Roger.”

On the Kuala Lumpur match:

“I just felt a lot less nervous. I got off to a good start. It was fast conditions and he was having a hard time returning my serve. I was having a hard time getting into a rhythm from the back court but I felt a lot better out there. The anxiety went away. Seoul just broke the ice for me and in Kuala Lumpur I hardly missed a volley and served pretty well. I had a few chances here and there. I could have pulled off a set there which would have been great, but even though I didn’t I felt I was right there with him, while in Seoul I was kind of a deer in the headlights. In Kuala Lumpur I lost 6 and 6 without losing my serve, so that made me feel really good going into the match in Macau.”

On the Macau match:

“I remember warming up for that match with Roger and saying, ‘Wow, this court is fast!’ You would hit a slice on that court and it would just keep on slicing. It was one of those courts where you could hit a three quarter speed serve and still pull off an ace. I think we both wished maybe the court would have been a bit slower which would have added some creativity.

“I started off serving well [he released 7 aces in his first three service games] and so did Roger, and I was thinking, ‘If we keep this up we are going into a breaker and anything could happen.’ When I went for a forehand return and made it at set point in the tie-break, I felt really happy. I was thinking, ‘I can leave this court having achieved my goal.’ It went to 4-4 in the second set and he missed a forehand and I played a good break point, and then I served it out. It all happened pretty quickly at the end. I just popped an ace and a few service winners when I served for the match and the next thing I knew I had won it. The crowd was electric. That match was all about confidence for me. I didn’t feel any anxiety out there. It was a good feeling walking off that court.”

His serve-and-volley tactic against Roger:

“Serving-and-volleying at this stage of my life takes its toll. So in the other events I don’t serve-and-volley quite as much on both serves in other events. I like to hit a few balls and find my timing, whereas when I played Roger I knew I needed to come in constantly and bring in the gas. The serve-and-volley is a bit of an art. It takes time to get into that timing and rhythm but I finally found it against Roger in the Kuala Lumpur match and it came pretty naturally from then through the match in Macau.”

On the crowds at Kuala Lumpur and Macau:

“In Kuala Lumpur they had 11,000 people and it was loud. They gave us great ovations, some good tennis was played and they were into it. In Macau the crowd was about the same size and they said the toughest ticket to get was for our match. It was a big deal over there. In Macau it was packed with great energy and I felt like they were rooting for the old guy a little bit. That felt good. I almost felt a little sheepish at times. I didn’t feel bad for Roger but I have been in those shoes where you are the heavy favorite and everyone is kind of rooting for the other guy. And Roger didn’t need to do this. He really didn’t. I told him that a bunch of times.”

How competitive were the matches?

“I got a great kick out of it. It was fun and I enjoyed preparing for it. It was just like old times. The amount of coverage in Asia was incredible. I said to my wife a bit sarcastically when I got home, ‘Where do I go from here?’ It was very exciting. It was competitive and we had some light hearted moments but we were taking it seriously. We were playing hard and Roger and I were going a hundred percent. My wife put the matches on TiVo and when they did the close ups I could see Roger had the same look that he has all the time. Maybe we were not quite as intense but I felt good about the whole experience and to pull off a couple of sets was a thrill for me. It was a tricky situation for both of us in a weird way and I thought we both handled it well. I had not played in five years and Roger is the best player in the world. Roger could have done this with anybody but he was nice enough to throw an old man a bone by giving me a chance to play against him over there.”

On spending time with Roger Federer:

“I was having a great time hanging out with Roger. He is a great guy who is fun to be around and we kind of connected in a way of just like two kids acting like two kids. I hope we can maybe do it again next year in Asia, but that is up to him. I took away a lot of great memories, took a lot of pictures and liked getting to know Roger better.”

Plans for more tennis exhibitions?

“I still enjoy playing. Playing those matches against Roger was very satisfying. I still believe that I can be competitive with anyone in the game today. I am not saying I can beat anyone. I am saying I could at least go up against whomever on a hard court or another fast court and still hold my serve pretty handily and still pop some winners here and there. For the past year or so I have felt I could be competitive. I would love to play some more exhibitions next year against some of the younger guys, if it is a Blake or a Roddick or someone else, just to go out and test myself to see where I am at. I am not sure these guys would want to do this but it would be fun for me while I still can be competitive because that window is getting more closed as I get a little older. For the next year or two I think I can do it.”

Full interview available at

Source: The Tennis Channel

December 17, 2007 – Sugar-coated, empty compliments from one celebrity to another might be the way things are done in nearby Hollywood, but there was no doubting that this was Mr Sincere talking tennis from his mansion in Beverly Hills. Such were the affectionate words from Pete Sampras that you would not be that surprised if he was a fully paid-up member of the Roger Federer Appreciation Society, right down to owning a cowbell or two.

From Beverly Hills to Basle, the admiration between tennis champions was obvious. Federer is collecting grand slam titles the way Maria Sharapova collects postage stamps – with enthusiasm. And so there is every chance that, in the 2008 season, Federer will equal Sampras’ record of 14 slam titles. Possibly even break it. But don’t expect Sampras to be grumpy about losing his record, about losing the place in history he spent all his life working to achieve. Sampras is pleased that the man tearing strips off his record is someone such as Federer. “Roger is going to make some history in 2008. The history books will soon all be his,” Sampras said.

And ‘Pistol Pete’ did not hold back, claiming that the world had never seen anything like his friend Federer.

“What Roger has been doing the last three years or so has been nothing short of phenomenal – I think he has been the most dominant individual sportsman in the history of mankind. I can’t think of anyone in an individual sport who has even got close to what Roger has done the last few years,” Sampras said of the Swiss, who goes into next month’s Australian Open with 12 majors to his name.

“But I don’t think that Roger is at all comfortable with how great he is. Roger and I were talking about this a few weeks ago, the debate about who is the greatest tennis player in history, and he found the whole conversation really uncomfortable.

“Roger isn’t playing tennis for the limelight, for the pat on the back and for the medal at the end of the race. He plays tennis because he loves tennis, and he is competitive when he gets out there on the court, but I don’t think he’s doing it for the praise and to be called the greatest. All he wants to do is get out there and play tennis, and that’s what I love about Roger, that you can see he loves the game.”

They became buddies during the 2007 season, with Federer popping round to hit a few balls on a court in Sampras’ back garden in the spring. Unfortunately, history does not record whether Sampras’ wife, the Hollywood actress Bridgette Wilson, served them homemade lemonade between games. Anyway, that was when the bond began, and in the autumn Federer and Sampras played a series of exhibition matches across Asia, a mini-tour which suggested that Sampras could possibly still be ranked in the world’s top 10.

Sampras said: “When Roger came to my house, it was great. We had a hit for a few hours, played a few points, did some drills, and spoke about tennis, about the different generations. But it was probably only in Asia that I got to know him that well. We hung out a ton there, and there was a connection between us.

“Roger is such a great guy, and we had a lot of laughs over dinners. He is a funny guy, he likes his jokes, and is a bit of a prankster.

“I think that’s a side of him which he likes to keep private. All those things that people do say about Roger, they are all true – he is a humble guy, he’s down to earth. I love the way he handles himself. Tennis couldn’t have a better ambassador.”

On quitting the sport, Sampras must have thought his record was as safe as a Swiss bank vault. “Did I want my record to stand forever? Absolutely. Having the record was something I really strove for, and worked so hard for, but I really don’t mind that it’s someone like Roger breaking my record.”

It was as recently as the 2002 US Open that Sampras won the last of his 14 slams. But Federer won his first major, the Wimbledon title, the following season, and has since established a strong-arm hold on men’s tennis. Sampras said: “Roger’s the favourite for the Australian Open, so that’s 13, and he has a good chance of winning the French Open, even though he’s never done that before, and so he could equal my record in Paris. And he could break it on Centre Court at Wimbledon, which would be something.

“If he doesn’t win the French Open, then he will probably break it at the US Open.

“I don’t think it’s a shoo-in, and there is a lot more work for him to do, but I think he has a great chance of doing it in 2008. The story for the last few years has been Roger breaking all the records – during 2007, he beat the Jimmy Connors record for most consecutive weeks at No 1, and soon the grand slam record is going to be his as well. Soon all the records are going to be his, and I’m pleased for him. He is dominating the sport more than I ever did, more than anyone ever has.”

Sampras said he could not think of a way to improve Federer’s tennis. “Roger has got no holes in his game, he’s got the whole package, and he rarely has an off-day, and even then he usually finds a way to win.

“Our games are different as I used to take more risks, so I probably had more off-days. There are a few players who have gone toe-to-toe with him, such as [Rafael] Nadal and [Novak] Djokovic, but Roger always seems to have something extra when it really matters, especially at the grand slams. He’s got another gear.”

In the 2008 season Federer could even achieve the ‘Golden Slam’ – all four majors plus Olympic gold. And Sampras thinks Federer, still only 26, could even reach 20 slams. “Once he breaks the record, it will be interesting to see whether he keeps the motivation and the hunger. I think he will, that he’s going to keep on winning. I think he’s going to win 17, 18, 19, or maybe 20 slams.
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“When you are No 1 there are always people after you. You have to spend the whole time fending people off, and however great you are, it can be tough to maintain that. As great as Roger is, that’s tough. I’ve been in that situation before, so I know what it’s like. But I think there’s definitely a chance that Roger will want to keep going until well into his 30s. He will feel it in his blood when it’s time to go.”

Does Sampras regard Federer as what Americans call the ‘GOAT’ (the Greatest Of All Time)? “It’s difficult to say who is the greatest tennis player in history. The people who are usually mentioned are Roger, myself and Rod Laver, and I think it’s probably one of us three.

“Roger’s critics say that he can’t be the greatest of all time unless he wins the French Open, but I don’t think that’s true.

“It’s difficult to compare generations, as things have changed so much since Laver’s day. Rod was my hero, and I have such great respect for what he did, but I remember him telling me once that he only had to start playing from the fourth round onwards. There’s no way that’s the case now, as you really have to turn it on from the first round onwards.

“I think there’s a chance that people will look back on Roger as the greatest of all time.” So says the sage in Beverly Hills.

Dispatches Martin after sluggish start
By Melissa Isaacson, Chicago Tribune

December 2, 2007 – Todd Martin did not particularly care for the “exhibition” part. Playing Pete Sampras before a crowd of more than 4,000 Saturday night at the UIC Pavilion in the FedEx Shootout Chicago, the former Northwestern star knew he would get all he could handle.

Sampras, 36, arrived in Chicago fresh off an exhibition victory over Roger Federer in the third of three matches in China, a 7-6, 6-4 win that prompted the world’s No. 1-ranked player to say Sampras would be in the top five if he were still playing.

Having flown into Chicago during Saturday’s nasty weather, Sampras was less than sharp at the outset, but he regained form in time to beat Martin 2-6, 6-2 and 10-2 in a third-set tiebreak.

“The court was so fast,” said Sampras, shaking his head. “It took me a little while [to adjust].”

Downplaying his victory over Federer, Sampras acknowledged he was hitting the ball better than ever thanks to the newest racket technology. On a night fit for staying home, an enthusiastic group of hearty tennis fans braved the weather to watch the former pros, now each the father of two.

After exhibitions between junior and wheelchair players and a six-game set between former Illinois greats Amer Delic and Kevin Anderson, Sampras and Martin took the court.

“It was a relatively shaky match,” Martin said as he thanked the crowd.

Martin was noticeably fresher at the start, breaking Sampras’ serve in the first and third games. He took a 5-1 lead and won the first set 6-2 as Sampras repeatedly sprayed his groundstrokes long and wide.

“I was surprised he struggled at the beginning,” said Martin, who smiled and added: “He played three matches last week at conditions that I thought would prepare him.”

Martin had been wary as always of Sampras’ serve, which was clocked up to 130 m.p.h. against Federer and which Martin said would still rank among the best in the game. After the slow start, Sampras, while perhaps not up to that caliber, regained momentum and held for a 3-0 lead to start the second set.

At 3-1 and 40-0, Martin waved at Sampras’ serve with a sarcastic shrug, and Sampras closed out the second set 6-2. Martin conceded the fast service but added: “With better players, the tennis improves as they get more comfortable. Pete dictates every point and I like to defend, which makes for an interesting match. Years ago I could impose myself a little more.”

Martin said Sampras’ second-set serve was up to the caliber he described as “top five.”

“For sure,” he said, “but it’s the accuracy that kills you.”

Sampras, inducted last summer into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, retired at the end of 2002 holding a record 14 Grand Slam titles, including seven at Wimbledon, and 64 singles titles.

Both players have been active on the Outback Championship Series, a top-level 30-and-older circuit. promoted by their former contemporary, Jim Courier. Talking about Sampras’ victory over Federer, Martin rejected the notion that players give less than an honest effort in exhibitions.

“You have to have fun,” Martin said. “It is a different animal than a tournament. But at the same time, especially when it’s televised, you want everyone watching to know you’re the better one.”

Source: Chicago Tribune

Samprasfanz banner shown at 1:35 of the video.

Arrival at Incheon Airport

Media Interview

Post Match Interview

Thanks to member Shaw_Sherman

Interview with Pete and Roger

On-Court Interview Before and After the Match