A PAIR COURTING HISTORY; SAMPRAS WINS LATEST SHOWDOWN WITH AGASSI IN FINAL AT UCLA.Byline: Lee Barnathan Staff Writer They first faced each other at a juniors tournament in Northridge, a lanky kid from Palos Verdes Palos Verdes is often used to refer to a group of coastal cities on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in the Los Angeles/South Bay area of California. This affluent bedroom community is known for its dramatic views, good schools [1] extensive horse trails [2] with bushy bush·y adj. bush·i·er, bush·i·est 1. Overgrown with bushes. 2. Thick and shaggy: a bushy head of hair. eyebrows and another young man from Las Vegas Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. with more hair than he has now. That match doesn't much stick out in Pete Sampras' mind, except that he believes he won it. Sampras also triumphed Sunday in the latest meeting with Andre Agassi Andre Kirk Agassi (born April 29 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada) is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player from the United States who won eight Grand Slam singles tournaments and an Olympic gold medal in singles. , 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-1), at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX , to claim his second Mercedes-Benz Cup final, pocket the $46,000 winner's check and deny Agassi a chance to repeat as champion. But since that first match some 15 years ago, a mutual-admiration society and rivalry between Sampras and Agassi have been born and nurtured through 25 matches, including a dozen finals in which they have faced off. For Sampras, who also won the Mercedes-Benz Cup in 1991, it has been a good week. By reaching the final, he regained the world's No. 1 ranking from Patrick Rafter Patrick Michael Rafter (born 28 December 1972) is an Australian former World No. 1 tennis player. He was twice men's singles champion at the US Open, and twice runner-up at Wimbledon. Rafter was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006. He lives in Bermuda. ; it will be his record-setting 271st week at the top, surpassing Ivan Lendl Noun 1. Ivan Lendl - United States tennis player (born in Czechoslovakia) who won several singles championships; in 1992 he became a United States citizen (born in 1960) Lendl . Then he capped the tournament by beating Agassi, making some cross-court and backhand shots ``I didn't think I could hit.'' Sampras has won 15 of 25 meetings, including seven of 12 finals, and, again, the players declared they bring out the best in each other. Sampras suggested an exhibition, similar to what Tiger Woods  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled. and David Duval David Robert Duval (born November 9, 1971) is an American professional golfer and former World No. 1 who competes on the PGA Tour. Background and careerAmateur career Duval was born in Jacksonville, Florida. will do today at Sherwood Country Club, would be viable and make for good television. ``It's quite an honor to compete,'' Agassi said. ``The older I get, the more I treasure these opportunities. It is certainly a privilege to play this kind of tennis. I'll remember the losses as much as the wins.'' Matches such as Sunday's serve to illustrate. The two broke each other just once, in the first set, and held serve through the second set. In fact, through the first 10 games of the second set, a nonserver scored a point just seven times. For the match, Sampras served 11 aces, Agassi had 10. They also took time to tease each other. After the match, Agassi told the sellout crowd of 7,139, ``Everybody knows I beat Pete when it counts. If he thinks this was good, I have a hunch if we tee it up in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of (at the U.S. Open The term U.S. Open is applied to "open" United States national championships in a particular sport, in which anybody, amateur or professional, American or non-American may compete. These include:
To which Sampras replied, ``I believe I'm 3-1 in the (Grand Slam grand slam n. 1. The winning of all the tricks during the play of one hand in bridge and other whist-derived card games. 2. Sports The winning of all the major or specified events, especially on a professional circuit. ) finals.'' Then he walked over to Agassi and patted him on the shoulder. To which Agassi retorted: ``I let you win Wimbledon. You could have at least let me win here.'' Sampras continued the duel later on. ``There's not a lot of hatred between Andre and I,'' he said. ``It's more respect. The fact that I know I have to play well and be on all cylinders calms me down. It's ironic. I have to serve well each point. I can't afford a (mistake). It's the history I have with him. There's no time to (think). It's all instinct and reaction.'' The match hinged on two key points, which Sampras converted. In the first set, Agassi had a break point and would have gone up 5-4. Instead, Agassi's two-handed backhand went wide for deuce, and Sampras held serve. Agassi also had a chance to break Sampras and win the second set, but he returned Sampras' serve too long. They went to the second tiebreaker tie·break·er n. An additional contest or period of play designed to establish a winner among tied contestants. Also called tiebreak. tie , and Agassi promptly double-faulted to start. Sampras quickly went up 3-0 with an ace and a service winner. ``Against a guy like Pete, you're only going to get a few chances,'' Agassi said. ``I had the break and I had the set point at 5-6. Those were my chances. The third set is different. The heat becomes a factor. The elements become a factor, but I also would've taken the break at 5-4 and served for the (first) set. Those were two significant opportunities I didn't convert and it cost me the match.'' Chances are, the two will meet again soon, potentially in two weeks in Cincinnati. Then there's the following week at Indianapolis, and the Open in early September. Since Sunday's match was so close, Sampras knows another tight contest will occur. ``Today, I got the best of him, but it's just a couple of points,'' Sampras said. ``We could be out there playing the third set right now. He plays me so close, eventually he'll take me down.'' AGASSI vs. SAMPRAS Twelve times Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras Peter “Pete” Sampras (born 12 August 1971), is a former World No. 1 tennis player from the United States. During his 15-year career he won a record 14 Grand Slam men's singles titles in 52 appearances. Sampras finished as No. have met in professional tournament finals, with Sampras holding a 7-5 advantage. Year Event Surface Winner 1990 U.S. Open Hardcourt Sampras 1992 Atlanta ClayAgassi 1994 Key Biscayne Hardcourt Sampras 1995 Australian Open Hardcourt Agassi 1995 Indian Wells Hardcourt Sampras 1995 Key Biscayne Hardcourt Agassi 1995 Montreal Hardcourt Agassi 1995 U.S. Open Hardcourt Sampras 1996 San Jose Hardcourt Sampras 1998 San Jose Hardcourt Agassi 1999 Wimbledon Grass Sampras 1999 Los Angeles Hardcourt Sampras A DECADE OF CHAMPIONS Year Player 1999 Pete Sampras 1998 Andre Agassi 1997 Jim Courier 1996 Michael Chang 1995 Michael Stich 1994 Boris Becker 1993 Richard Krajicek 1992 Richard Krajicek 1991 Pete Sampras 1990 Stefan Edberg CAPTION(S): 4 Photos, Box PHOTO (1--Cover--Color) PETER THE GREAT Andre Agassi can't get a break as Sampras rolls to a 7-6, 7-6 victory to win Mercedes-Benz Cup title. (2--3--Color) In a rivalry that is as heated as it is amicable, Pete Sampras (above) on Sunday in Mercedes-Benz Cup final beat Andre Agassi (left) for the 15th time in 25 matches in which the two have faced off. Agassi, the tournament's defending champion ranked No. 3 on the ATP ATP: see adenosine triphosphate. ATP in full adenosine triphosphate Organic compound, substrate in many enzyme-catalyzed reactions (see catalysis) in the cells of animals, plants, and microorganisms. Tour, didn't make it easy on the world's No. 1 player, however, extending Sampras to two tiebreakers. (4--Color) Pete Sampras, left, won the latest meeting with Andre Agassi on Sunday to claim his second Mercedes-Benz Cup. Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer BOX: AGASSI vs. SAMPRAS (see text) |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion