AGASSI, SAMPRAS: FOR OLD TIMES' SAKE EXPERIENCE TRUMPS YOUTH AS RIVALRY IS RENEWED IN MERCEDES-BENZ FINAL.Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer 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's streaky streak·y adj. streak·i·er, streak·i·est 1. Marked with, characterized by, or occurring in streaks. 2. Variable or uneven in character or quality. young players are going to have to wait a bit longer - at least for another tournament. The game's elder statesmen are taking center stage again. 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. , 31, 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. , who turns 30 next month, will renew an old rivalry in the Mercedes-Benz Cup final today. They turned back some of the game's flashy, talented players to advance to the final. Agassi rallied to beat top-ranked Gustavo Kuerten Gustavo Kuerten (born September 10, 1976 in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina) is a former World No. 1 tennis player from Brazil. He won the French Open three times between 1997 and 2001. 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 6-3 in the early semifinals match Saturday, and Sampras played his best tennis of the week in a 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 victory over 21-year-old Xavier Malisse Xavier Malisse (born July 19 1980) is a Belgian tennis player known mostly for his enormous right-handed forehand, great power and bad temper. Born in Kortrijk, Belgium, Malisse is considered the biggest Belgian tennis talent on the ATP tour. 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 . ``Like I've always said, you're guaranteed that if you work hard in sports, it's gonna pay off,'' Agassi said. ``What you're not guaranteed is something extra - that special rivalry. I've had that with Pete. It's been truly something I've appreciated and enjoyed and been frustrated by. ``With all that being said, it's a great moment to be on the court with him.'' Agassi has one of the best returns in the game. Sampras has one of the best serves. Who said anything about retirement? Agassi won the last match against Sampras at Indian Wells Indian Wells may refer to:
``He's the ultimate rival I've ever played,'' Sampras said. ``He's the best player I've ever played.'' Agassi is looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. his second Mercedes-Benz championship There are two tournaments in men's professional golf called the Mercedes-Benz Championship
Sampras tried to play with a wrap on his leg during warmups, deeming it a little sign of age, but he quickly tossed it aside. He was down 3-0 in the first-set tiebreaker tie·break·er n. An additional contest or period of play designed to establish a winner among tied contestants. Also called tiebreak. tie but won seven of the next eight points to win the set. Tied at 4-4 in the tiebreaker, Malisse hit a forehand forehand the head, neck, shoulders, withers and forelimbs of the horse. that clearly looked to land on the sideline to give him a 5-4 lead. It was called out. Malisse appealed, to no avail, and he stood over the net in disbelief. Even Sampras felt he got a break there. ``If I'm 5-4 up, it's a different story and maybe I take the set,'' Malisse said. ``It took a little bit out of me, but there was another setto play.'' In that first set, Sampras won just two points off Malisse's serve. Malisse had trouble winning off Sampras' serve, too. It was unlike the earlier match between Agassi and Kuerten, who treated fans to entertaining rallies. Down 40-0 with a 4-3 lead in the third set, Agassi came back and won the next four points to completely change the flow of the match. Kuerten, a clay-court specialist, tried to place a drop shot but it went into the net, and instead of tying the third set at 4-4, Agassi pulled ahead 5-3. During two consecutive games in the second set, Kuerten didn't score a point and had 36 unforced errors. Other times, he used his trademark one-handed backhand with ease. ``I definitely took advantage of the few moments where he got a little careless with some shots,'' Agassi said. ``But, you know, it's hard to play from start to finish without any concentration lapses. It was a tough first set and it could've gone either way. In the tiebreaker, I madea few unforced errors myself. I just hung in there, and I executed some shots at the right time.'' Time isn't on their side. Sampras became an uncle for the first timeSaturday and Agassi will soon be a father. They might not have the 142- mph serves, but they still have it. ``It's not traditional in our sport to be competing at a high level in your 30s but those are just statistics,'' Agassi said. ``That's one thing about the game of tennis, it's individual. Every individual is different, and I believe many of them have the potential.'' CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Andre Agassi rallies to defeat Gustavo Kuerten to advance to today's final against Pete Sampras in the Mercedes-Benz Cup. (2 -- color) Unforced errors cost Gustavo Kuerten in his loss against Andre Agassi in the Mercedes-Benz Cup semifinals Saturday. Evan Yee/Staff Photographer |
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