SAMPRAS PREVAILS WITH SHOW OF FORCE : MAJOR VICTORY.

Byline: Diane Pucin Philadelphia Inquirer 

Pete Sampras does mostly everything - hits forehands, backhands and serves - better than Michael Chang. Sunday night, after a 2-1/2-hour rain delay, the top-seeded Sampras did it again, did everything better than the second-seeded Chang, and won his second consecutive U.S. Open title 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).

Chang lost the first set in 28 minutes, and in 1 hour, 59 minutes, he converted only one of seven break points. It wasn't for lack of effort or because of terribly bad play on Chang's part, either.

Sampras' forehand is large and fast, like a train coming. The backhand is so low, you can't limbo under it, but almost always, somehow, it slides over the net into some far corner. Of course, the Sampras serve is a wicked combination of speed and placement.

Nine times in 10 meetings, Sampras has beaten Chang. Sunday night, Sampras was hitting everything too hard, too fast, too well.

``When Pete's at his best,'' Chang said, ``obviously, he is a very tough player to beat. Pete is not going to give you a whole lot. You have to play some of your best tennis.''

Sampras was at his best, and Chang wasn't.

It was the 24-year-old Chang's first Open final, and Chang was aiming to become the No. 1-ranked player in the world. All he had to do was beat the No. 1 player, the player who has come to own this tournament in the 1990s. Sampras has won four Opens now, the first in 1990, when he was barely 19 and unable to appreciate what had happened.

This fourth might have been the hardest ordeal. Sampras has been emotionally weakened since the illness, then death from brain cancer, of Tim Gullikson, his coach and friend. Gullikson died in May, and when Sampras hit his final shot Sunday night - a 117-mph service winner - he looked to the sky and raised his arms.

It has become Sampras' way to thank Gullikson, who was able to instill in him the desire to train in productive ways and to believe in himself - believe, as Gullikson did, that he has the ability to become the best player in history.

Sunday would have been Gullikson's 45th birthday. Sampras spent time with Tim's twin brother, Tom, the U.S. Davis Cup coach, and that brought back the emotions.

``I still felt Tim's spirit,'' Sampras said. ``Even though he's not with us, he's still in my heart. I wouldn't be here without his help, and when I saw Tom - well, I'm just glad it's over.''

Sampras, who is only 25, is making Gullikson's case about his place in tennis history. This Open crown was his eighth Grand Slam title, which ties him with Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl for second place in the open-tennis era, three behind Bjorn Borg. Back in the old days, when pros weren't allowed to play the Grand Slams, Roy Emerson won 12 Slams.

Before Sunday, Sampras' year, tarnished by the death of Gullikson, had seen him go without a Grand Slam title. Not since 1992 had he not taken at least one among the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

``Winning this saved my year,'' Sampras said. ``It really does. It will make the rest of the 1996 season enjoyable to play.''

There was none of the drama in this championship match that Sampras had provided in his quarterfinal, a five-set, 4-hour, 9-minute marathon against Alex Corretja during which Sampras vomited three times in the fifth-set tiebreaker.

After Sampras raced through Sunday night's first set, he broke Chang's serve in the first game of the second. Chang, who was always under pressure against Sampras' good returns, double-faulted on break point.

Chang got his only service break of the match in the sixth game, when Sampras returned the favor and double-faulted on break point. But Sampras got the edge again in the ninth game, with another break, and served out the set easily.

Chang actually held a set point - on Sampras' serve - in the 12th game of the third set, and he seemed to have won it when he stood at the net, ready to smash a forehand volley.

But the ball hit the tape and fell back. Sampras, maybe sensing the next rainstorm, which started 15 minutes after the match, gathered himself and started smashing winners again.

This final was the last match in the 18-year-old, 20,000-seat stadium, which will be lopped off near the top and reduced to a 10,000-seat show court outside a new 23,500-seat stadium next year.

The box score of No. 1 Pete Sampras' 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) victory over No. 2 Michael Chang in the U.S. Open men's final:

Sampras Chang

1st serve percentage 55 47

Aces 13 11

Double faults 4 3

Winners 46 34

Unforced errors 23 18

Net approaches 37-53 14-21

Total points won 94 76

Time of match................................... 1:59

x - including service.

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

PHOTO (color) Pete Sampras celebrates his 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) victory over Michael Chang in the U.S. Open.

Associated Press

Box: MAJOR VICTORY (see text)