Interview with Pete Sampras
PETE SAMPRAS: THE MYTH AND THE MAN
By Paul Fein
"No man is truly great who is great only in his lifetime. The test of greatness is
the page of history." -- William Hazlitt
"From the very beginning, the competition was always Laver," recalls Pete Sampras. Now he's caught up with the legendary Australian's 11 Grand Slam singles titles and threatens Roy Emerson's record 12.
The debate rages: Is Sampras the greatest player in tennis history? Sampras won't match or break Rocket Rod's incredible two Grand Slams (1962 and 1969) simply because no one ever will.
But, at only 27, the handsome, laid-back Californian is already smashing hallowed records, such as Jimmy Connors' ranking No. 1 for five straight years.
A throwback to his revered Aussie champions of yesteryear, Sampras has emulated their sportsmanship, athleticism and superb shotmaking.
But instead of celebrating his prowess, the carping media painted Sampras as "boring." That America's sporting public hasn't embraced their true-blue hero further reflects our cynical, anti-hero times.
Sampras' peers, however, universally admire him. Boris Becker, after losing to Sampras in the 1995 Wimbledon final, observed, "If there's one role model in tennis, it's Pete Sampras. He's behaving perfectly on the court, he's a nice fellow off the court, and he's playing great tennis altogether. I think he's extremely good for the game of tennis."
"Sweet Pete" is not without contradictions, though. He's shown a most un-Aussie-like penchant for snubbing Davis Cup, not to mention doubles. And while he modestly insists he'll never crow that he's "the greatest," he rather enjoys discussing his records, his place in tennis' pantheon and the burning issues.
Far from being boring, Sampras is opinionated, perceptive, articulate and humorous. So let's get on with it and separate the man from the myth.
P.F. Brazilian soccer superstar Ronaldo recently said you and Michael Jordan are his favorite athletes. What do you think of that?
P.S. I'm flattered! For him to be a fan of mine is very flattering. I appreciate the compliment.
P.F. In Bill Bradley's new book, Values of the Game, the former Knicks star and U.S. Senator expounds on the redemptive virtues found in the sport of basketball, such as discipline, passion, respect, resilience, selflessness, responsibility and courage. How important have these virtues been in your life and your tennis career?
P.S. All the things you mentioned are very important. They are things I try to live by as a person and as a tennis player. To be successful and to be the best you can be, you need all those qualities.
P.F. You said that being named the best player of the past 25 years in an ATP poll (by a select group of 100 past and present players, tournament directors and journalists) is "the biggest compliment I've gotten as a pro."
In 1999, polls will likely abound to pick the best athletes of the 20th century as well as the best tennis player. How do you think you will rate in these polls?
P.S. As far as being the best tennis player, probably pretty high, because of what I've done over the past six or seven years. As far as athlete of the century.... (laughter) not quite as high. There you're looking at Jordan, Muhammad Ali and guys who have really changed their sports. Also, tennis isn't quite as popular as basketball,unfortunately.
P.F. Since former No. 1 Stefan Edberg called you the most complete player he's ever seen or played against, do you think you've changed tennis?
P.S. In some ways I feel I have a game that has some options that can do different things. I'm not just one-dimensional. Most guys you see are one- dimensional, if you look at the history of the game. I've always tried to be as complete as I can be. So, in that way, maybe I have changed the game. But I'll never sit here and tell you I've changed the game. It's up to the critics to make that determination.
P.F. You said: "I don't look at myself as a historical icon, but the reality is, yeah, I am playing for history now." By that, do you mean that you want to be remembered as the greatest player in tennis history?
P.S. Well, I don't need it for my ego. I don't need it to feel good about myself. But.... it's something I'll never say. It's up to the people who follow tennis. It's so tough to compare this year to 30 years ago when Rod Laver won the Grand Slam. But I feel like I've got an opportunity over the next few years to break a few records. And results will always answer the critics about who is the best ever. It's not really for me to tell you that I am or am not.
It's not important to hear [that] every day of my life. I want to be the best player I can be. If I can do that, that's good enough for me.
P.F. But would you like that reputation, that accolade?
P.S. Absolutely!
P.F. Do you believe your overall record now justifies "the greatest player in history" label? Or do you need more achievements on your resume?
P.S. The tennis historians and the perfectionists won't consider me the best ever until I win the French Open. But I really think that's unfair. Not to take anything away from Laver or [1938 Grand Slammer Don] Budge, but the competition then wasn't what it is today, especially on clay. You can't compare 30 or 60 years ago with today. But I'm sure people will always say "Until Pete wins the French, I can't consider him the best ever."
P.F. I disagree with that opinion. I can conceive of scenarios where you win more Grand Slam titles and deserve "greatest ever" status without winning Roland Garros.
P.S. I know. But they're out there. Trust me. The old Aussies will always say Laver is the best ever. Laver worried about four clay court players [at the French]. I have to worry about 50. It's just a different ball game now. That's why it's hard to compare the game today with 30 years ago. I seem to want to compare my tennis to [Bjorn] Borg-and-after kind of tennis. With the wood rackets 30 years ago, it's too hard to tell.
P.F. You have asserted that two of the most important criteria for measuring greatness are the total number of Grand Slam titles and the number of years ranked No. 1. You have a chance to tie or break Emerson's 12 Slam titles this year, and you have already broken Connors' record of five straight years at No. 1. What other accomplishments and records are you now aiming for?
P.S. At the moment I'd love to end [1999] at No. 1 again for seven years. I'd like to keep that going. It's not going to be easy. The Grand Slam record is also up there. It's the biggest priority of my tennis right now. And obviously the French Open. After those three, there is not much left in the game to do.
P.F. How about breaking Lendl's record of ranking No. 1 for a total of 270 weeks?
P.S. That's coming up shortly, in three or four months. (Sampras started 1999 with 251 weeks at No. 1.) Sure, I'm going to do whatever I can to break that record. And it looks like there's a good chance I will this year, if I play well. It's a bonus if I break that record. Borg doesn't hold the all-time record, but it would also be a bonus if I surpassed his five Wimbledon titles. That's a big one because in the modern era [20th century] we have the most. I'd love to have more Wimbledons than a player like Bjorn.
P.F. ITF President Brian Tobin recently commented: "Pete has 11 Grand Slams and two Davis Cups. Emerson has 12 Grand Slams and eight Davis Cup final wins on his record. So how would you compare the two?" How would you reply to Tobin?
P.S. Well, I'll do my job, and he does his job. No, but I'm sure at that moment when he said that, he was at the Davis Cup final [where Sweden beat Italy], and I wasn't there. And I'm sure he was getting a lot of criticism because there wasn't anyone in the top 30 playing the Davis Cup final. So I think he's trying to save face. I don't think he really means it. I just think he wants me to play Davis Cup. He knows what kind of player I am, and he knows what kind of player Emerson is.
P.F. You've reached the semifinals only once at the French Open in nine tries. With that in mind, don't you really have to commit yourself to a major clay court campaign in April and May to prepare yourself sufficiently to have a legitimate chance of winning the French?
P.S. I've done that in the past. That hasn't worked. I've played very little on clay [before the French], and that seemed not to work. The year [1996] I got to the semis was the year I didn't play anything on clay. So I plan on having a pretty long clay court season, playing Monte Carlo, Rome and the World Team Cup.
But I can't plan my year just for one tournament. I'm going to prepare the best I can and go out and play. That's really my personality. Ivan Lendl was more obsessive than I was, when it came to his winning Wimbledon. So that's the way I'm going to approach it.
P.F. Considering that Boris Becker racked up an incredible 38-3 record in Davis Cup singles and other superstars have shown their greatness there, should Davis Cup results also be another valid criterion for tennis immortality?
P.S. Yeah. And I believe I've shown that. (Sampras owns a career 13- 6 DC singles record.) Playing in the most difficult circumstances in Russia, winning those three [1995 Cup final] matches. That was the ultimate test. That was one of the best efforts of my career. Unfortunately, it went unnoticed. But that'another subject.
P.F. Your brother Gus said, "Pete will watch ESPN Sportscenter three times in a row even though he knows what's coming next." Given that you're a sports lover, who are your favorite athletes?
P.S. (Hearty laughter) That's funny. I've enjoyed guys who are great at their sports, and when you listen to them and know a little about them, you wouldn't know that they're the best at their sports. They are very humble. They are great at what they do and committed to what they're doing and don't have a certain arrogance or cockiness about them. Their greatness is something left unsaid.
You look at Jordan, [Wayne] Gretzky, [Joe] Montana. Those athletes are my role models --- just for the way they carry themselves and act as people. Gretzky has nine MVPs and he's the most modest of all.
P.F. You said that Michael Jordan "is the one person I would like to get some advice from." Specifically, what advice would you seek from him?
P.S. I'd ask him how his body has changed as he's gotten older and how he's maintained his fitness and conditioning for so many years.
Another question I'd ask him is about motivation. I just felt for years I was playing against the same rivals --- Agassi, Becker, Edberg. And now there is a new crop of players, and you need to find something deep down to get the same motivation to play against them. I was wondering how he got himself motivated after years of playing against Bird and Johnson, and now he's got these young rookies coming up.
P.F. Many sports observers believe it's a great shame that a bloke who is polite, well-mannered and realistic about life gets to be labelled a bore. What are your views on that subject?
P.S. It baffles me still. Not anymore really. But at 21 and 22 in London, when I was No. 1 and winning Wimbledon, I felt like what I was about was something positive and good. And the media really didn't know me that well. So their cop-out was to call me boring. You know, I didn't really say or do too much.
But now, with what I've been doing the past five, six years, that [label] has kind of gone away. Now people are asking more about the records and being the best of all time. It just took some time to get rid of the boring label. Because I think people know that with me, what you see is what you get. There's no insincere BS with me. I tell you how it is, and that's the way I've always been.
P.F. John McEnroe recently called today's leading men players "a boring bunch of clones." What is your intellectual response and your human feelings to McEnroe's scathing criticism?
P.S. If we had 100 McEnroes.... (Laughter). If we had 100 of anyone, it would be a problem. Today everyone is a little different. Myself, Rios, Agassi, Rafter. For years, John, his reputation wasn't all positive. So I don't really think much of what he said.
P.F. What would happen if tennis did have 100 McEnroes?
P.S. We'd have some problems.
P.F. Anarchy?
P.S. (Laughter) I don't know what we'd have. We'd have a lot of talent. But.... you don't want 100 of anyone. You need variety. And we have that.
P.F. Other than a brief, 18-month rivalry with Andre Agassi, you unfortunately haven't benefitted from a great rivalry during the 1990s. Andre called your rivalry "the high point of my career" and "unbelievable fun." How did you feel about your 1994-95 rivalry with Andre?
P.S. It was something I've never experienced since, except for a little bit against Becker. But you couldn't get a better rivalry than Andre and me. We were both American, we were No. 1 and No. 2 in the world, and we had different games and personalities. It was a great match-up, and we both knew it.
Trying to figure out how to beat Andre was my biggest challenge in tennis so far because he was beating me a few times. He was the one player who forced me to improve areas of my game, such as using the whole court, hitting the backhand down the line, chipping and charging [the net].
I felt Andre was the only guy, whenI played well, could still beat me. He could break down my serve, and he was on me like wild rice. We had a lot of respect for each other. I always thought he and I would dominate the game for a number of years.
P.F. In terms of athletic ability, physique and playing style, Patrick Rafter seems to match up as your top rival in 1999. Do you agree? Or do you worry more about Rios, whom you haven't played in four years, Moya, Henman or some other players?
P.S. There is no one who stands out. They are all obviously great players. But I feel like it's up to me. There isn't anyone who absolutely has the game that I can't play against.
Rios is a much different player from Rafter, and both have their strengths and weaknesses. So there is no player I fear. Everyone from No. 2 to No. 15 can play and can beat me on any given day. But I certainly hope that I can be consistent enough through the year so I can end up No. 1.
P.F. In response to your complaints about the questionable match point line call at the ATP Championships in Cincinnati and your injury at the U.S. Open this year, Rafter said, "Pete is becoming a little bit of a crybaby." What is your reaction to that?
P.S. Pat is not the type of guy to say that. I'm sure it was something the media egged him on to say because people were talking about the match point. That wasn't the reason I lost by any means. Then getting hurt at the U.S. Open. I know Pat well. He's a stand-up guy. Once I heard the comment, I didn't think much of it. I know how the situations can go when the media tries to get you to say things you don't want to say.
P.F. There don't seem to be any super prospects coming up, except possibly for 18-year-olds Marat Safin and Xavier Malisse, who nearly beat you last February. Are they, or any other young players, potential champions?
P.S. It's hard to say. I played Malisse, but it's only one match. It doesn't determine how good you're going to be. He's got some talent. And, Safin, I played him at the U.S. Open. He's got a big game. He's got the weapons, a big serve and big groundies.
You definitely need something in your game that stands out. It's hard to predict because a lot of intangibles go along with being a champion. It's not just having the game. It's also having the heart and the mind. We'll just see over the next couple of years who has that.
P.F. You once said that the only thing Agassi had that you wanted was your own airplane. Now he's sold his airplane, and you reportedly bought a Cessna Citation 10 for $17 million. Would you please tell me about your new toy.
P.S. (Laughter) Back up! I didn't buy a $17 million plane. I don't know where you got that. I've been leasing it for the past couple of years. It's one of the best things I've ever done. It's added flexibility to my schedule. It's eliminated the stress of traveling at airports. I can leave when I want to leave. Really, it could extend my career a couple of years because now I'm not being recognized at airports. There's no stress. It's like hopping in your car and going crosstown.
P.F. You moved from Tampa to Orlando to be closer to your conditioning guru, Pat Etcheberry. And you also bought Kenny G's estate in Los Angeles for $2.8 million to be closer to your girlfriend, Hollywood actress Kimberly Williams. Would you please explain these moves a bit more.
P.S. I'm still working with Pat on my conditioning. Obviously I'm from L.A., but I'm still a Florida resident, and I'll still be spending time there. When I'm in L.A., I'll have a home here that I can spend some time. It's not uncommon for a guy in my shoes to have a couple houses.
P.F. A tennis magazine wrote that rumors of your engagement to Kimberly abound. Are these rumors true?
P.S. No. I'm not engaged.
P.F. What first appealed to you about Kimberly? And as you got to know her better, what other qualities made you care for her more and more?
P.S. (Laughter) I don't want to get into that.
P.F. But readers would like to know more about that.
P.S. You can say she is very grounded. She's a normal, reasonable person. She's not into the Hollywood scene. Neither am I. She's not into the glitzy glamour of Hollywood. She is an actress, and that comes with the territory, but she's very grounded.
P.F. After clinching No. 1 for the sixth straight year, you said: "I really have sacrificed a lot in my life to do what I do and be on top." What have you given up in your personal life to become a tennis champion that you feel has had or will have a lasting effect on you?
P.S. It's not my personal life. It's my whole life from being 100 percent committed to tennis, which you have to be to be No. 1 for a number of years. I gave up things like going on vacations or parties or going out and having a good time. I couldn't lose focus because I have the responsibilities of being No. 1 and living up to that.
It's not easy to do it. You can only understand it if you experience it. There are a number of sacrifices. For example, I haven't seen my family that much or my girlfriend that much. It's definitely a big commitment.
P.F. Do you regret missing out on a college education?
P.S. No. It's not that big a deal. You can learn more from whatI've been doing in the past 10 years, traveling around the world. I know more about life than someone who went to M.I.T. Maybe that would get you a good job at NASA. (Laughter)
P.F. You've noted that the biggest compliment you can ever get is "for a parent to come up to me and say: 'The way you are on the court is good for my kids. You're a great example.'" How important is being a great example or role model to you?
P.S. It's very important. As an older athlete --- I'm not 21 anymore --- so I'm a little more aware of life. I'm aware of what I say and do on the court. How I act out there is going to influence kids. When a parent comes up to me and says you're a great example or a great role model and you're affecting others' lives in a positive way, it makes me feel great. And they've done that over the years.
Fans say that to me all the time in addition to saying they like watching me play. Many times they see athletes who don't come across in the best of ways. So I've always found that a very big compliment.
P.F. You've been heavily criticized for sometimes refusing to play Davis Cup for your country. Adriano Panatta, the 1970s Italian star, said, "A real No. 1 always plays for his country." You've countered by saying that your successful Cup efforts, such as your heroic, nearly singlehanded beating of Russia in 1995, have been under-covered by the media and under-appreciated by the public and President Clinton.
Even if you're right, is 1999, which is the Davis Cup's centennial year, the perfect time to bury the hatchet and return to Cup competition?
P.S. No. I've decided not to play Davis Cup in 1999. It's definite. The way I look at the Davis Cup.... unfortunately, when I was growing up, Davis Cup wasn't something that I knew a lot about. So, it's not right to tell someone you should feel a certain way about an event.
To me, it's always the Slams [that matter most] and so forth. I feel if I play Davis Cup, I can throw my ranking out the window because I can't do both at this point in my career. It's a simple question: do I want to be No. 1, or do I want to play Davis Cup and jeopardize that [being No. 1]? So it's a very easy decision for me.
P.F. I believe the "Best 14" rule is the villain here because if all tournaments counted in the world rankings --- as they clearly should --- you would have been No. 1 in 1998 by a substantial margin. Then you would have likely played only 14 or 15 tournaments, and you would have had the energy and desire to play Davis Cup more often, particularly if Davis Cup results counted in the rankings. Do you agree?
P.S. Yes. In order to stay on top with the "Best 14," I'm playing 20, 22 tournament [a year], and to add Davis Cup to that is way too much. I'd be more inclined to play Davis Cup if the ranking system was like it was before 1990 when McEnroe was playing. I just feel that the way the ranking system is and the Davis Cup schedule is, I get unfairly criticized for not playing Davis Cup.
P.F. Why?
P.S. Because I would play Davis Cup if I had the week before Davis Cup and the week after Davis Cup off. But if I did play everything [now], there goes my ranking. And I can hear the media --- "Pete, why have you dropped to 4 or 5 in the world? Are you losing your motivation, or whatever?"
I don't want to jeopardize my No. 1 ranking. Because that's ultimately how I want to end my year. We can talk about Davis Cup for 20 minutes. But the [Davis Cup] final is the last week of the year, and there's no off-season in tennis. There are so many negative things about Davis Cup. But, on the other hand, you're playing for your country. It's something I want to be a part of. I enjoy the atmosphere. I just wish they could change the format so I could be more inclined to play. Until they do that, I probably won't.
P.F. What advice would you give to kids who want to be tennis champions?
P.S. As a kid growing up, I was more concerned about playing well than winning. I wanted to improve. Kids today are too consumed with just winning junior tournaments. As a junior I wasn't very good, but I was improving and playing guys who were much older than I was. That's the way my coach and family and I approached it. It obviously worked.
P.F. In 1997 the USTA produced a 4,000-page report to explain what's wrong with America's player development programs. There are no terrific American male prospects on the horizon. What ideas do you have to develop a new generation of world-class players and champions?
P.S. How did I do it, and how did Chang do it? I think we all had each other to help each other. I didn't have any USTA help really. I was in California playing against [Jeff] Tarango and Chang, and I had good competition. And Andre came over to L.A. every now and again. And Jim [Courier] went down to Florida with [David] Wheaton. We all had each other to try and improve our games. You see the same thing going on in Spain now. There is no magic pill the USTA can put together that's going to do it.
P.F. ESPN commentator Cliff Drysdale believes that what's best for TV is what's best for tennis. So he proposes reforms such as abolishing best-of-five- set matches, using No-Ad scoring, allowing on-court coaching and adopting round-robin formats to qualify for the semifinals. Do you see any merit in any of these proposed reforms?
P.S. No. People overreact when they hear negative things about the game. They claim we need to change the scoring system or change from 3-out-of-5 sets to 2-out-of-3 sets, or whatever.
Great matches are what sell the sport. An exciting rivalry is the answer to everything. Andre and I had a rivalry a few years ago, and then I didn't hear any talk about changing the scoring system or any of this stuff I've been hearing. It's the players, it's the sport, it's the matches that matter. All this talk I hear about these changes is just a bunch of crap.
P.F. I have an off-beat question for you. Have you ever lied to a woman to win her affections?
P.S. (Laughter) I'm not answering that one. That's not going anywhere.
P.F. A leading ATP official told me that you have an engaging and entertaining personality, and you would be a star on the TV talk show circuit if you wanted to be, and that would benefit both you and tennis considerably. Do you agree?
P.S. Yeah. I've always been a very private person. And I've never really enjoyed being a celebrity. I've always just wanted to be an athlete. But, since I've been No. 1 for several years, to improve the game, I should start doing more stuff, whether it's talk shows, or whatever. So I'm going to ease my way into doing more things in 1999. But you won't see me doing Howard Stern any time soon.
P.F. You have a very good sense of humor. So that will be a big plus.
P.S. Yeah, it will help. I'm looking forward to doing a few more things and getting out there a little more --- not only for myself. I want to show people I care about what I'm doing. You're not going to see a new Pete, but you're going to see Pete a little more often.
P.F. The Pete Fischer story is sad. He helped create a superstar, you, but then destroyed his own life and career by molesting boys. What are your thoughts and feelings about Pete Fischer?
P.S. I support him as a friend. And it's unfortunate how things have gone for him. His life will never be the same. And I'm sorry for that.
P.F. I read that you wrote a warm letter to encourage him in prison.
P.S. That's private.
P.F. On finishing No. 1 for a record sixth straight year, you said: "I regard this as an ultimate achievement. I don't think it will ever be broken." Why don't you think it will ever be broken?
P.S. You tell me. I don't think anyone wants to. There are three things you need. This is what I've learned. You need the game, you need the heart and you need the mind. And there are some guys who have a little bit of all of them. Some guys have two of the three. But, in order to do it for many, many years, you have to have all three and do them all very well.
Unfortunately, tennis has got to be your life because there's no off-season. You need the game to back it up week in and week out. Someone could do it for a couple of years. But six years? That is the majority of most players' careers.
P.F. You've said that you don't see any new challengers in 1999. With Rios and Kafelnikov unstable characters and Rafter really a star only on hardcourts and Agassi past his prime, what are the odds you'll finish No. 1 in 1999 for a seventh straight year?
P.S. What gives me confidence is that I didn't have my best year in 1998, compared to other years, and I was still able to do it [stay No. 1]. And so, if I can step it up a little bit in the first three or four months of 1999, when I didn't do well last year, I can finish No. 1 again. The only person who can stop that is me.
P.F. You may not know just how loyal and impassioned your many worldwide fans are. Do you think you should show your appreciation for them by interacting more with them at tournaments? Or by occasionally talking to them on your very active Sampras group on the Internet?
P.S. That is a good question. I do some interviews for SportsLine on their radio show. And I don't own a computer. So I've never had any interest in going on the Internet. As far as interacting with fans, I've done autograph sessions and other things on the ATP Tour's Stars Program for the past few years. But the Internet stuff is all very foreign to me.
P.F. In recognition of your tennis achievements, you became only the 10th sportsman to receive the MARCA Legend Award, which is presented by MARCA, the best-selling publication in Spain. You have often said you are more appreciated around the world than in the U.S. Which countries appreciate you the most? And how do you explain this phenomenon?
P.S. All the countries in Europe. I've felt, especially during the final six weeks of 1998 while I was there, an appreciation from the people when I walked on the court from the response they gave me.
It's an American trait to root for the underdog. I've been the favorite pretty much every match I've played for the past few years. I'm not saying people are rooting against me. They're just rooting to see a good match. But I've felt an appreciation in Europe that I haven't really had quite the same in the States. I also feel very much appreciated in Australia and Japan.
P.F. On the paradox of fame, Patrick Rafter commented: "When you haven't got it, you really want it; when you have it, you really don't want it." What is your opinion of fame?
P.S. If it's all in moderation, it's OK. But fame doesn't necessarily come the way you want it. I'm reasonably recognized. It's tough for me to go to certain places. But there are also a lot of benefits being where I am. I play the best golf courses in the world.
You have to appreciate being who I am and the things I get. So whenever I'm out on the town and people recognize me, I always try to be courteous and nice. People have supported me over the years. I'm not a rock-star-like celebrity in the States.
People know me and they respect my privacy. I am sure that Pat in Australia is much bigger than I am in the States. And that's the way I like it. I'm recognized, but not to the point where I can't go to a mall or go to a movie. It's been quite fun.
Sarah and Caryn extend their deepest appreciation to Mr. Fein for providing us with this interview.