ESPN The Magazine
June 1999
I'm even uncomfortable with my success
Interview: Dan Patrick

Pete Sampras has been abel to maintain a remarkable level of consistency and achievement, yet all we focus on are negatives. People say he doesn't have a personality. I found out otherwise, He's never won the French. So what? I'll live with the 12 Grand Slams. He's the Larry Holmes of tennis. Who did he go against? It's all nitpicking, and it's all unfair.

We talked after he won the Stella Artois tournament in June of 1999. He spent an hour and a half with me and he was by far the most surprising person I've interviewed for the magazine. He mocked himself and he mocked the people who think he doesn't have a personality. And he did it all with a wit and intelligence that was so facile that I find it hard to believe how far off the mark his sleepy reputation is.

Of all the athletes I have interviewed, Pete Sampras reminds me the most of myself. I see that desire to be great but no need to be recognized for it. You play because you want to play. Even if people keep criticizing you for all that you aren't, you just keep playing the way you want to play. Eventually, you'll be recognized.

DP: Is there a difference in your mood after a win as opposed to a loss?

PS: Uh, yeah. When I lose, I'm down and out. Disappointed. But it depends on the loss, it depends on who I lost to, when, what tournament. But today's win was nice. I needed it.

DP: It's funny because I was talking to your agent and I said, "He's going to beat Tim Henman." And this was a few days ago. I didn't know. I don't know who plays in the Stella Artois.

PS: Come on!

DP: It's not big. It's a beer. Everybody thinks Stella is a woman. It's a beer. Have you had one?

PS: (Laughs.) No. I don't drink beer. But you know what I did do? I actually bought an ESPN Magazine.

DP: You did? To see what this was going to be about?

PS: Kind of. I saw your thing with David Cone.

DP: And then you got nervous.

PS: He was talking about "Spanktravision." And I was like, "Whoaaaa!" (Laughs.) Jeez.

DP: I like his home run call: "You can grab your ankles!" (Both laugh.)

PS: He's got personality.

DP: There was a lot of stuff we couldn't use, actually.


DP: When would I see your ego?

PS: On the tennis court. That's the only time that my ego comes into play.

DP: But how can I see that?

PS: It's not obvious but deep down, when I lose, my ego is hurt.

DP: I'm just curious. I don't see it.

PS: Well, it's on court.

DP: But you don't talk. You don't throw things. You're not a demonstrative guy on the court.

PS: It comes down to your play. You can do what you want or say what you want but it comes down to what you do when the ball is in play. That's my attitude and personality. I'm very humble. I'm even uncomfortable with all the success I have had over my career.

DP: You probably do it to keep yourself hungry. As soon as you think you're great, somebody comes along and knocks your ass down.

PS: That's pretty much the kiss of death.

DP: I have never heard you say that you are the best player in the world. Or that you would like to cut off Marcelo Rios's ponytail.

PS: I'd like to say it but I bite my tongue.

DP: Should you judge greatness on what you haven't done?

PS: Not in my sport. You can't compare the time I am playing now with 40 or 50 years ago. So, it's what I have done. That's the true test.

DP: But do people say, "Yeah, but..."

PS: Well, it's not a black and white world, Dan. (Both laugh.) It's not.

DP: I'm going to write this down. Getting a little therapy here.

PS: Sure, critics and historians and old-timers will always say that until I win the French blah blah blah, I won't be the greatest ever. But, not to take anything away from Rod Laver or that era, it's different sport now. Laver was pretty much beating guys that he was just better than on any surface, He didn't have the clay court animals that you have today. He had to worry about a couple of guys. I have to worry about 50 guys.

DP: But your life is complete without a French Open?

PS: Yeah. My life would be fine. I would be disappointed but I never thought I would win what I have won so far anyway.

DP: What is the best thing about being famous?

PS: You can play the best golf courses in the world. You can get into any restaurant at any time. That's pretty much it.

DP: The worst thin about being famous.

PS: Every time I am at an event, when I get out of my car or leave the locker room, I am recognized. Some mornings I don't want to deal with it. Constantly being stared at. Autographs. Pictures. Rude people.

DP: It hurts to be called boring, doesn't it?

PS: Yeah it does, and you know it's a bunch of crap. It is. No one is boring.

DP: I agree.

PS: When I hear stuff like that, I take it personally. Like a personal attack on my character. You're the way you are. I am the way I am. For someone to say he's boring, it's a cop-out. Instead of trying to figure out what makes me tick or why I do what I do, the easy thing is to say, "He's boring." And call it a day.

DP: (Laughs.)

PS: It's totally true. That's the way I look at the media sometimes. You hear all of these complaints about the men's game having no personalities or rivalries. It's all negative stuff. Instead of wondering why Andrei Medvedev is in the finals of the French when he is ranked 100th why not way that the game is so damn strong now that anyone can do anything? There are no sure things. It's just the negative stuff and I'm tired of it.

DP: Barbra Streisand called up Agassi. Did she call you first?

PS: (Startled.) No.

DP: They were dating a few years ago at the U.S. Open. I was curious.

PS: I want someone a little younger than that.

DP: You don't want someone in their 50's?

PS: No. She's what I call a pitching wedge. She looks good from about 150 yards away. (Both laugh.)

DP: There's that personality. There it is.


DP: What is your dream foursome?

PS: Nicklaus, Jim Carrey, for a little humor because Nicklaus is a serious guy, am I right?

DP: Yeah. He's boring.

PS: Yeah, he's boring with 18 majors. (Laughs.) Nicklaus, Jim Carrey and you, Dan. I want to play golf with you.

DP: I've got game.

PS: I've heard you got game.

DP: I've got game you only read about. So you don't want some woman in there?

PS: On the golf course? No. I can't stand waiting for the red tees. Let's play from the back.

DP: Is there one question that stands out that you have been asked by the Wimbledon press?

PS: I think the press over there knows they's not going to get much from me so they don't bother asking.

DP: They wouldn't say are you still dating Jennifer Aniston?

PS: No.

DP: Do you know who Jennifer Aniston is?

PS: I do. She's a Greek girl. And I'm Greek.

DP: There you go. I am trying to set you up.

PS: We Greeks stay together.

DP: More impressive: Steffi winning a grand slam and Olympic gold in 1988 or Chrissie Evert winning at least one major for 13 consecutive years.

PS: Why are we talking about ladies's tennis? But I will answer the question. I would say Chrissie winning a major every year for 13 years.

DP: That's pretty impressive.

PS: It's pretty impressive.

DP: You don't want to talk about chicks?

PS: Chicks. What about Lendl getting to the final of the Open eight straight years?

DP: Is that more impressive than Chrissie...

PS: Well, we are talking WNBA and NBA, OK? (Both laugh.) But to answer your question, your cornball question, Chrissie's 13.

DP: I will watch women's tennis.

PS: Because there's personality.

DP: No. When Steffi would play Monica, there was no personality involved. But I would watch because it was great tennis.

PS: You're right, it is. Say you have Gustavo Kuerten playing Carlos Moya at the French, do you watch?

DP: Not over Seles/Graf.

PS: That's honest. Very honest.

DP: Is there an animal that represents you on the court?

PS: A mongoose. That was my nickname from my Junior Davis Cup captain. A mongoose is quick and strong and fast enough to catch a snake.

DP: I am glad you gave a good answer because I thought you would say, "What a dumb question!"

PS: That's a great question. Boring answers come from boring questions. (In a dullish monotone.) "Out there playing today, Pete, what went through your mind?"

DP: Favorite band.

PS: Pearl Jam. (Pause.) Ever hear of them?

DP: Yeah. Eddie Vedder's all right.

PS: He's all right?

DP: He rocks.

PS: He's the king. I'd have to say Pearl Jam, REM, Dave Matthews Band. But Pearl Jam is my... I met them at a concert in Florida. I must say Eddie Vedder was the only guy I've met that I was a little bit in awe of.

DP: Free association. Grass.

PS: Fast.

DP: Clay.

PS: Slippery.

DP: Ace.

PS: Untouchable.

DP: You could have said ecstasy or orgasm.

PS: We won't go there.

DP: Venus Williams.

PS: Athletic.

DP: Do you know who Ricky Martin is?

PS: Is he in NASCAR?

DP: He's living "La Vida Loca."

PS: Oh, yeah.

DP: Does anybody hit the ball so hard you can't see it?

PS: I can see it but I just can't get to it. Goran Ivanisevic on grass. When he gets it going, there's not much you can do. Unreturnable.

DP: What would you do to make the sport more popular?

PS: I would cut half the tournaments. I would change the ranking system. And I would make sure that me and Agassi play in the finals of every Grand Slam.