October 14, 2011
Pistol Pete Wins Champions Cup in Seattle
Pete Sampras continued his winning ways on the 2011 Champions Series by defeating Michael Chang 8-4 to capture the Washington Trust Bank Champions Cup presented by Propel Insurance, at the Key Arena Thursday night in Seattle, Washington. It was his fourth victory in five appearances so far this season, as Sampras increased his lead in the Champions Series points standings. He now leads Chang by 600 points with seven of 12 events completed.
"I got it going tonight, and my game is really starting to feel good," said the 14-time Grand Slam Champ. "These are all great matchups that we play here on this tour, and we're all really excited that we can still sell out these arenas that we play in. But I'm here to win, and I like where I stand right now."
Sampras advanced to the final with a 6-4 semifinal triumph over John McEnroe, who was making his first appearance of the 2011 Champions Series. "It was really nice coming back up here to Seattle tonight, and I loved getting back out there onto the court to compete," said McEnroe.
Chang --- who spent a number of years living in the Seattle area during his ATP Tour days --- was playing in front of some of his old friends from the Pacific Northwest. He advanced with a 6-4 semifinal triumph over Jim Courier, who now sits in third place and holds just a 100-point margin over fourth place Andre Agassi. Only the top 3 finishers at the end of the 2011 Champions Series will share the one million dollar bonus pool.
The Champions Series moves to the Staples Center in Los Angeles Friday night for the HSBC Tennis Cup, followed by the CTCA Championships in Las Vegas Saturday night.
TONIGHT'S SCORES
Semifinal 1: Chang def. Courier, 6-4
Semifinal 2: Sampras def. McEnroe, 6-4
Final: Sampras def. Chang, 8-4
15 October 2011
Sampras holds court at home to win HSBC Tennis Cup
Southern California native Pete Sampras, playing in front of a slew of family and friends, held off long time rival Andre Agassi 8-6 to capture the HSBC Tennis Cup presented by CTCA, at the Staples Center Friday night in Los Angeles. It was his fifth victory in six appearances so far this season, and third consecutive, as Sampras took a commanding lead in the Champions Series points standings. He now leads Michael Chang by 1000 points with just four of the 12 events remaining.
The Hollywood crowd was treated to a rematch of a rivalry that started over 30 years ago, and still lasts today. "It's been really great getting to know Pete even better over the past several weeks here on the Champions Series Tour," Agassi said, moments after the loss tonight. "It's been an opportunity to really embrace what we've meant to one another's careers."
"Andre has always been a class guy, and is so gracious in his losses as well as his victories," said Sampras. "It was nice tonight to be out here on the court at the Staples Center and to play with so much support behind me."
Sampras advanced to the final with a hard fought 7-6 (3) semifinal victory over Jim Courier, closing out the match with a thumping forehanded return winner. Agassi opened the evening's action with a 6-3 semifinal win over fan favorite John McEnroe.
Agassi's semifinal win coupled with Courier's loss moved both players into a tie for third place in the standings. Only the top 3 finishers at the end of the 2011 Champions Series will share the one million dollar bonus pool, and with four events remaining, Chang, Courier and Agassi are separated by only 100 points.
The Champions Series moves to Agassi's hometown and the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas Saturday night for the CTCA Championships. Tickets and unique interactive VIP fan experiences for the 2011 Champions Series are on sale to the general public and start at $35. Tickets are available at venue box offices, all Ticketmaster locations, 202-397-SEAT or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
The 2011 Champions Series is a competitive tennis circuit featuring legendary tennis icons and world-renowned champions. The 12-city tour of one-night tournaments is being played in major U.S. arenas from September 22 － October 22.
TONIGHT'S SCORES
Semifinal 1: Agassi def. McEnroe, 6-3
Semifinal 2: Sampras def. Courier, 7-6 (3)
Final: Sampras def. Agassi, 8-6