October 8, 2011
Pete Sampras' victory highlights Surprise tennis tournament
By Sarah McLellan
Even though he's 40 years old, Pete Sampras still feels an undeniable pull
toward the tennis court.
And that's truly one of the best parts of the Champions Series, a 12-stop circuit that features past tennis greats. It allows the players out of the ATP spotlight to still feel the thrill of competition.
"These matches and the tour are obviously for guys past their prime, in their 40s, and we're all in the same boat," said Sampras, holder of 14 Grand Slam titles. "We all still enjoy it, but we don't want to grind like we used to."
Sampras was in Surprise on Saturday to participate in the sixth stop of the tour, the Cancer Treatment Centers of America Tennis Championships, hosted at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex.
The tournament paired off the pool of players, which besides Sampras included Jim Courier, Michael Chang and Mats Wilander, into a one-set semifinal to compete for ranking points. The winners advanced to an eight-game pro-set championship match.
Activities include a mixed doubles match pitting Chang and Tracy Austin against Courier and Chris Evert.
Courier defeated Wilander 6-3 and met Sampras in the championship after Sampras beat Chang 6-3. Sampras went on to take the tournament after winning 8-7 (7-4).
"It came down to the tiebreaker, and I had a great time (Saturday) in Surprise," Sampras said.
Sampras entered action at the top of the leaderboard for the tour, and while the players are vying for a $1 million prize to be split among the top three finishers, the circuit is more than just tennis.
Before the night's games, the players joined VIP guests in a clinic, participated in a question-and-answer session and did a private meet and greet with a few lucky fans. Courier and Chang even had time to visit local cancer patients.
"It's a nice combination of tough competition for us as players and hopefully a lot of fun for the fans to see some great names that they've watched grow up," Courier said.
That's what enticed 76-year-old Ruthe Burgener to drive to the event from Tucson.
"We can't see them on TV, so what an opportunity to see them here," Burgener said.
She, like 12-year-old Reagan Posorske, was excited to see Sampras --- who seemed to be the big draw of the event. The roughly 1,800 fans in attendance definitely appreciated the action and the banter among the players.
"It's really inspiring," Posorske said. "They're really good players, and I hope to play like them one day."
This was Sampras' first visit to Surprise as part of the tour, but don't expect it to be his last. While he stays busy with golf and being a dad to two sons, he's not ready to give up the sport just yet.
"As long as I'm enjoying it and my body stays healthy, I see myself doing it for a little while longer," Sampras said. "It gives me a good balance."