July 11, 2012
Fans enjoy show from old hands Sampras, Chang
By Vytas Mazeika
Pete Sampras remembers he won the first match in a storied rivalry with Michael Chang ... more than 30 years ago at a youth tournament in Poway, Calif., a city in San Diego County.
"I was 8 and he was 7, I think," Sampras said. "I just remember I was dominating at that time a little bit and Michael actually pushed me and took me to three sets. And my dad wasn't happy about it. It's incredible where we came from and where we are now. The youngest U.S. Open champion, the youngest French Open champion ... and we were 30 miles from one another."
Now they're 40-year-olds, and it showed.
Much to the chagrin of fans at the Bank of the West Classic held at Stanford, Sampras was forced to retire after suffering an injury to his left calf in the second set of their Wednesday evening showdown --- a series of Legends Exhibition Matches that also includes 41-year-old Jim Courier, a four-time Grand Slam champion.
"I haven't been playing a lot, and sometimes when you push it, your body is not quite ready for it," said Sampras, who won a tiebreaker in the first set and limped to the net after Chang evened the second set at 5-all. "I felt it go on the forehand right before I missed the backhand. And I knew I should get off the court."
Sampras will undergo an MRI today, but doesn't sound optimistic about his chances to play Courier in the evening session. Sampras warmed up for the match by hitting with 2009 Bank of the West champion and two-time runner-up Marion Bartoli of France.
"Make her feel really bad, because she was grinding and hitting balls hard, and I just got off a plane," Sampras said sarcastically.
During warm-ups, Sampras ran into Serena Williams, who won Wimbledon over the weekend and defeated Bartoli in last year's Bank of the West singles final.
"Let's be honest, she was a little jealous," Sampras said. "I promised I would hit with her tomorrow, and unfortunately I don't know if that's going to happen."
One thing Sampras feels confident will happen is Roger Federer breaking the record of seven Wimbledon men's singles titles, a mark Federer matched with his victory on Sunday.
"When Roger found his game, it just seemed like middleweight against a heavyweight," said Sampras, who caught the end of the final and won't be surprised if Federer claims multiple Wimbledon titles in the coming years. "I see him as the favorite every year at Wimbledon. There's no reason why he wouldn't be. He's won seven."
Chang suffered a case of amnesia when reporters asked if he remembered who won that first match in Poway, but Sampras did leave an impression.
"Even at 8 years old, there are a few players that will be a step above everybody else," Chang said. "And that has held true throughout his entire career from juniors all the way through professional ranks and through Champions events."
The fast courts at Taube Family Tennis Stadium and the balls used on the women's circuit made it tough for the players to find a rhythm, with the rallies lasting few strokes.
"Two or three shots when Pete is smacking and the point is over," Chang said. "That's part of the reason why we were serving so many aces out there."
Before the match, both players were interviewed and Chang felt he had a home court edge because he is married to Amber Liu, a two-time NCAA singles champion in 2003 and 2004 as a Cardinal.
Chang also channeled his inner-McEnroe after Sampras won the first of two challenges in the first set, walking to the net before yelling, "You cannot be serious."
But the match did get serious, with Sampras winning the first-set tiebreaker 7-2.
"For us, it's a balance," Chang said of the interaction with the crowd. "But the big points are still important to play."
Too bad this match, like their first one, couldn't go to a third set.
"It's not a fun way to win," Chang said.
13 July 2012
Marion Bartoli thrilled to hit with idol Pete Sampras
Stanford: Star-struck Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli confessed on Thursday that her brief warm-up with Pete Sampras a day earlier at the WTA's Stanford tournament had fulfilled a long-held dream.
Bartoli, the second seed and a 2007 Wimbledon finalist, got the chance to hit with Sampras, a 14-time Grand Slam winner, prior to his exhibition with Michael Chang.
Bartoli, 27, said that as a lifelong fan of the 41-year-old American who retired a decade ago with seven Wimbledon titles, she was nervous at the start.
"I had an extra pleasure and honour," said the world number 10. "But I was so stressed at the start, I could barely hold my racquet. I hope he enjoyed playing with me.
"I was so sad that he hurt himself later," she added of the calf injury that forced Sampras to cut the exhibition short.
Bartoli said she was "like a kid."
"I never used to dream of winning a Grand Slam, I'd dream of playing with him. I had posters of him all over my bedroom. I'm so, so, so happy."
While sounding more like a member of the tennis public than the WTA elite, Bartoli said that as a child she and her mother --- an Andre Agassi fan --- had to sit on opposite sides of the family couch when the American pair played at the height of their careers.
"When Pete lost, I could be depressed for a week. I will never forget playing with him. He's a great champion, someone who did not over-act on court," she said.
"He was the same person on and off court, he was kind of shy but he was a great champion.
"It's important to have an idol, someone to look up to," Bartoli added. "It was just incredible to hit with him, I had no idea that it would happen here, but that's life."