October 26, 2007
Sampras back for just enough tennis
By Janis Carr
The 14-time major champion is enjoying time on the exhibition circuit,
and he will visit Anaheim on Sunday to play Jim Courier.
Pete Sampras felt lost and a bit useless.
He had millions in the bank and a lifetime of tennis matches on his resume, but not much to do outside of being a dad and lowering his handicap.
It's a dream life for some, being retired at age 31. But for Sampras, it was a whole lot of nothing, similar to hitting a dead tennis ball.
Where he comes from, a man works his whole life to support his family. His grandfather worked until his later years as a cook, and his father, Sam, retired at age 58 from his job as a mechanical engineer and project manager for the space shuttle program.
Sampras, 36, retired after winning the 2002 U.S. Open and said golf, trips and leisurely mornings "got old quickly."
"I was in a good place when I retired," he added. "But after three years of not doing much, I became restless and bored. I didn't know if I wanted to play again or not, then opportunities opened up."
Those opportunities were the chance to play without the hard-core travel that wears down a professional player or the pressure of adhering to a practice schedule, diet and alarm clock.
So one year ago, Sampras played a little World Team Tennis and a handful of exhibitions. But instead of quieting his restlessness, hitting a tennis ball only stirred his competitive spirit and sharpened his forehand.
Now the Hall of Fame player is a regular on the exhibition schedule, playing other former greats and today's stars around the world. Sampras squares off against former major champion Jim Courier on Sunday night in an exhibition match at the Arena at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Proceeds from the match benefit the Orange County Red Cross and its efforts to help victims of the wildfires. Event organizers will pay tribute to Orange County firefighters by inviting them and their families to attend the event for free.
"Playing these matches gives me a balance in my life," said Sampras, who will play top-ranked Roger Federer three times in Asia next month. "It's an opportunity to get in shape and I'm enjoying hitting a tennis ball again because I don't have to do it with the same intensity and pressure."
Because Sampras retired on his terms --- a year after winning his record 14th Grand Slam title --- he didn't face the demons that haunt some athletes who were forced from the spotlight.
Jennifer Capriati recently said in an interview with the New York Daily News that she has battled depression and chased away suicidal thoughts since injuries forced her to quit.
"When I stopped playing, that's when all this came crumbling down," Capriati was quoted as saying. "If I don't have (tennis), who am I? What am I? I was just alive because of this. I've had to ask, 'Well, who is Jennifer? What if this is gone now?' I can't live off this the rest of my life?"
Sampras doesn't have those same disturbing questions. He knows who he is. He is Pete Sampras, former tennis champion, husband and father of two young children and part-time player. He also has started, along with his brother Gus, a sports management company.
Like Capriati, Sampras experienced success at a young age, winning the 1990 U.S. Open at age 19. But the sudden thrust into the spotlight caused him to retreat, like a turtle further into his shell, and he actually expressed relief when he failed to defend his title the next year.
"You make a lot of mistakes when you are that young and make a breakthrough like that," Sampras said. "A lot of people came to me with offers that weren't good. I was in my 20s and had blinders on, focusing only on tennis. A lot of people took advantage of me."
"You have to be smart with your schedule and not chase the money. I wasn't prepared for the media, the attention, the demands."
Sampras said he would love to pass on his experiences to a young player and help him avoid the problems Sampras faced during his early years on the tour. But he sees himself more as a consultant than coach.
Sampras has had his eye on Ryan Thacher, a 17-year-old high school senior at North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake who is ranked No. 1 in the USTA boys 18s. He called Thacher a smart kid who has a lot of potential and talent, but plans to go to Stanford instead of to the ATP Tour.
Sampras said he will be there should Thacher decide to try the professional route.
"I would love to mentor a young kid … I do think I have a lot to offer," he said.
Until then, he will confine his consulting business to his sons, Christian, 4, and Ryan, 2.