July 27, 2007
Jet sets for Pete
Sampras, Courier play new venue
By Rikki N. Massand
For once, Pete Sampras' serve wasn't the fastest thing at a tennis match.
With Maseratis and a private jet parked outside an airport-hangar-turned-court, Sampras beat longtime rival Jim Courier, 7-5, 7-5, in a spirited exhibition match.
A crowd of affluent onlookers cheered the players on at Farmingdale's Republic Airport on Thursday, just four weeks before the kickoff of the U.S. Open.
The American greats renewed their 1990s rivalry on a blue court that occupied the parking spot of a not-yet- released Hawker 4000 jet owned by Talon Air, the luxury charter airline that sponsored the event.
Sampras, 35, and Courier, 36, met in eight Grand Slam finals in the 1990s, and Sampras won six of their meetings. But this wasn't the dazzling Pistol Pete of old; Sampras relied on his veteran poise to contain his opponent.
Courier had little trouble keeping up with Sampras' serves, but Sampras had the upper hand during longer exchanges, when Courier's returns tended to smack into the net or launch out of bounds.
Courier founded the Outback Champions Series tour for retired tennis greats in 2005. Sampras, who retired after winning his record 14th major title at Flushing Meadows in 2002, returned to action this year on Courier's tour, winning tournaments in Boston and Athens.
"I know the fans have really embraced seeing him go out and compete again," Courier said of Sampras.
"It's one thing to go out and be out of shape and just show up, but Pete's really competing and he's focused when he plays because he's playing against guys that he respects."
Sampras is ranked No. 1 on the Outback tour with 1600 points, while Courier is fourth with 850.