September 5, 2008
Sampras, a King of Queens, to be Inducted into US Open Court of Champions
By Ed McGrogan
Though the name of Pete Sampras conjures up memories of majesty on Wimbledon's Centre Court, his accomplishments at the US Open are just as staggering. On Sunday, Sampras will become synonymous with another type of court --- the US Open Court of Champions. The five-time US Open champion will join Molla B. Mallory as the 2008 inductees into this illustrious tennis shrine, located just inside the South Entry Gate at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Then ranked 188th in the world, Sampras played his first US Open match in 1988 against Jaime Yzaga, a 20-year-old from Peru. Sampras, three years younger, found a two-set deficit too much to overcome, losing in five sets. The next year, Sampras would get his revenge, beating Yzaga in the third round, although he would lose in the round of 16. It turned out that Sampras wouldn't lose any earlier than this stage of the US Open for the remainder of his career.
Sampras' seven Wimbledon titles are undoubtedly among the most impressive lines on his resume. But did you know that he actually reached more finals at the US Open? Sampras advanced to the final Sunday eight times at Flushing Meadows, winning on five occasions (in 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996 and 2002). The sultan of serve also reached finals in 1992, 2000 and 2001 but lost to Stefan Edberg, Marat Safin and Lleyton Hewitt, respectively. In total, Sampras compiled a 71-9 record at the US Open, good for the second-best winning percentage in the tournament's history (only Bill Tilden's 71-7 mark is better, with a minimum of 50 matches played).
Although Sampras' play at the US Open was nothing short of dominant, he did experience some humbling moments. The most notable of these took place in 1992, after he had already become a US Open champion two years earlier. Ranked No. 3 in this particular tournament, Sampras toppled top-seeded Jim Courier in the semifinals, advancing to the final to face Stefan Edberg. Sampras started out strong against the No. 2 seed, taking the first set, 6-3. But three sets later, it was Edberg who was hoisting the champion's trophy above his head, while Sampras settled for second place.
At his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame years later, Sampras revealed that this four-set defeat (6-3, 4-6, 6-7, 2-6) was, in fact, the turning point of his career. "It changed my whole mentality, when I kind of gave up in that fourth set," Sampras said. "I just promised myself I would never let that happen again. That 1992 loss to Edberg was the wake-up call that I needed to really figure this thing out."
Evidently, Sampras was a quick study. Beginning in 1993, Sampras went on a six-year run as the year-end ATP No. 1, collecting 10 Grand Slam titles during this stretch. Three of these Slam triumphs took place at the US Open, where Sampras defeated Cedric Pioline, Andre Agassi and Michael Chang in finals. The only blip in a four-year run at Flushing Meadows between 1993 and 1996 came in 1994, when Sampras lost in the fourth round to --- of all people --- Jaime Yzaga. Irony aside, this isolated loss did nothing to refute Sampras' incredible play at the US Open during his prime years.
But as every sports fan knows, an athlete's prime years don't last forever. As the millennium approached, Sampras' play gradually began to decline. Winning tournaments --- let alone Slams --- became a much more onerous task than before.
Despite his struggles, Sampras still produced some memorable highlights in his final years on tour. Agassi, Sampras' career rival, is prominently featured in two of them. Cleaner cut but still a dangerous threat, Agassi was looking to win his first match against Sampras at the US Open, having come up short in their two previous meetings (both finals). Their 2001 evening quarterfinal at Arthur Ashe Stadium was highly anticipated, and the match lived up to the hype. Neither man had his serve broken throughout the match, which went to Sampras in four tiebreak sets.
However, Sampras would not ride that quarterfinal victory to a US Open title, instead losing in the final to Hewitt. But in 2002, Sampras would claim the ultimate prize. After cruising to the final without much difficulty, Sampras stared across the net at --- Yzaga. Just kidding --- it was Agassi, for the second consecutive year (Yzaga had been long retired). Once again, their match went four sets, and once again, Sampras emerged victorious. Agassi would never have another chance to notch a win over Sampras at the US Open --- after winning his 14th Grand Slam title, "Pistol Pete" officially announced his retirement from tennis in 2003.
On Sampras' US Open Court of Champions plaque, it is inscribed, "With quiet confidence, unfailing courage and unparalleled commitment to excellence, Pete Sampras rewrote the record books and redefined the word 'champion.'" Truer words may have never been written. That is, until you read the plaque's final line: "He will long be recalled as one of the greatest ever to play this sport."