Samprasfanz

Monday, February 28, 2011 NEW YORK — While Monday’s first match — a 50-something battle between Ivan Lendl and John McEnroe — ended with a sprained-ankle retirement by McEnroe, the main event in the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden was so not old-man doubles. Back in the day, Pete Sampras had the game’s best serve and Andre Agassi usually neutralized that with a peerless return of service. But eight and a half years after Sampras won the last tournament he ever played — the 2002 U.S. Open, over Agassi in the final — that serve overpowered Agassi, early and often. When one ace down the middle went darting into the crowd, Agassi could only smile and widen his eyes in mock horror — or maybe it was real. Sampras, it turns … Read entire article »