SamprasFanz.org

Wimbledon Diary
By Nat Ferguson (Pete's Racket Technician)

July 9, 2000 — Finals

Sunday, Pete Sampras beat Pat Rafter in the men's singles final at Wimbledon, for his seventh singles championship there in eight years, and his 13th grand slam victory, the most of all time. In my journal entry today, there will be no scores, descriptions of great shots or even a play by play, blow by blow chronology of on court events, because you know them already. There will be no first serve percentages, because I don't know them. There will be no percentages of break points won, because we already know had his service broken and who did not. What I will do today, is take you through a memorable day in my life, as a part of the team that Pete Sampras assembled to help him reach his loftiest of goals, one that he has pursued most of his life, on the most crucial day of the year, bar none.

Here we are. Sunday of the Wimbledon men's singles final. In the lives of players, coaches, relatives, friends, agents, girlfriends, ushers, ticket scalpers, television broadcasters, traffic cops and even racquet technicians, it doesn't get any bigger than this (unless you are a clay court specialist from Spain). I get out of bed at 6 am, because today is a day I want to deliver all the racquets early, even if some kind of disaster strikes. The bad news is, it is pouring rain. Although it gets light outside at 4:30 am, it is gray and dreary, and there are no sunny patches in the sky. It looks as though the weather forecast of "intermittent showers" had been optimistic.

As I begin to string, I am thinking that I'll be cutting these babies out tonight, and restringing them tomorrow morning, after spending a very long and frustrating day at the courts waiting for the sky to clear! The good news is that for the first time since the second round, Pete plans to warm-up before the match goes on. This news tells me that he does not care what risk there is of aggravating the shin, he wants to be sharp for the match from the first point on, and no more using the first set to "get the feel of things". A bad start for Pete today and the match could be over before he ever feels comfortable.

For the seventh match in a row, I crank out seven of his Wilson Prostaff Midsize frames, strung at 32 kilos with Babolat VS Team 1.22 natural gut. They all get the usual treatment, strung in the usual order, and prepared in the same old way. While I am stringing and listening to music (Dave Matthews) I am not concerned with the weight of the moment, any career records or what happens if a string breaks. I am just doing the same thing I have done for years, getting up four hours before every one else to "make the racquets."

After delivering the frames, I prepare for the match. Although Pete has yet to give me a frame during any of his matches here to have restrung, I need to be ready in the event he does so today. Therefore, I pack up my stringing tools and supplies to take to the site, where I can use one of the tournament stringers' machines whenever I need. Once we are all at the site, we are ready to go, but the rain persists. During the hours before the match finally goes on, I am well at ease, sitting in the player lounge chatting with Pete's fiancee Bridgette Wilson, Pete's parents and others. Then covers come off, and the match is called onto Center Court. While I am waiting for all parties to get ready to go to the player box, the nerves kick in big time. Waiting in the lounge while the players headed to the court was brutal. I felt much better once we actually started walking to our seats.

As the match starts, Pete is playing very well, and threatening Pat's serve often. It is amazing how the packed house of around 14,000 people comes to an absolutely silent hush just before the player tosses for his serve, and how that adds to the pressure of the moment. It is less stressful at the US Open where there always seems to be some kind of noise. It is very noticeable when a packed house falls deathly silent. As for the tennis, it is not as nerve-racking as it could be because Pete is controlling all the points on his serve, and returning well too. Then the rain comes. During a two hour delay, I get Pete's "lucky" frame from the locker room and take it back to my apartment, where I restring it, not on site as planned. Although those strings only have eight games on them, the main strings are starting to show signs of wear, and since the delay will certainly be long, why not put a fresh set of gut in there. Again while I'm stringing inside and it is pouring outside, I'm thinking that I'll be cutting this baby out later tonight so I can redo it and the other six tomorrow morning. But, as the driver pulls through the main gate at the A.E.L.T.C., the skies are beginning to clear. During the next half hour, I am hoping that it stays dry long enough for Pete to finish and win the first set. It would be great to get up a set before Monday.

Pete loses another point on serve to go down 1-4 (in the tiebreak). At this point I can't even speak.

At this point, I am resigned to restringing frames for a Monday continuation of the match. What makes me angry is that the only day of significant rain during the entire fortnight, is the final Sunday, and I have to push my flights back a day. Worse than that, when I booked my flights six weeks ago, I upgraded to first class on my Monday return flight, and changing it to Tuesday will make it impossible to do the same upgrade! So not only do I have to do twice the work for one match, and miss my family for another day, but I have to fly coach when I was so looking forward to being in the front of the plane! This is what I am thinking!

Presto! The skies are clear, and out we go again. The first set tie-breaker does not go well, and Pete loses the first set. All right, we've been here before and he works his way out of it, no problem. He is still playing well, and we are all confident in him. The second set is much like the first, Pete is holding with ease, but he can not quite manage to break Pat either. To the tie-break it goes, and the tension in the player box is brutal. Sudden death is often that, quick and deadly. All it takes is one error by Pete and the set could be lost. Being down two sets would be extremely bad for Pete's chances. As though he wanted to kill me right then and there, he double faults on the very first point. After double faulting on the last two points of the first set tie-breaker to lose it, he opens this one with more of the same. Not good. Not only does Pat hold serve twice to go up 3-1, but Pete loses another point on serve to go down 1-4. At this point I can't even speak. Chatting with Bridgette had always been a nice distraction from the intensity. No longer. We are both dead silent, and feeling just about dead.

Right then, Pete goes on a five point roll, and puts himself in position to win the second set buster, which he does. The sensation of going from one breath away from near certain death, to all tied up, and with the momentum on our side was to say the least, exhilarating. With several fist pumps from both the court and our box, we felt as though the world had been lifted from our shoulders.

Just a match, one might think. No big deal, right? Well, in terms of life and death, this is true. But five people closest to Pete's tennis ambitions were spending an entire month away from their families and homes, working almost each and every day in order to give Pete the best chance possible to achieve his ultimate goal. Believe me, putting in all that effort, seeing Pete go through all that pain, going home at this late date without the first place prize would absolutely stink. In this case, second sucks.

Pete had raised his level just a bit, and Pat had played his best tennis of the day in the first set. Although the cold was enough to make us shiver, the stress and adrenaline was enough to have us shaking in our boots. At this time, Pete was rolling, and we were praying that it didn't rain. Any rain and the match would be continued tomorrow. Even without the rain, it was getting so dark that a fifth set also meant finishing on Monday. Now we were praying that the momentum didn't shift away from Pete, that it didn't rain, and that he hurried the hell up and won in four!

When Pete started to cry moments after he had cracked the winning serve, we all just about lost it. It seemed that we could neither stop clapping nor wipe those smiles off our faces.

Seven hours after the scheduled two o'clock start, Pete had secured the win. We in the box, of course, were going bonkers. When Pete started to cry moments after he had cracked the winning serve, we all just about lost it. It seemed that we could neither stop clapping nor wipe those smiles off our faces. We pointed out to Pete where his parents were sitting, and he shared a grand slam victory with them for the very first time. They had never seen him win a major, and Mr. Sampras could only bear to watch about half of this one, even though he had flown all the way from California just to see the match!

As soon as he got off the court we all met him in a private room while Pete cooled down for about 30 minutes. Being a father, it was really nice to hear Pete's dad tell him how proud he was of him. Pete went off to do his press interviews, and all the rest of us, save the Mr. & Mrs., went to Pete's rented house to slam down a few beers. No, not sit and have a chat over cocktails, I mean toss back a few tinnies. We were all so pumped that we didn't even sit down for an hour (until the beer kicked in). Being that it was so late, Pete planned on going straight back to the house, but he was talked in to making an appearance at the Champions Ball, while we "relaxed" some more with our favorite beverages and loud music.

Pete eventually returned, where we all watched an abbreviated version of the last two sets that the BBC rebroadcast. It was nearly stressful to watch, but not bad this time around. Final congratulations, thanks and good-byes were given, then I was back at my flat to begin packing at 2 am. After packing and cleaning up, I managed to snag two hours of sleep before arising again at six to head to the airport. Right now, I am on my way home to see my wife and two kids for the first time in over a month, and yes, as planned, I'm in a nice wide seat, with plenty of leg room.

 

Finals  |  Quarterfinals  | Round 4  |  Round 3  |  Round 2  |  Round 1

July 5, 2000 — Quarterfinals

In today's quarter-final match versus Jan-Michael Gambill, Pete Sampras' lucky number was nine. In a very close match, Pete managed to break Gambill three times, each in the all-important ninth game of the set.

After rain all morning, the skies cleared for the feature match of the day on Center Court, Agassi against Philippoussis. Pete went on right after that, with another full house. The match was one of the less exciting, yet stressful matches to watch. Without any breaks in the first set, Gambill served at 4-4. Although there were no spectacular shots, Pete made the returns he needed to, and Gambill couldn't raise his game when he needed. At ad-out, Gambill double faulted, and the break was Pete's. Serving out the set, Pete had played just a few really good points, and had not dominated the match thusfar.

With Gambill's big serve clicking, there were no breaks in the second set, and to the tie-breaker they went. Each of the first five points went to the receiver, that's right, the receiver! All of the sudden, no one could hold serve. Jan-Michael managed to hold a few points on serve, and went on to finish out the tie-breaker 7-4.

The best news about Pete today was that he showed very little sign of his injury. While getting painful treatments all day yesterday, he again took the day completely off. He also did not practice for the usual 30-40 minutes well before the match today. That is right, he plays like you and me. He has a court time, and he walks out there and plays. Well, not exactly like you and me. He brings seven racquets, and has had them all freshly strung that morning by his personal racquet stringer (me). He gets a light massage from his personal masseur, and eats a nutritious pasta meal prepared by his personal chef. He also has done some extensive stretching of his back, shoulders and legs. THEN he goes and plays.

The next two sets were also tight. Neither player developed any real momentum. Two good servers on grass, each holding their serves. Although Pete had the majority of break opportunities (11) he only converted on three. In each of the last two sets he broke in the ninth game, and then went on to serve it out. Gambill only had three break points in the match, and failed to convert any of them. That will happen when you have a guy like Sampras serving bombs at you. He made 67% of first serves, had 26 aces to only nine double faults. His average first serve speed was 116 mph, and second serve average was only slower by 4 mph!

Now the important stuff. I'm sure every one noticed that Pete did not break a string. Highly unusual, that is. With his frames strung with 1.22 mm thin natural gut at 75 lbs, many a miss hit result in premature string breakage. Being that the weather was a bit cool today, the string was lasting longer than normal. The strings in his lucky racquet (the one he begins each match with) lasted for 233 hits, with the help of some string savers. Being that each point was very important, and he didn't want to lose a point because he broke a string, he put that lucky frame down before the string actually broke. While in the third set, he went to a newly strung frame. In the fourth set, while his lucky frame sat on the sidelines, the string broke in it. That is how close he came to breaking it while playing. It only lasted about 20 minutes after he put it down, before it finally unraveled enough to snap.

Pete has played every match this tournament on Center Court, and I don't think his next opponent has yet stepped onto those hallowed grounds. Let's hope the qualifier is a little nervous during Friday's semi-final match against my boy.

 

Finals  |  Quarterfinals  | Round 4  |  Round 3  |  Round 2  |  Round 1

July 3, 2000 — Round 4

Now that was more like it! Pete looked more like his usual self today in his fourth round 6-3,6-2, 7-5 spanking of Jonas Bjorkman. Although there was no practice for Pete yesterday or a warm-up before going on court, Pete looked much more sharp on a sunny day here at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

In securing a break of Bjorkman's serve, Pete showed little sign of the once obvious pain he was feeling over the last couple of matches. The first set went fairly ordinarily, and Pete turned on the jets a few times to run down balls that would have certainly dropped for winners in the Kucera match. Not only was Pete showing little sign of pain, he was overtly enthusiastic about his early success. With a two-handed fist pump to the crowd after breaking Jonas the first time, we on Team Sampras knew he was going to be mentally positive today, and not get down on himself about his injury.

Bjorkman served at 3-5, already down a break, and Pete broke a string in his lucky racquet while hitting a forehand return after only 98 hits. The 1.22 gauge Babolat Team natural gut string he uses at 75 lbs. has normally lasted approximately 175 hits thus far in the event.

A point after going to a freshly strung frame, Pete did something that surprised me. He chipped a return to Jonas' feet, which brought a stretch half-volley that Jonas popped up. In stead of letting it bounce and hitting a passing shot, he leapt into the air and executed one of his patented "sky slams", and smashed an overhead down the middle of the court for a winner. In the last two years, I've seen Pete execute that shot many times, but always when he was serving. He usually does it when he is on his way to the net after a first serve, and the returner pops up a return. This time he made a good return, and closed in to find himself in position to end the point quickly. I watched Jonas. He straightened up after making the lunging half-volley, and when he saw Pete leap, turned to the sideline and stepped off the court. A foolish player might not have made the timely exit, and risked having to default the match right there and then, and a trip to the hospital. When Pete catches that running and leaping overhead cleanly, it is the hardest impact of ball on string I have ever heard. When he does not catch it cleanly, it is usually doomsday for the string, and sometimes the racquet!

Winning his service games fairly easily, Pete got to break point with Bjorkman serving 1-1 in the second. With a backhand from deep in the corner, Pete passed Jonas at net with a soft slice cross-court for the break, and let out a screaming "Yeahhhhh!". The usually reserved Sampras was clearly pumped up, and on a roll. He broke a second time for the 6-2 second set win, and had only been on the court for 57 minutes.

On serve in the third set, Pete started to move a little more gingerly. Playing without the abandon he had exhibited earlier, it seemed he just wanted to hold serve, and wait for an opportunity to strike while returning. I have seen him use this strategy many times successfully. The confidence he has in his serve allows him to patiently "cruise" through return games, and wait for an opportunity to present itself, or just get to the tie-breaker. The problem was that Jonas was gaining confidence, and starting to make winners while Pete served. In the seventh game, Pete got down 30-40 while serving, and Jonas was pumping his fist with enthusiasm on almost every point he won. Bjorkman had a real chance right then, and every one in the stadium knew it. Sampras faulted on his first serve, and the pressure was certainly on. Second serve up the middle - ace, deuce. First serve - ace, advantage Sampras. First serve - ace, game. Just that quickly, the chance had come and gone, and there wasn't a thing Jonas could have done.

After a few holds of serve, Bjorkman served at 5-5, and got down 30-40. Now it was his turn to have his back up against the proverbial wall. First serve - fault. Second serve - fault. Game Sampras. Pete served it out for the 7-5 win, and was off the court in about an hour and a half,as the rain clouds encroached. Exactly what the doctor ordered.

 

Finals  |  Quarterfinals  | Round 4  |  Round 3  |  Round 2  |  Round 1

July 1, 2000 — Round 3

U.B.E. That is, ugly but effective. That best describes the match Pete played against Justin Gimelstob today. With the inflammation in his left shin hurting him badly over the last three days, Pete has not even picked up a racquet since his victory over Karol Kucera on Wednesday. No practice. No warm-up. Nothing until he walked onto Center Court for the match. Needless to say, that kind of behavior is highly unusual. Being used to playing every day, the three days off provided ample time for a thick coat of rust to grow over his game.

Friday, Pete was scheduled to play Justin in the fourth match of the day on Center Court, with the first match starting at 2 pm. Well, we know Pete was hobbling still, and when it rained for 30 minutes Friday afternoon, Pete's match was canceled and moved to first match on Center at 2 pm today. Why the late 2 pm start on Center Court when there is no play on the middle Sunday at all, and there tends to be a lot of rain during the fortnight, causing matches to get backed way up? The members prefer to eat a quiet lunch in the adjoining building, and feel that the commotion of a match while they are eating is disturbing. True. Therefore, show courts start at 2 pm.

As for those seven freshly strung racquets that I prepared for the late Friday match, after it was moved to today (Saturday), I collected them at Pete's rented home at around 8 pm, cut the strings that had never even hit a ball, out of each racquet, and prepared them to be restrung this morning. Starting at 6 am, I strung each of those seven frames again, and delivered them to Pete in the late morning.

Justin started by holding serve easily. Pete began the second game by double faulting. Then at 0-15, he double faulted again. After nursing in a second serve and winning a point, Pete double faulted for a third time. Now, at 15-40, I'm thinking, "Let the real Pete Sampras please stand up." Instead, the fourth double fault of the game puts him down an early break.

The good news is, Pete is not limping. Don't get me wrong, he is not showing a whole lot of enthusiasm for running, but he is not limping. The shin must feel a bit better, and I think he is testing it out slowly. He manages to get enough serves in for a while to win a few games, but does not come close to breaking Justin. Serving at 2-5, Pete double faults at break point, set over. So far, his first serve percentage is 35%, and he has one ace with 5 double faults. Justin has outplayed Pete by far, and has shown his hustle by diving on the grass twice. Justin is doing exactly what he wants, keeping the ball in play, and taking Pete wide a lot. Pete has yet to push off his left foot, or even break into a run.

The second set begins with two holds, then Pete sprints to a drop volley Justin has hit, and cracks it for a winner for the first sign he is healthy. Pete goes on to take the game and serve notice that he will not be walked over today. The one break is enough to take him to the set 6-4, and Pete is now hitting some more shots in the court. He is still showing rust, and misses a sitter forehand passing shot from the service line, and it is out by eight feet!

In the fourth set, Pete is putting on the pressure. Justin is still diving around the court, and even makes a great get on a Sampras drop volley which he spanks for a backhand winner, but touches the bottom of the net with his foot as he dives over the top. Point Sampras, which brings a mild protest from Justin. Pete is holding with ease, and pressuring Justin's serve. With a couple of double faults by Gimelstob, Pete secures a crucial break, and goes on to win the set 6-2. He is now firing on all cylinders, but only when he feels he needs to. Pete even throws in two lob winners, which is a true rarity for him on grass.

Holding serve with relative ease, Pete turns up the wick a little bit on return games. If Justin makes an error or two, Pete hustles a bit more, and finds himself with break chances.Throughout the match, Pete converts 5 of 8 break points, including two in the fourth and final set, to close out the match 6-2.

With an off day Sunday, Pete will have time further rest the shin if necessary, and with a pretty easy draw, needs to beat Jonas Bjorkman to reach the quarter finals. Things are heating up!

 

Finals  |  Quarterfinals  | Round 4  |  Round 3  |  Round 2  |  Round 1

June 28, 2000 — Round 2

In a second round match on Center Court, Pete Sampras beat Slovakian Karol Kucera in four sets, 7-6 (11-9) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. After hurting the front of his lower left leg in practice before the match, Pete had a hard time moving as well as he usually does. There were no breaks of service in the first set, even though Sampras had two break points in the second game of the match. After Sampras blistered a patented running forehand cross court at a nearly impossible angle for a clean winner, Kucera saved the next two points from 15-40, and went on to hold his serve. Sampras won the tie-breaker 11-9 to close out the set after nearly an hour.

With the left leg apparently hurting him more as the match wore on, Sampras was broken for the first time in the tournament at 1-2, and Kucera held three times to close out the set 6-3. Pete then began the third set by holding serve and breaking Karol. Already up a break, Samrpas broke again and ran out five games in a row to lead 5-0 in the third. After a Kucera hold, Samrpas was broken for the second time in the match. Sampras then fought off a couple of break points in the ninth game to win the third set in fading light.

You could tell he was serious about finishing the match in the fourth set when he was routinely hitting second serves above 115 mph, and even angling wide serves at nearly 110.

The fourth set began after Samrpas had his ankle taped on court by trainer Doug Spreen, and the local time was well after 8 pm. Pete was serving for all he was worth then, and hoping to do as little running as possible. He was nailing first serves in the 120s, and topped out at 131 miles per hour. You could tell he was serious about finishing the match in the fourth set when he was routinely hitting second serves above 115 mph, and even angling wide serves at nearly 110. After getting serves in like that, he can beat about any one with a wet hot-dog bun! Sampras also started going for it on returns, and making outright winners on many. When serving like a man possessed, one break was all he needed. He closed out the match in near darkness, with a game that included three aces, three double faults, and several service winners, including one on match point.

On a day that saw several dangerous seeds fall, including Richard Krajicek, Magnus Norman and Cedric Pioline, Sampras was one of two seeds in the top half of the draw to remain in the running, although hobbling is more accurate.

 

Finals  |  Quarterfinals  | Round 4  |  Round 3  |  Round 2  |  Round 1

June 26, 2000 - Round 1

In his quest for a seventh Wimbledon title and record 13th Grand Slam championship, Pete Sampras defeated Jiri Vanek 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in a routine victory to open Center Court for the 2000 Championships. With a break of service early in each of the first two sets, Pete cruised to a two set advantage without facing a break point. Pete broke twice in the third set, but got down 15-40 while serving for the match at 5-2. Vanek swung for winners and connected. Pete remained aggressive and hit a dangerous but beautifully executed drop volley at 30-40. He closed out the match with another unreturnable serve. Pete showed a sign of nervousness in the first set. An ill-timed leap lead to the patented "Air Sampras" smash ending up in the net. Keeping one's footing seemed to be a bit tricky on the uniformly green Center Court. Both players nearly fell while slipping at the courts edge. Vanek took a bit longer to adjust to the speed of grass. While taking full swings on first serve returns, he nearly decapitated a ball boy twice, and the umpire once!

As for my work from behind the guys who are "behind the scenes", I strung seven racquets for Pete's initial match. With the possibility of quite cool weather, he decided to have me make up five racquets at the usual 32 kilos, and two racquets at 31 kilos in case it really got cold. Sure enough, half way through the third set, it got really cloudy and cool, and the wind started to blow. Being that Pete had used the same racquet throughout the match, he stuck with it, and left the six freshly strung sticks "in the bag". He didn't break one string in three sets. I LOVE grass court tennis! Ironically, Vanek broke a string in the second set while returning serve. Pete smartly chipped the ball deep to Jiri's backhand and approached the net. With a broken string, Vanek drilled a cross court passing shot for a clean winner! He can do that with synthetic string, and a dense string grid, while when Pete breaks a string, he is virtually helpless. We did get a lucky break. Shortly after the match, the rain started, and all play was suspended for over an hour.

As for whom you might have seen in the "player guest" box on TNT, I'm guessing the camera spent a lot of time on Bridgette Wilson, Pete's fiancee. She was the cute blonde sitting with four guys Pete pays to look after him. Onto round 2 versus a very dangerous Karol Kucera.

Finals  |  Quarterfinals  | Round 4  |  Round 3  |  Round 2  |  Round 1

 

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