Sampras Ousted by Hewitt
June 17, 2001
In the semifinals of the Stella Artois tournament, Pete Sampras lost to
Lleyton Hewitt 6-3, 3-6, 2-6.
Despite the loss, Pete remains confident of his quest for his 8th Wimbledon
title when the tournament begins on June 25.
"I don't consider it a setback," Sampras said. "All things
considered it was a productive week. It would have been nice go into Wimbledon
having won a tournament, but I've got a few matches under my belt. I feel
pretty good. It wasn't meant to be today."
In the first set, Pete broke Hewitt in the eigth game and took the lead
5-3. He then served for the set.
In the middle of the second set, Pete questioned the umpire when his first
serve was overruled. This seemed to have distracted Pete and he lost his
serve. Hewitt took advantage and was able to level the match.
Hewitt continued to put pressure on Pete and was again able to break in
the opening game of the 3rd set.
"I was playing aggressively and, all of a sudden in the middle of
the second set I put in a couple of loose points,'' Sampras said. ``He had
a couple of good returns and he just went on a great roll. I just dropped
off the touch and that can happen on grass when you can get careless a little
bit. But I have to give Lleyton some credit.
He came up with some great returns and passed very well and even his serve
picked up. The guy moves unbelievably well on this stuff."
"If you can't get motivated for Wimbledon - that's our Super Bowl
- you shouldn't be playing," he said. "I feel a lot more relaxed
coming in this year than last year so that could help. I still feel I'm
at that level I was at last year and the years before. Getting older on
grass is good because you have that experience."
Later in the day, Hewitt defeated Tim Henman to win the tournament.
Based on Reuters
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Courtside Report - Stella Artois
Semifinals
Sampras Loses to Hewitt
by: Joy Parker
June 17, 2001
We got the last two seats for the Final on Centre Court and also for the
Semi Final on Court 1. We sat two rows behind the court....it was wonderful
to be so close to the players. We sat just to the left of the players and
the ref chair. Pete looked wonderful....I think he had shaved but his hair
was still long. He looked very relaxed. We watched him doing his warm up
exercises before taking to the court. It was very windy and quite chilly.
The clouds overhead looked like they could open at any minute and every
now and then you would feel slight mist.
The match begun and Pete easily won the first set, however in the second
set there were many line calls that really got to Pete..... He did more
than stare...he vocally talked to the chair ref about them but non were
overturned. At one point he got so mad that he hit the tennis ball totally
out of the complex getting him a code warning....seemed that after that
Pete played well but not well enough to win....Somehow I think he just said
to himself, I've had enough practice on grass....think I'll go home. As
I said it was very windy and cold and getting colder....I could not imagine
playing tennis for another few sets.
In the third set, Pete was down two breaks and so I yelled to him, "It
ain't over till it's over Pete," and to my delight he looked over and
gave a smile. It didn't help him win the match....but it was exciting to
be so close that he could hear what we were saying to him and that he responded.
After the match, I happened to look up and there was Bridgette, all bundled
up.....I said Hi Bridgette and she immediately looked at me and smiled.
Cyn and I decided to wait to see if we could see Pete come out.....as we
waited we saw Bridgette come out of the building where you request transportation.
We went up to her and asked if Pete had come out yet and had a nice chat
with her. She is very friendly and down to earth....she got into the car
and then soon came out Pete. He talked with us a bit and we said sorry he
lost today but wished him luck at Wimbledon and he said thanks and took
off. He did not seem terribly down, just smiling and relaxed.
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Courtside Report - Stella Artois Semifinals
Sampras Loses to Hewitt
by: Cynthia Smith
June 17, 2001
Hi Fanz! Joy has told you all about our adventures at Queens, but I just
wanted to add a few comments.
Pete really seemed to appreciate the support he was getting on court. No.
1 at Queens is a tiny little court & it felt a bit like School Sports
Day rather than an international tennis tournament! When we were having
fun shouting down the Hewitt supporters during the changeover breaks, in
between swigging his drink you could see Pete giving little grins! Only
wish we had realised then where Bridgette was sitting - it would have been
lovely to see her response to our support for her husband. We saw Paul after
the match & I asked him if Pete was okay or whether he was upset, and
he replied 'Well, he's NOT HAPPY!' But when we saw Pete come out to the
courtesy car to leave the ground he seemed fine. I said 'Bad luck about
those lousy line calls Pete', and he replied 'Yeah!'. Then I wished him
luck at Wimbledon and said 'Here's to #8 and #14', and he smiled and thanked
me. When he got in the car he turned & smiled & waved at us. Can't
besure that he realised that it was Joy & I who were shouting loudest
for him, but certainly hope so!
Pete did what he had set out to achieve this week, & as Joy said, with
his getting so many bad line calls, he seemed to feel that he'd had enough
of playing in those uncomfortable conditions & didn't fancy the prospect
of up to 4 more sets - he'd rather be out of there! He had played some excellent
matches & was playing well against Hewitt until the lines people upset
him. It's not like Pete to get annoyed about bad calls, but he just seemed
to lose interest at this point. Perhaps he felt it wasn't worth risking
an injury by playing longer under the circumstances, with Wimby so close
now. When you think of the handicap with which Pete went into Wimbledon
last year - the recurring tendinitis, which started at Queens - I feel confident
that as he said he WILL play better this year. Of course it wasn't his best
tennis when he was injured & couldn't practice - but he still won. The
media are all saying that Pete is favourite & the one to beat etc, so
he will enter the hallowed grounds of the All England Club with his invinceable
aura still intact.
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