Sampras back to Winning Ways
Reuters
January 9, 2002
Pete Sampras finally got his Australian Open preparations off to a winning
start a week late on Wednesday with a 6-4 7-6 win over Spain's Alex Corretja
in the Kooyong Classic.
Having lost to fellow American Todd Martin in the first round at Adelaide
last week, Sampras has been practising in Melbourne, but knows there is
no substitute for playing matches.
"You can practice all you like but it is matches you need. The defeat
last week wasn't ideal preparation so it is good to get a win under my belt
here," the holder of a record 13 grand slam singles titles said.
"I was really happy with the way I was hitting the ball today. And
I was serving well in the wind. "The court here really takes spin and
Alex gave me some problems but I managed to pick it up in the second set
tiebreak. "The main goal is to try and peak for next week's Open. This
week is a good test for that...playing some of the best players in the world."
Sampras hit the ball cleanly, timing it well in the suburban Melbourne arena.
"Today will give me some confidence that I was hitting the ball pretty
well," he said.
Back to Archives - 2002 | News
Sampras looks to Davis Cup for inspiration
January 9, 2002
The need to be inspired is enticing 13-time grand slam champion Pete Sampras
to embrace the Davis Cup once again.
The former world No. 1, who finished last year without a grand slam title
for the first time since 1992, is looking to pick up the pieces of a fading
career and he sees more matches as a cure.
Sampras, who became the game's all-time grand slam leader with victory
at Wimbledon in 2000, has in recent years been selective as to when he plays
Davis Cup.
But under new coach Tom Gullikson, the former US Davis Cup captain, he
has had a change of heart.
"If anything, why I am playing more this year is why I'm playing Davis
Cup," 30-year-old Sampras said, after putting away Spaniard Alex Corretja
6-4, 7-6 (7/0) at the Kooyong International here on Wednesday.
"There have been times throughout the last couple of years when in
certain times in my schedule I had a hard time getting going at certain
tournaments and that's where Davis Cup comes in.
"At those times of the year it means something, you're playing for
your country, you're playing for your teammates, so you feel that added
pressure which I need to feel out there.
"I need to keep being inspired and that's why I've decided to play
Davis Cup in weeks that I would normally take off.
"That gives an indication that I want to play more and the days of
me taking four or five weeks off are probably over.
"You take that much time off and expect to come back playing great,
(but it) takes more of a process."
Sampras' new thinking was apparent when he came down to Australia early
to play in Adelaide for the first time in nine years prior to this tournament,
only to lose in the first round to fellow American Todd
Martin 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
"That was a disappointing result in Adelaide, but today's win gave
me some confidence," he said. "My main goal is to peak over the
next two weeks at the Australian Open, I just need more matches at the moment."
Back to Archives - 2002 | News
Sampras Predicts death of Serve and Volleying
By Robert Grant
January 9, 2002
Grand Slam record holder Pete Sampras has predicted the art of serve and
volley tennis would become extinct over the next decade.
Sampras, who has the highest number of grand slam titles of any player
- 13 including seven Wimbledon crowns - said the era of contrasting styles
would soon be gone.
The American was speaking after employing his classic serve and volley
style to dispatch clay court specialist Alex Corretja of Spain, 6-4 7-6
on the first day of the Commonwealth Bank International at Kooyong.
Sampras is resigned to the end of the game he took to such heights disappearing
from the tennis landscape.
"There is no cure," he said. "It's just the nature of where
the sport is going.
"Guys are just serving big and cracking the ball big from the back
court. There are not too many serve and volleyers."
Sampras said it was not much use fighting against such a pervasive trend.
"I just think, let it be," he said. "I think it comes down
to the type of athlete you are, what you want to play as a kid, who is teaching
you.
"It's definitely much easier to play the game from the baseline...to
serve and volley takes a little bit more time to develop.
"A lot of young guys breaking through the game are coming from overseas,
Europe, and primarily the Challenger circuits are on clay so all these guys
are playing from the baseline. You don't see too many grass court challengers."
Sampras said that tennis would be poorer with only one style of play.
"It's unfortunate for the future of the sport. I think the best tennis
is seeing two contrasting styles - you don't really see that that often,"
Sampras said.
"I think it's going to be interesting to see how it all ends in the
next five or 10 years and see what players are doing.
"I just see the young guys coming up playing mainly from the baseline
so the art of serve and volley is pretty much going away slowly," he
said.
Back to Archives - 2002 | News