It`s no more Mr Nike guy
January 16, 2002
Pete Sampras won his opening match at the Australian Open in Melbourne today wearing a shirt bearing a Stars and Stripes logo.
But the display had less to do with patriotism than the fact that the former world No 1's kit is sponsor-free following his decision to end a US $20 million contract to wear the Nike logo.
Sampras, who cruised to a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win over Finland's Jarkko Nieminen, said: "I'm no longer under contract with Nike. At the end of the day you have to feel good about the deals you do and as regards to Nike I don't."
The two sides could not agree a figure to cover a new deal and that means Sampras is able to wear "what I want" on court in Melbourne.
Given that top players are usually walking advertising boards, this is a welcome return to the days when leading stars had a choice of gear rather than what their sponsor had dreamed up.
Nike recently signed up Tiger Woods to a greatly enhanced deal of around US $100 million and Andre Agassi is in the middle of a similar 10-year clothing agreement with the same company.
For many years Sampras has been Mr Nike in the tennis world, but now he is Mr Blank. When you have amassed more than US $44 million tennis winnings, you can afford to be choosy.
For the eighth seed, it means he wears the American flag on his chest and for press conferences his head is covered by a cap extolling the virtues of LA Lakers - his favourite basketball team.
Logo-free Sampras is obviously unimpressed with Nike's negotiating skills and admitted: "I am no longer under contract with Nike and so I have decided to wear whatever I want. There are no negotiations going on."
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