Sampras remains focused - Believes best years are coming
March 3, 2002
Pete Sampras was the hunter, the one they feared. Every time he stepped onto a tennis court, anything other than a win was a surprise.
And then in what seemed like an instant, all that was gone. Young bucks no longer cared that this was a guy with career earnings of more than $42 million and a record 13 Grand Slam titles. To them, he was just another Joe trying to make a living.
Since winning Wimbledon in 2000, Sampras has been unable to gain a tournament victory. He has played at a high level at times, as recently as the Australian Open, but it hasn't been quite enough.
It's a drought that both motivates and frustrates Sampras as he heads into this week's Franklin Templeton Tennis Classic at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Resort.
"Every couple of years, a whole crop of young Americans and players around the world push the older players, and I'm included in that," said Sampras, 30.
"In the last year, the losing, it's partly from losing a little bit of aura, guys feel they have a chance, they're getting better and more confident."
Sampras, currently ranked 12th in the world, remains focused. He recently changed coaches. He continues to train hard and look ahead. He says the recovery period is longer as he gets older, but that his experience helps him figure things out on the run.
"Some of the best years are ahead of me," he said.
Sampras' longtime rival, Andre Agassi, who will join him in Scottsdale, seems to agree with that philosophy. Agassi, 31, has earnings of almost $24 million, and he won four titles last year. He, too, recently retained a new coach, and he is storming into the Franklin-Templeton with a No. 5 ranking.
"If history serves as any measuring stick, I'm in perfect shape to play my best tennis," Agassi told ATPtennis.com. "When things seem to be working against me has always been the time that I've shined the most."
So the Sampras-Agassi rivalry - which doesn't seem to have a successor in sight - could last a while longer. Sampras holds the upper hand in head-to-head matches, 18-14, and they all have had that extra edge to them.
"We have a tremendous amount of respect for one another," Sampras said. "He will go down as my rival, and he'd say the same thing."
But the Princess event has not been kind to Agassi or Sampras the past two years. Agassi suffered first-round losses, and Sampras withdrew two years ago and lost in the first round in 2001. Agassi, however, has won this event three times.
Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe cautions not to write off either player this time around.
"I think they still have plenty left in the tank, a lot of determination," he said.
Sampras has a hunger to show that he can win again.
"I still want it, that's the big key," Sampras said. "I still want to hit the ball and do the training, and I want to end on a great note. I think the days of No. 1 are probably limited, but I'm going to chase that, trying to add on what I've done in majors. That's the goal."
Tournament director Gus Sampras, Pete's brother, said it's frustrating for any family when one of its own isn't winning.
"But he's raised the standards so high that not winning is a big story. No. 10 in the world would be great for people, but it's like the demise of his game," Gus Sampras said.
"It's very important to have him here, and have people calling and excited to buy tickets. There's a lot of interest in him."
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