Interview with Jose Higueras - Pete`s coach
May 25, 2002
Jose Higueras, Pete Sampras' new coach, esteems that in order for Pete to succeed at Roland Garros, he shouldn't play too much to the net, like on other surfaces. Despite the difficulties the former No. 1 has on clay, Higueras remains optimistic. He hopes there will be rapid conditions on the court.
Jose, what shape is Pete Sampras in these days?
I'd say he's in much better shape than six weeks ago. He's playing well, even if he hasn't won that many matches in the past few weeks. But every time, he's been in a position to win, and that's encouraging.
When he asked you to work with him in preparation for Roland Garros, what are the specific points you wanted to change concerning his game on clay?
One of the main objectives achieved is getting him in good physical form. As you know, that's an important factor on clay, where matches can be long and tiring. Also, I wanted him to find the style which would be the best for him on this surface. You know, Pete is capable of playing very well form the baseline. He had to find the right balance. I've seen him a lot on clay, and I realized that he too often wanted to play like Edberg or Rafter, that is to say, play to the net systematically, no matter what. But those guys had a different game, and I think Pete should realize the nuance.
Seeing him lose in the first rounds in Rome and Hamburg doesn't worry you?
I wasn't in Rome, but I know he played a good match against Mantilla. He had several opportunities to break in the third set. In Hamburg, he played an excellent Mirnyi, who prevented Pete from stabilizing his game. It didn't resemble a clay court match. And concerning this week in Dusseldorf, he was leading 4-1 and 15-40 against Escud?in the first set. And in the third set, he was serving for the match. Same against Johansson, he served for the match twice. All in all, I think he just doesn't know clay well enough. He hasn't played enough on that surface in his career.
It's been said over the years that Pete doesn't know how to slide on clay.
When you don't play enough on a particular surface, there's no miracle. But let me tell you something. Andre (Agassi) isn't that good a slider either, and he won Roland Garros. That's not what's preventing Pete from having good results.
What are your hopes for Roland Garros?
In order to succeed, Pete needs to have the advantage of good playing conditions. If the sun is out, the game will be faster and that's good for Pete. And if he wins two or three matches, he'll have the self-confidence needed to heighten his game. And at that point, everything will be possible.
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