Once again, Sampras out early
by: Budd Collins
May 27, 2002
Pete Sampras always seems to struggle here on the red clay and today did
not turn out any differently. Sampras’ first-round match against the 69th-ranked
Andrea Gaudenzi of Italy started fairly early on opening day at the French
Open, but three rain delays took their toll on the proceedings. By the time
Pete sailed a backhand volley approach long to lose the 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6
(7-3) encounter and put a hand over his eyes in distress, his 2002 nightmare
at Roland Garros was ending at nightfall.
Sampras has always been frustrated at Roland Garros and this could have
been one of his worst outings. Sampras had his opportunities in the three
hour, four minute match, having 17 chances to break Gaudenzi’s serve but
only capitalizing on four. And even a math whiz might have used a calculator
to keep track of the astonishing 93 unforced errors that Sampras posted
during the defeat. Pete had hoped that he would discover the trick to playing
on clay by bringing famed coach Jose Higueras on board a few months ago
to teach him a winning technique on dirt. But even that strategy turned
out to have a “No Way, Jose” ending.
Heading into the match with a 3-0 edge over Gaudenzi, Sampras had even
beaten the Italian on clay twice in the past. Surely, he thought that his
winning record coupled with his alignment with Higueras would have at least
seen him through the first round. But it seems etched in concrete now that
Pete’s established a painful tradition here at Roland Garros and it’s one
that has to leave him disappointed.
Certainly, I have seen Sampras head to Wimbledon after a disastrous Roland
Garros and go on to win at The Championships. But those days could be days
gone by for the 30-year-old who hasn’t won a title in 28 straight tournaments
played. The last time he held a trophy in his hands was when he won his
record 13th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon 2000 and that was nearly two years
ago.
NEVER BACKING AWAY FROM CHALLENGES
The one thing I admire about Pete is that despite his constant failing
here, with a semifinal showing in 1996 being his best Roland Garros performance,
he has never ducked playing this Grand Slam. Taking that into account, it’s
easy to know he will show up on British shores in a few weeks time with
a single-minded determination to give his best effort to win Wimbledon.
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Rage of a Weak King
by: Rachel Nichols
May 28, 2002
The gestures were the most telling -- the way Pete Sampras hurled his
racket to the ground midway through his first-round match at the French
Open this afternoon, the way he slammed a forehand into the stands a few
minutes later, drawing a warning. This is a player, after all, who has been
accused of showing all the emotion of an artichoke, yet suddenly he was
flinging himself around the court as if possessed.
Yet with all the fits and faces Sampras made on the rain-washed center
court at Roland Garros today, with all the head rolls and hands-on-hips,
the most revealing gesture may have come from his opponent, Italian journeyman
Andrea Gaudenzi. After ousting Sampras, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3), in a match
that was only close in patches, Gaudenzi gave the man he later referred
to as "the best tennis player who ever breathed" a conciliatory
pat on the back, as if he were comforting a small child.
That this is what it has come to for Sampras, the holder of a record 13
Grand Slam singles titles, was not even the worst of it. This first-round
loss to the 69th-ranked player in the world was not an anomaly -- Sampras
has not advanced past the third round here since 1996 and won one of seven
clay-court matches he played this year entering the tournament. There was
pathos in the way Sampras slogged through all those recent defeats, in the
way he suffered through more grueling workouts over the last two months
than he had in years, just to see his shot at something great miserably
falter.
"I'm just thinking about the time and effort I put into this tournament,
and once again, I came up with nothing to show for it. . . . The next few
days are going to be pretty tough," Sampras said shortly after leaving
the court. He is 30 years old and more aware than ever of the mortality
he once treated as carelessly as pocket change.
"It's not like I'm 20 and have the next 10 years to have this opportunity,"
he said. "Each time one goes by, you have to wait a year to come back
and try again."
Indeed, the man who once held the No. 1 year-end ranking for a record six
straight years was seeded 12th and has not won a title in his last 28 tournaments.
To steady himself, Sampras has shaken up much of his training routine. He
has a new agent and, after firing two coaches in three months, is working
with former player Jose Higueras, a noted taskmaster and clay-court specialist.
Sampras has endured tune-up tournaments and extra practices; Higueras even
brought him here two weeks ago to play a few mock matches on the tournament
grounds. And for a little while today, it seemed to work. Taking the court
after No. 2 seed Venus Williams and two-time defending champion Gustavo
Kuerten eased through their opening-round matches, Sampras overcame a shaky
start to play a relatively solid first set, flashing his newfound conditioning
in sprints between the baseline and the net.
While his muscles were strong, his brain seemed to atrophy as the match
wore on, his shot selection and even his aim beginning to fail. Forehands
sprayed wide, cross-court shots overreached and overheads, usually Sampras's
trademark shot, often fell just wrong, creeping into Gaudenzi's racket-line.
A few weeks ago, Sampras mused that his problems on clay have always been
mental -- "I play my best tennis on instinct, but on clay, I tend to
overthink it -- 'Do I want to come in?
Do I not want to come in? How do I want to do this?' " he said --
and as he watched a staggering 12 straight unconverted break opportunities
rush by in the second and third sets this afternoon, he appeared uncharacteristically
emotional, thrashing his arms and smacking at errant tennis balls.
It was not until after the departure of a storm that caused a near two-hour
rain delay did Sampras seem to compose himself, finally sealing a break
to go up 4-3 in the fourth set. If he had served out the set, officials
likely would have succumbed to the advancing darkness, allowing Sampras
a night of rest before playing the fifth set on Tuesday. If he had served
out the set, he could have regained a measure of confidence.
Instead, he allowed Gaudenzi to break back at 5-5 and force a tiebreak.
"I got my break, I had the set in my hands, and I let it slip,"
Sampras said.
By the time he finished the match with 93 unforced errors, he looked like
a broken man, evoking the pat from Gaudenzi when the two met at the net
and an awkward cheer from the sparse crowd that stuck around to watch the
end of the match. No one in the stadium seemed to know what to make of this
latest defeat -- "he's not playing with any confidence," said
U.S. Davis Cup Captain Patrick McEnroe -- and while Sampras promised to
come back and try again next year, the words seemed flat.
"Kind of where I'm at right now -- just kind of a blah feeling,"
he said. "There's not really much I can do at this point. Another tough
defeat. That's the way it goes."
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Sampras crashes out
May 27, 2002
Pete Sampras crashed out in the first round of the French Open for the
second time in three years with a four-set defeat to Italy's Andrea Gaudenzi.
But he immediately said he would return next year in search of the one
grand slam title that has eluded him.
"If it never happens life will go on, and it might never happen, but
you never know unless you try and I'm planning on coming back next year,"
said Sampras.
The former world number one and 12th seed made a bright start before the
clay-court skills of unseeded Gaudenzi came to the fore, securing a 3-6
6-4 6-2 7-6 (7/3).
Sampras lost his opening service game but recovered well to take the first
set.
But the consistency of world number 69 Gaudenzi from the baseline was enough
to give the seven-time Wimbledon champion problems.
And he was not helped by two rain delays, one of which game with Sampras
leading 6-3 4-4 and pushing for another break of serve.
The interruption lasted nearly two hours and appeared to drain Sampras
of all his energy.
When the players returned it was Gaudenzi who took charge, breaking immediately
to level the match.
The Italian swept through the third set and Sampras' frustration was such
that he was given a code violation for hitting a ball into the crowd.
Still, he managed to secure a break and served for the fourth set at 5-4,
but that chance slipped away.
Despite hanging on for the tie-break it never looked like going to a fifth,
and it was a dejected Sampras who put a simple volley long to give Gaudenzi
victory.
"I will come back and try again but as you get older it's more difficult
to get over it," said Sampras. "Each time one goes by you have
to wait another year.
"It just has not clicked for me here, it has not happened. Paris has
been tough for me over the years, all I can do is keep trying.
"It's a pretty empty feeling right now and it's going to be very hard
the next few days.
"It's pretty frustrating to put a lot of effort in and not even get
in contention, not getting past the first round.
"I can only think about all the chances I had and that service game
I lost at 5-4, that hurt."
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French Open - Round 1
Post-Match Interview
Pete Sampras loses to Andrea Gaudenzi
3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6
Q. Again, you get plenty of chances, after the rain delay. What was going
through your head during the match?
PETE SAMPRAS: In the tiebreaker?
Q. When you just got back on court, kind of take us through the end.
PETE SAMPRAS: Well, finally converted on a breakpoint there at 3-All. I
was so frustrated. You know, I was 1 for 12 on breakpoints. I was obviously
showing some signs of frustration. You know, the rains came. I just told
myself I needed to hang in there, hopefully get an opportunity to break.
And I did when we came back. I served for the set. I didn't get any first
serves. You know, I played a good breakpoint and missed the overhead, kind
of miss-timed it. I really felt if I could have held on to serve there,
I would have had some momentum going into the fifth, start playing a little
bit better. I have to give him credit. He stepped it up. He played some
good tennis, especially in the breaker. I was up a set. Had a few breakpoints
early in the second. I could only think: If I could have converted there.
You know, before the rains came, he came back a different player after the
first rain delay, played a really good third set. But it was very heavy
out there, especially at the end. It was tough putting the ball away. I
had, you know, some pretty good cracks, and he scrapped his shots back pretty
good. Give him credit. I could only think of all the chances I had. Serving
for the set, that was a very, very big game to lose. Once again, another
frustrating result here. Kind of a tough day on and off the court. Never
really felt I kind of got settled in the match. It was kind of a tough day
for everybody. That's the way it goes. Kind of a tough loss.
Q. Damp conditions, slow courts. Was that also a problem out there?
PETE SAMPRAS: What was that?
Q. Damp conditions. You've had a few losses here in that sort of situation.
PETE SAMPRAS: Well, it is wet, cold, heavy, pretty damp. It doesn't help
my game out. It takes a little bit off of my shots, gives him a little bit
more time. And that's the way it can be here in Paris. It can be very hot
and dry and play quick, and it can be like it is today and play very slow.
You just have to adapt to the conditions. You know, even the conditions
being pretty tough for me, I had chances maybe to get into the fifth. But
it was pretty tough conditions. It was heavy. I thought I had him a bunch
of times with some good stuff. You know, he had a little bit more time to
pass, and he hit some great passing shots.
Q. Considering how much you've put into coming here, hiring Jose, playing
a lot of events, how much more difficult does that make this kind of match?
PETE SAMPRAS: It's very difficult. It's a pretty empty feeling right now.
I mean, it's going to be even harder over the next few days, having to go
home - putting so much into the French, like I do every year, and obviously
working with Jose, been over here for quite a while. You do whatever you
can, and you work hard and you prepare. And I've done everything that I
needed to do, you know. Not doing well in Rome and Hamburg, didn't help.
I needed to do well there to get some confidence to come in here with a
little momentum. But that being what it is, I felt like I was hitting the
ball fine, playing well, in good shape. You know, but eventually you need
to go out and play your tennis, no matter what surface it is. You need to
execute, you know, and not miss forehands and serve well at times. But it's
pretty frustrating because, you know, you put a lot of energy and effort
into this tournament, all the Slams, but especially this one, and not to
get yourself in contention and not get yourself with even a chance to, you
know, get into the next round. You know, first round is always the tough
one to get through. It showed today. I'm sure the next three or four days
are going to be tough. But that's, you know, the way it goes.
Q. You mentioned a few frustrating displays out there. Was it pretty emotional
for you?
PETE SAMPRAS: Well, it was just frustrating. I was playing fine, having
so many chances to break him, you know, I was getting frustrated. I was
playing pretty good points. You know, he was coming up with some good stuff.
Felt like if I could have just gotten that one breakpoint, it would have
turned the whole match around at times. Just felt like it was right there
for me to take it. You know, didn't convert on many breakpoints, just a
couple. At this level, you can't afford to do that. I was frustrated. You
know, everything was set up, ready for me to kind of take control. I let
him back into the match in the second. You know, he picked it up, and I
didn't. You know, I'm just thinking about that service game that I lost
at 5-4. I mean, that kind of hurt. That was a tough one.
Q. Last year you said, "Next time I come back and try again."
What's your feeling now about next year?
PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I'm not thinking much of next year. Like to be back
and hoping to -- you know, it's pretty disappointing to even think about
much of anything except what happened out there. I'm not thinking about
Wimbledon, I'm not thinking about next year, I'm just thinking about all
the, you know, time and effort I put into this tournament. You know, once
again, I came up with nothing to show for it. That's the main thing on my
mind at the moment. But, you know, it will dissipate over time. You got
to rebound eventually. Next few days are going to be pretty tough.
Q. You've never ducked this tournament. Despite the results, you come
here and play. Is there such a thing, do you regard it as a jinx, a hex?
Is there something about the clay?
PETE SAMPRAS: No. You know, I think over the years, I have played with
a little anxiety, feeling all the pressure I put on myself and I think that
affects me to a certain point. But this year I went out, was pretty calm,
playing fine. I don't want to say it's a jinx. It's not like I lost four
finals here. It's a question of playing well on clay. You know, players
are very good today on the dirt. But, you know, if Paris never happens over
my career, you know, life will go on. But I will come back and try again.
But as you get a little older, as Slams go by, it's pretty difficult to
kind of get over it. It's not like I'm 20 and I have the next 10 years to
have opportunity. Each time one goes by, it's one that you have to wait
a year to come back and try to do it.
Q. The match, your reputation if you lose here against not really top
players in the first rounds?
PETE SAMPRAS: Does it hurt my reputation? What was the beginning part?
Q. Does it damage your reputation if you lose here against that sort of
player in the first round?
PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I think here, reputation isn't all that convincing
and dominating. But I've done all right some other places in the world.
But this place, it hasn't happened. You know, maybe it might not ever happen.
But you're not going to know unless you try. You know, I plan on being back
next year. But it's just kind of -- kind of frustrating to kind of put everything
into it and not get it, not even get yourself even in contention there.
It's pretty deflating.
Q. In the previous 12 years that you've been here, have you come into
the tournament with a higher confidence level about this tournament than
you did this year?
PETE SAMPRAS: Well, obviously when you're 1 in the world, winning becomes
easy, and winning is easy, that's when I was at my best and had the best
chance. You know, when you're not dominating and you're struggling a little
bit over the course of the year, not getting it together, you can't expect
to come to Paris and win it or, you know, get to the final. It takes time.
It just hasn't happened. It might not ever happen. So that's kind of where
I'm at right now. Just kind of a blah feeling. Not really much that I can
do at this point, but another tough defeat. That's the way it goes.
Q. At the other Slams, you generally play the big points very well. So
when the big points come up here in Paris, are you feeling any special anxiety?
PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, at times. This match, having so many chances, yeah,
I had anxiety. I've had that over the course of my years here. I mean, that's
the kind of a word that kind of defines what's happened here. You know,
when you win a lot of matches, it's easier to play those breakpoints and
those big points. You know, when you're trying to find your game, when you're
trying to find it, you get more frustrated and you kind of -- the only place
you can kind of go is down. So it's important to come into Paris winning
matches. You can't lose early in a couple of events and expect to come here
turning it on. I mean, that was my hope here. But when it came to crunch
time, I didn't come up with the goods. That's a lack of winning matches
over the course of the year.
Q. Looking at the rest of the draw, who do you think is the biggest favorite?
PETE SAMPRAS: I don't know. I don't know.
Q. What did Jose say to you?
PETE SAMPRAS: I was effective early coming in a little bit. We were getting
into some long baseline rallies. He felt maybe I should come in a little
bit more, chip and charge. You know, I tried doing that, and he came up
with some good stuff. The second rain delay, he could tell I was frustrated
and a little bit down. He just said, "Hang in there. It's going to
happen. Just stick with it." You know, and I did, and I got my break.
I had the set in my hands, and I let it slip. You know, there's not much
to say. I mean, I was playing fine, I was hitting the ball fine. I was playing
pretty much the right way. But I just, you know, missed that one serve,
I missed that one forehand. That's really all it takes to lose a close match.
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