Sampras struggles but wins as he begins Wimbledon campaign
by: Roy Kammerer, AP/Reuters
June 11, 2002
Pete Sampras won for just the second time in his last eight matches, beating
Russia's Andrei Stoliarov 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the Gerry
Weber Open on Tuesday.
Sampras, playing in his main tuneup for Wimbledon, had lost his last three
first-round matches, as well as two losses at the World Team Championships
prior to the French Open.
Sampras, disheartened from his first-round loss at the French Open, looked
shaky in this first set on grass this year, but regrouped to beat Stoliarov
in 1 hour, 40 minutes.
"I went home down and was deflated. Not just the French, but the whole
disappointing year,'' Sampras said.
"It's always nice to play a close one. I thought he played well, came
out swinging and broke my serve right away.''
Sampras, a seven-time winner at Wimbledon, has a 28-tournament title drought
that dates to July 2000, when he won at the All England Club for a record
13th Grand Slam championship.
Sampras left the court to loud cheers from the 3,000 spectators, having
taken control of the match when he fired a vintage forehand past the 107th-ranked
Stoliarov. That led to a decisive break at 2-1, and Sampras held serve and
coasted.
While other matches were delayed two hours because of rain, Sampras played
his first match on center court, where the retractable roof was closed.
"If it wasn't for the roof, I'd still be in the locker room waiting,''
Sampras said. "I've heard good things about this tournament from the other
players _ I just wanted to try something different.''
Sampras chose to play the $510,000 Gerry Weber Open instead of Queens,
where he had warmed up for Wimbledon for years. He reacted angrily to comments
made by the director of the Queen's Club, who said he was fighting "personal
demons'' and seeking easy matches when he pulled out of that Wimbledon tuneup.
"I was pretty appalled by his remarks. It was pretty disrespectful. I
supported Queen's in the past, he's done a good job of making sure I won't
come back,'' Sampras said.
"I've heard a lot of good things about this tournament from other players.
I just wanted to do something different and the roof definitely helps a
lot.''
Despite his run of poor form, Sampras still rates himself as one of the
favourites for the Grand Slam event.
He said: "I feel like I'm one of the guys to beat. I'm just looking
for that first title to turn it around and Wimbledon is one of the places
I turn it around."
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Sampras needs Wimbledon to show he's still among the best
by: Roy Kammerer, AP/Reuters
Jun 11, 2002
The disappointed was etched deeply into the face of the best tennis player
of his era as he remembered his loss two weeks ago at the French Open.
"I was down, deflated. I filled up the balloon, focusing, trying
to do well at the French and the balloon popped," said a somber Pete
Sampras Tuesday.
The words came at a press conference after he beat little-known Russian
Andrei Stoliarov, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, at the Gerry Weber Open. The match on grass
kicked off his campaign to win an eighth Wimbledon crown.
The four set loss to Italian journeyman Andrea Gaudenzi at Roland Garros
capped a disastrous clay court season — it was his third straight first
round loss, although he did reach the final of Houston on the surface in
April before losing.
"I just stayed home — I feel sorry for my wife, she had to live with
it," he said. "It wasn't just the French, it was the whole disappointing
year."
Sampras, caught in a two-year title drought, may have to win at Wimbledon,
which starts in two weeks, or his naysayers will grow. Some say the 30-year-old's
reign at the top isn't just over — but that he can't compete anymore with
the best.
But Sampras said he was just trying to turn around the deepest slump of
his career — not prove anything to anybody.
"Not really. What's on my mind is winning a title and I hope soon,"
he said. "It doesn't take much to turn it around and usually Wimbledon
is the place I turn it around.
I have that aura at Wimbledon more than anywhere. If I can turn it around,
maybe I can win it all."
Still, Sampras finished last year failing to win a title and at least
40 victories for the first time since 1989. The last year before 2001 a
grand slam eluded him was 1992, also the last year he finished ranked out
of the Top 5.
The Gerry Weber Open is one of the two major warmups for Wimbledon and
is played on grass, the fast surface he loves best. He has won seven All-Queens
tournaments, more than half of his record haul of 13 grand slams.
"When Pete even smells grass, he turns into a different person,"
marveled Boris Becker, himself a three-time Wimbledon champion.
"I didn't like it so much at the start of my career, but I've grown
fond of it over the years," Sampras said. "It just doesn't take
me long to adjust my game to it."
But even the aura of invincibility he once possessed at Wimbledon doesn't
burn as brightly. Last year, then 19- year-old Roger Federer beat him in
the fourth round. Some see the rising Swiss player as the next Sampras,
with the game to excel on grass.
"He's certainly one of the favorites for the title," Federer
said, but added that Sampras isn't an all-mighty figure anymore at the grass
event.
Sampras doesn't necessarily see the loss to Federer last year as an indication
his time is up at Wimbledon. Instead, he believes that he has won so many
close matches that he was bound to lose one sometime.
"I didn't do anything wrong. I played a great player and he played
a great match," he said.
Sampras admits he needs a few wins at the Gerry Weber Open this week to
rebuild his tattered confidence. Gone apparently are the days when he said
he felt nearly unbeatable, that he simply knew he belonged on top.
But he bristled at the idea that a few wins at the event were enough.
"I don't need three or four wins, I need a title," he said.
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Gerry Weber Open - Round 1
Post-Match Interview
Pete Sampras defeats Andrei Stoliarov
4-6, 6-3, 6-4
June 11, 2002
Q Isn't it nice to start with a three-set-match in the first round?
Pete Sampras: Ok, it's always nice to play your best tennis from the beginning.
But I got the break in the first game and it?s not so easy coming into the
match after such a start. You?re never sure, that you get in the rhythm.
For that the way I played the second set made things pretty easier. I became
more relaxed, hit a number of aces. It is also important on grass not to
become carelessness, because one break could be that match.
And Stoliarov played some very good balls, especially from the baseline.
I had some trouble with his returns. That always takes some time to figure
it out.
Q What about your confidence after your first match on grass?
Pete Sampras: You know it's very nice for me to be back on grass. This
was a very disappointing clay court season. In general it was a disappointing
year for me up to this point. After Paris I was really down. You invest
so much energy, I only focused on clay. The result was very frustrating.
From Paris on it has become a bit easier each day. I didn?t do anything,
only stay at home with my wife. I think that?s understandable, because I
put a lot of hard work into it.
Now I hope this will be the a start to better time on grass. That love
has been growing for years. I didn?t love playing on grass from the beginning
of my career. Today I'm quite confident about my game. I stayed here since
Friday, that helped me to find my rhythm. You always need a couple of days
on grass and some matches to get used to. But I still feel very comfortable.
I?m on the right way to find my game, had a good start and hope, this is
a credit for the upcoming matches.
Q What is to say about the German crowd that supported you so much from
the beginning?
Pete Sampras: It's always nice to be supported by the fans. On the court
it was a big help. It's the first time I play here and I appreciate this
warm welcome very much. A great atmosphere on the centre court. It's nice
to play here, I don't see that that often.
Q Why do you play the first time in Halle, not in Queens?
Pete Sampras: I heard a lot of good things from Halle by other players.
They have great facilities here, a closable roof. And I need the difference.
Till today I've seen how Halle was like - very nice. And at least the roof
was a very good investment. You never know what the weather is like.
Q What is to say about the courts?
Pete Sampras: Pretty good courts. Very similar to Wimbledon. Some balls
drop away but this is the normal on grass.
Q You're here to make grass court experience for Wimbledon?
Pete Sampras: I'm here to win. I hope to be able to get the title. Of
course I pick up some confidence for Wimbledon, besides, because I'm of
course one of the strong favorites for Wimbledon. I need this confidence.
Q Is it the first time that you play a tournament without any coach?
Pete Sampras: You're right, that's not the order. But on grass a coach
is not absolutely necessary for me. It's very quick on grass, you need a
lot of instinct. Ok, it's always nice to have a coach to get a feedback
afterwards. But no matter that it's up to me.
Q Your next opponent: Nicolas Kiefer. You never lost against him. Nice
to play him?
Pete Sampras: Well, Nicolas plays pretty well on grass. His service, his
returns. He did some big results on this surface. But I hope to get a good
start in the match for myself.
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