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Struggling Sampras prepares for his "biggest challenge"

June 22, 2002

It was a 15-minute sample of his hectic life and he could not remember the last time he had felt so good about himself. Pete Sampras arrived in London last weekend and made his way, via the gym, to Wimbledon’s Centre Court - the privileges of membership allowing him undisturbed access to the hallowed arena where, if he could, he would pitch a tent and spend the summer. As vigils go, it was vital for his peace of mind.

"For all I have done here, so many great matches, the occasional tough losses, I needed to be in the environment because I have been so down and so discouraged," Sampras said as we chatted on a bench in the All England grounds.

"Whenever I have had sub-par years, this is the place that has saved me. I would rather be coming back here in better form, but here I am. My expectations are no less than they ever were."

The last time we crossed paths was on the first day of the French Open last month, on a dismal, drizzly, charcoal-black occasion when the 30-year-old had lost to Andrea Gaudenzi, of Italy, and looked for all the world as if he had given up hope. First-week exits from Roland Garros had become as much part of the Sampras grand-slam fabric as Wimbledon victories, but this one seemed different.

It followed another round of disappointing losses on the ATP Tour - he has a 16-13 win-loss record going into Wimbledon, by far his poorest record since first taking the title in 1993 - and he has not won a tournament in 29 attempts. Then there was crazy defeat from two sets up on grass to Alex Corretja, of Spain, in the Davis Cup that was to precede a spat with the tournament director at Queen’s Club over his non- appearance and a disturbing second-round loss in Halle, his preferred grass-court warm-up, to Nicolas Kiefer. What more could go wrong? Walking into Wimbledon, it felt as if he had entered a spa. Various matches whirled through his mind: the 2000 victory over Pat Rafter that ended in the Sunday evening twilight, Sampras screwing up his eyes against the flashlights as he tried to pick out his parents and then rushing to embrace them - a joyous moment.

Seeing in his mind’s eye the final, lacerating forehand service return of Roger Federer last year - a sinking feeling.

"I was sitting on those uncomfortable seats (he laughs at the indiscretion) reflecting on them all," Sampras said. "Some of the best tennis I’ve ever put together has been here. It’s the Mecca, a cathedral, there are many ways to describe it. I have never been to Augusta (golf course) for the Masters, but I’d think it’s similar - the history, no sponsors’ names, just green. I went to see the clubhouse refurbishments and where they have the trophy now; it’s beautiful what they have done here. And it remains so tasteful."

Seven times Sampras has waited at the umpire’s chair for the nod to walk forward and take the golden cup in his embrace. What could possibly have bettered that seventh time, with his Mum and Dad in the stadium, seeing their son who had endured so much capturing his record thirteenth grand-slam title? "I could have stopped at the pinnacle of my career, but it wasn’t like I was 32 or 33 and I felt that the end was near," Sampras said. "I wanted to keep going; I was healthy and still enjoying it. Why not keep going for the challenge of doing it again? If I win this year, it may not be as dramatic or as meaningful as that night, but, then again, it could be even better because of just getting through this struggle. If the day comes when I win another
major, it may well hit a level of excitement and emotion for me simply because of how much I’ve put in. That is what I’m working for, what I’m having to be really patient to build towards.

"I feel like I’m doing the right thing and that’s all I can try to do. I’m not playing at anywhere near the levels I used to, week in, week out. But I have the experience at the major tournaments as well as the motivation to do it again."

This is the Sampras I remembered from half an hour in his hotel in Stuttgart in October four years ago as he pursued his record-breaking six years in a row as the world No 1, a superlative achievement that was to be his in Hanover a couple of weeks later. No, perhaps his cheeks are not as hollow now. He smiles a lot more, yet he was winning then; he is losing these days. The pursuit of that record, snatched from Jimmy Connors, took so much out of him.

"That was a different place in my career and my life," he said. "I didn’t think that anything would be so hard, but so much of it was self-inflicted. No one was telling me to do it, not the sport, not the media, not the public. I was doing it because it had to be done.

"Breaking that record was something that was so important to me; I had focused on it all year and I had one chance to do it. I went around Europe that fall, stressing myself out so much, but this here, now, is a different kind of test."

Different because when Sampras walks out at Wimbledon -he would like to start the ball rolling on Monday morning ("at least I will know what to do on the day," he said) - his level of expectation will be high. "I have asked myself before, where would I go from winning the final in 2000? I want to add to the 13. I have been to the last two US Open finals and lost to two young players (Marat Safin and Lleyton Hewitt) playing incredible tennis. No doubt in my mind, this is the biggest challenge I have had in my tennis career.

"I have a better record than anyone on grass, but it is still a surface that can mess with your head. You’ve got to be careful or results can slip away. If I get through the first two matches, I’ll be fine. I have great support, my wife has had to live with me through the bad losses, I’ve had to be patient with her and with myself. She knows how much this means and that, when I walk out at Wimbledon with a racket in my hand, I still believe I can beat anyone."

And that is the difference.

 

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