Sampras pulls out of exo due to back injury scare
Andre - not Pete - to open Centre Court
June 23, 2002
Pete Sampras was slated to put the finishing touches to his Wimbledon preparations by playing a second exibition match at the Boodle & Dunthorne Championship Challenge at Stoke Park, Surrey on Saturday, but pulled out of the match with a back injury.
He was to play against Stefan Koubek of Austria.
News reported that Pete felt a "slight tweak" in his back while practising and felt it was better to rest rather than aggravate the problem with Wimbledon just two days away.
Meanwhile, with the absence of defending titleholder Goran Ivanisevic due to a shoulder injury and runner-up Pat Rafter on semi-retirement, the honor to open Centre Court play was accorded to Sampras, the seven time champion.
However, it was later announced by the organizers that Andre Agassi will play the opening match.
Pete apparently requested for a Tuesday start instead of Monday in order to give him more time to recover, but the All England Club rejected the request saying it had already organized for Sampras' half of the draw to play on Monday.
Instead of scheduling Sampras for the first match on Centre Court as expected, the club put him on for the third match, giving him a few extra hours of rest and treatment.
In a statement, Wimbledon referee Alan Mills stated, "As a result of sustaining an acute strain in the lower right ribs on Saturday, Pete Sampras requested a Tuesday start. Since we had already determined his half of the draw would play on Monday, we were unable to grant this particular request.
"However, as is the case with all players who ask for a late start, we were able to help him by putting him on third match on Monday."
Sampras' coach, Jose Higueras, said the 30-year-old did not practice on Sunday and was receiving ultrasound treatment.
He said: "We'll have to see how he feels when he wakes up tomorrow.
"I think he'll play. Hopefully he will be fit. We'll see."
Back to Archives - 2002 | News