TMS - ROME

May 8, 2001

Pete Sampras

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

PETE SAMPRAS: It was -- what do you mean, was it lack of competition?

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, it's been a while since I've played. But, you know, I thought I played okay. I didn't play really great. You know, I got off to a bad start yesterday, then I kind of got off to a bad start in the third set, I kind of slipped a little bit. I was playing uphill in the third. You know, I give him credit. He mixed it up very well. His serve and volley kind of caught me off guard. Lack of matches a little bit, but I have to give him credit; he played really well. Sure, the clay is difficult, but I'm sure I can hold my own against anyone out here. It's a tough way to start. You have to look at the big picture. It's disappointing. I would have loved to have played a little bit better here. It's been a while since I played well here, so it's a disappointment.

PETE SAMPRAS: Hamburg and Dusseldorf.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I was doing a lot of training, and - probably too much - and I got sick from it. I got a viral infection. That was disappointing, because I was looking forward to Monte-Carlo and I wanted to play there. I wanted to get my feet wet on the clay, and the Monte-Carlo clay is very similar to Paris. So my next tournament was Rome. So that was -- that's what happened.

PETE SAMPRAS: Oh, yeah. I mean, I got plenty of people to practice with, and it makes no sense to go home.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I had plenty of time because I got it a couple days before Monte-Carlo, so I had plenty of time. I took about five, six days off just to recover and I had plenty of time, about a week, week and a half, to kind of get back into it. So I felt fine. You know, I felt fine coming in here.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I just -- as soon as Miami was over, I went home, took a few days, and I just started training very hard, doing a lot of running, a lot of practicing, a lot of weight training and just trying to get myself in the best shape possible to play three-out-of-five on clay, which is very difficult. You know, the training is a little bit different. I'm running a lot longer, 30, 40 minutes instead of doing sprints. So it's a different preparation. But you really need to play matches. I mean, that's really a true test of your conditioning. It would be nice to go into Paris having played more. That's why this is, you know, it's disappointing, because you get in good shape by playing out there, hitting against these guys.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, the key for me is I'm so used to playing, you know, with my serve and really dictating play with my power, to overwhelm the guys with power. You play quick points. When I start off these matches, I'm playing like I'm playing on hardcourt - trying to come in, trying to come in. It's tough to do out there. The thing I need to work on is being more patient, being able to stay back, not rush things, you know, because when I play on anything but clay, it's really natural. And here, it's, you know, more of a thinking game, trying -- a little bit tougher to serve and volley every point, and just being patient at the right times. So it's definitely a tough process.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, there's nothing technical with my strokes. It's kind of being a little bit more aware of the -- of kind of my strategy and what I'm trying to do. If I'm too far behind the baseline, just roll it over, tap it over the net and play smart. I'm usually going for big shots, and you can't afford to do that on clay. But technically, there's nothing I'll change. It's just being a little bit more selective when I serve and volley, mixing it up. You can't always serve and volley on everything out here, especially when it's heavy. And there's nothing technically there to change. It's just all strategy.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, it's really a question I've been answered -- been asked before. Paul is my coach, and I definitely have the confidence in what we're trying to do together, and he knows what I need to do to play well. And it's kind of a sensitive subject, but I'm confident with who I'm working with. It's fine. Just because I work with someone else, it doesn't mean I'm going to do great on clay. It's not a magic pill. It doesn't matter, it's me out there, not anyone else hitting the balls for me. But I'm happy with the advice I'm getting, so it's something I've never really considered.