US OPEN

September 9, 2000

Pete Sampras

MODERATOR: Questions for Pete.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, the wind was going my direction. When he hit it, I thought it was going long, but the wind kept it up. If I would have let it drop, I think it would have landed in, about a foot in. I didn't want to feel like hitting an overhead that far behind the court. It was a split-second reaction to give it a swing. It's an odd shot because I was ready to kind of let it go. All of a sudden my racquet was there. I decided to hit it, and pulled it off.

PETE SAMPRAS: I'm fine. A little sore.

PETE SAMPRAS: For another day (smiling). We're looking at two young guys that are going to be around for many, many years. Lleyton has a good future. He's such a young guy that he's just going to get better and better as he gets older. He's going to get stronger. He's got the tools. Safin is someone that has got a much bigger game, serves huge. I lost a tough match against him in Toronto. You know, he's also the future. But I'm still able to hold my own, and hopefully I can do it tomorrow.

PETE SAMPRAS: I always felt that Michael Chang was probably the best mover. I think Lleyton is in the same league as Chang. Has unbelievable footwork, I mean really does. He really forces me into errors because I'm going for too much, returns great. But I think he and Michael are the two best movers I've ever played.

PETE SAMPRAS: Ten years, and a lot less hair (laughter). Be looking like Bud soon.

PETE SAMPRAS: Ten years ago when I was here, I was so overwhelmed, came out here, had nothing to lose, had fun, I really didn't know what I was doing. I just played a couple great matches and next thing I knew, I won The Open. My game wasn't that good. I just had two hot weeks. After that, it took me six, eight months to really back it up. I really struggled. But ten years I've been through a lot of wars out there, a lot of battles, I've won a lot of big matches. You know, I've done a lot more in the game than I ever thought I would. When I won here at 19, I didn't know where my tennis was going to go from that point. It just evolved into something, you know, pretty special.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, a little bit, sure. I mean, Wimbledon was a great opportunity for me to break the record. The fact that I've done it, I feel a little less pressure. But I still want to win here; still have that pressure, but it's a little bit different. I feel like I'm just going to try to add on to what I have already at 13. This is why I play the game, for moments like today, tomorrow. So I'm looking forward to a good final. It's been a good run.

PETE SAMPRAS: I don't think the mental approach is different. I mean, the fact that Lleyton is in his first semi or Marat is in his first final, it doesn't really faze me. These guys have proven themselves to be top players. Marat, it's his first final. He could come out and have nothing to lose and play great. So I don't read too much into those type of stats. You know, experience does help a little bit. It might have got me through my match today. But tomorrow's a whole new today.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, just, you know, different games. You know, I served and volleyed a lot more. But Marat possesses a huge first serve, big second serve. Much different player. Stays back. Has a great backhand. Competes well. Hits the ball big off both sides. Me, I was more of a slasher and shot-maker. Marat is more of a baseliner, counter-puncher, but has a lot of power.

PETE SAMPRAS: Just congratulated me. Talked about the match a little bit. He's had a long week. I've had a long week (laughter). We both are working hard. Just a privilege to meet him and spend a couple minutes with him.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, it's my court, you know. That's where I'm comfortable. I wouldn't want to give a speech to him. You know, I knew he was coming today. Then before the match, the media, it was a little distracting in the beginning. I think people settled down and we played some tennis. It was nice that he's here. It's good for tennis that he took some time off to make his appearance.

PETE SAMPRAS: No, I was not aware of that.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I met my fiancee that time off that I had. If I didn't hurt my back, I wouldn't be getting married soon. I look at that as a reason. You know, just to appreciate my years playing, just to appreciate your health. You know, being in the final, you know, means more to me this year more than any other year because of where I was last year at this time. You know, a little adversity like I had this year, you know, last year at this time was a way good for me just to kind of wake me up to my conditioning and my health and be a little bit more aware of it. It was an eye-opener for me.

PETE SAMPRAS: I met him on a golf course in LA after Wimbledon of last year for the first time.

PETE SAMPRAS: No, I don't believe so.

PETE SAMPRAS: I mentioned it to them; they've declined. I tortured them enough in the final in Wimbledon. They'll be going for their walk, I'm sure, come 4:00.

PETE SAMPRAS: I think this one's good for him. I think the Rebound Ace is good for him. Grass, he might be tough on the grass, even on the clay. Lleyton likes a pretty quick court. I think this court is pretty ideal for him. You just look at all great players adapt to different surfaces. I look at Lleyton as someone that's going to get better and better.

PETE SAMPRAS: No, no. Not really. I mean, I just walked out, so no.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I was pretty lucky to get out of it. I had four set points, a couple breakpoints. He missed the forehand at 6-5, a shot he doesn't really miss much. He wins the first set, you know, he just gains confidence. I just wasn't really finding my game in the first set. As I got the first set, my confidence grew, serving picked up a little bit. Just a huge part of the match. I played five, six tiebreakers this week. I think I've won them all.

PETE SAMPRAS: I'm not going to do anything different. I'm going to come in a lot. Safin possesses a big serve. I need to get that back. You know, he's a powerful player. If you let him play, you give him high shots to the forehand or backhand, he'll crack it. I need to be a little bit more aggressive. With Lleyton, I can get away with a little bit. Safin will punish you much more. My goal is to hold onto serve like I did today and hopefully get a couple chances to break him and convert.

PETE SAMPRAS: A little bit.

PETE SAMPRAS: I don't think so. He knows what I'm going to do; I know what he's going to do. I lost a tough match. I had two match points. You know, he believes he can beat me, so that's a big bonus for him. It is a final of a major. He hasn't played many of them. He's going to come out not intimidated by the situation. He's going to go out and he's going to play fine. It's going to be a close match. We'll see.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, when you have raised the bar to winning Grand Slams each year, you expect it. Getting through some tough injuries and getting through Wimbledon, you know, sure, it gets a little tougher when you get older and whatever. But I'm not that surprised. I mean, I expect a lot out of myself, to win majors, put myself in position to win them. I've done that this week.

PETE SAMPRAS: Oh, yeah. I mean, I've been asked that many times. I mean, my goals have always been the major tournaments. You know, I got the rest of my life to look back on my tennis. You know, I always pride myself on doing the right thing, preparing well, working hard, gearing my schedule to moments like this weekend. At 29, I feel like I've got a lot of good years left in me to really contend for major tournaments. That's what drives me and that's what keeps me going. You know, I don't want to have any regrets when I look back on my tennis, all the talent that I had, I kind of wasted it away. I wanted to take advantage of it. You know, I enjoy the occasion. I enjoy going out there tomorrow and having a packed house, the whole country watching. It's a rush. It's certainly a feeling that I've grown to love.

PETE SAMPRAS: Oh, yeah. I need all the help I can get, sure.

PETE SAMPRAS: Sure. It's definitely a boost.

PETE SAMPRAS: 29 is still pretty young. I mean, you know, you look at someone like a Jordan or Gretzky, played till they're 35, I think. It's a different sport, team sport. Tennis players historically are done at 29, 30. I feel like I've got the game that I can play for as long as I want because of my serve. 29 is still pretty young, I believe. I mean, you can still do well in majors. Look at what Connors did for many years. He won majors at 30, 31. Look at Andre, what he's done. So it can be done. It's not that old (laughter).

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, it was one of the regrets of something I've said to the press, when I lost to Jim. Obviously at that point in my career, I didn't know what I wanted, I didn't like the pressure, I didn't like coming back and trying to defend a title. It's not easy, and I didn't handle it well. But something evolved over the next couple years to really find that passion to win majors. You know, just a different competitor mentally, how bad I really wanted it. Losing that '92 final to Edberg really woke me up to what I wanted from the game. I didn't like that feeling of giving in in that match. Only one person gets on that trophy. That definitely changed my career.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, they mentioned it to Paul. Like I've told them all year, I've just decided not to play.

PETE SAMPRAS: No.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah (laughter). Lower taxes.

PETE SAMPRAS: I didn't look at it as extra motivation. The motivation for me is to try to hold up that cup. You know, I admire the tour trying to get the young guys more exposure, especially the guys from Europe. But I didn't look at it as I'm making any point. I'm just trying to, you know, do well here and try to win here. I'm not looking at it as any certain, you know, get me going because these guys are young and they're getting all the attention. Stuff like that really doesn't faze me.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I've always -- the USTA really is a little bit more concerned about making a few extra bucks than the players. Now it's 6:30 and I have to get ready for a 4:00 match. You want to be at your best. A day off does help. You look at the other Slams. You have a day off on Saturday, which is nice, to get ready, to get the body ready. But it is what it is. Super Saturday is a great day for tennis. You look at it, it's good for the game, but it's certainly not great for the players. Maybe we can wrap this thing up and I can get ready for tomorrow.