U.S. OPEN

September 2, 1994

Pete Sampras

PETER SAMPRAS: My ankle is pretty healthy right now. It's really improved over the week and when you get the adrenaline going, playing in front of a packed house, you really can't think about it and, you know, today I thought I played pretty well. I didn't play great by any means he -- my break points, I don't know how many I had and I just converted all three of them -- or four and I'm going to have to return better if I want to continue. And hopefully I will play well against Smith.

PETER SAMPRAS: Yeah, I mean, things are looking good, I feel like I'm playing well, my rhythm on my serve is there and I'm competing well. I'm fresh. And it's obviously a long layover. And maybe it's come to my advantage. I can say that now winning first two rounds and playing pretty well and hope I can go from here and play on Sunday.

PETER SAMPRAS: They're all dangerous, seeded or unseeded. Look at the upsets. Somebody ranked 50 or 70 is capable of beating the top two or three players in the world and it's dangerous, you can't take anything for granted, can't let up a little bit because these guys obviously not seeded are hungry to hopefully get seeded one of these days. So, it's dangerous.

PETER SAMPRAS: Seemed like today-- he is one of the quickest players I've ever played against. He -- I play quick and he plays even quicker and it seemed like on all those returns I was rushed. He tossed it up and hit it and I was flatfooted and just didn't get any returns and didn't make them play. That's what you have to do on the break points. You know, he was just playing so quick. I couldn't get any sort of rhythm.

PETER SAMPRAS: Today seemed like he played quicker than usual. I played him three times before and that's maybe a reason why I didn't return that well, especially on the big points.

PETER SAMPRAS: Yeah.

PETER SAMPRAS: I just, you know, I have to use my serve to my advantage and rely on it very heavily and it's important to get that first one in and, you know, serving 5-4 for the match, 30-40, hit a good serve, good volley and that's, you know, I kind of live and die by my serve and that's the shot that's going to get me out of trouble.

PETER SAMPRAS: That's true. My big toenail was cutting into my toe and it was bleeding a little bit. And I could feel it on my serve, so I just got it taped up. Obviously you guys probably saw that.

PETER SAMPRAS: No, I just cut my toe with my nail.

PETER SAMPRAS: I mean, it's -- when I wake up in the morning every time I -- every time I have a hard practice or match like I did in the first round it is a little stiff. And, you know, I still feel a hit bit, but once you get out and start playing, you really can't think about it, and that's what I'm trying to do. I won't say it's 100% because I still feel it occasionally.

PETER SAMPRAS: I can't think about it, I just have to run to the ball as quickly as I can and try to not think about it.

PETER SAMPRAS: I don't know if I've surprised any guys. I think the guys knew I could still play and even though it was a long layover -- longest layover in my career that I was still going to be dangerous and tough to beat and I just -- I was concerned coming in here, felt a bit vulnerable and if I could get through my first round, it really didn't put me in a lot of danger. I could really get into my match competition.

PETER SAMPRAS: Not really. I feel like I'm in a good rhythm, practicing well, taking a day off tomorrow, the ankle could heal and these days off are really important, so I just go from here and play better.

PETER SAMPRAS: Not really. I mean, I feel that even though I took four weeks off, I really didn't pick up a racket. Occasionally, I picked up the racket-- the practice the week before was pretty good, but practicing is so much different than playing a match, and like I said, I got off to a good start on my first round and continue to get better and better. So things are looking good.

PETER SAMPRAS: Well, obviously, if anything, I was excited to play. It's been such a long time. It felt good to compete again.

PETER SAMPRAS: Uh-hum, yeah.

PETER SAMPRAS: During a tournament?

PETER SAMPRAS: I got a basketball court at home, play basketball. I play golf, live on the golf course, safest stuff.

PETER SAMPRAS: I can hit a long way, I just don't know where it's going. 300 yards. John Daly knows, it could go anywhere and I just used to be able to dunk -- I can jump 680.

PETER SAMPRAS: 680, 360, whatever it is.

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