US OPEN

September 2, 2002

Pete Sampras

MODERATOR: First question, please.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, it was very exciting. The people and the atmosphere out on Louis was something that I was enjoying. Made it a little bit sweeter with the win. But those are moments that as you get a little bit older, you kind of cherish a little bit more. The people were really, really pulling for me. It was nice to get through it.

PETE SAMPRAS: He was slowing me down at certain times.

PETE SAMPRAS: He said that some people were behind him or something. There's always someone moving behind you at this event. He was definitely taking his time.

PETE SAMPRAS: I don't have a problem with that. The rules, you can do that, so it's fine.

PETE SAMPRAS: It was a big, big point. That gave me a mini break, a double mini break, which was a big point. Finally hit a good couple returns there in the breaker. It was more of, you know, the crowd got into it. Hit it good. Finally made one. It was a big point.

PETE SAMPRAS: I didn't see many nerves by Greg. He maybe missed the one volley at 30-All. I thought he played pretty flawless. Really mixed up his serves, first and second. He kind of had me guessing a lot of the match. I thought Greg played well. I thought he really handled the nerves fine. It is a battle of nerves in the fifth set when you have two big serve and volleyers. It's a couple points here and there. I managed to hit a couple good returns there and a couple good passes at the end.

PETE SAMPRAS: In Toronto he served unbelievably well. He served about 30 aces. I had some chances to maybe pull that match out. Tommy Haas improved quite a bit the last couple years. He's developed a big first serve. He backs it up with good groundies. He's moving well. He's a good player.

PETE SAMPRAS: My first thought is to get back to my hotel room and get ready for tomorrow.

PETE SAMPRAS: I feel pretty good. I feel like it's a tough match. Playing Greg is very difficult. You don't get a ton of rhythm. It's kind of hit-and-miss tennis. You kind of hang in there against Greg. Tomorrow's match will be different, a lot more baseline rallies. I feel like my game is pretty good. I didn't really return all that well tonight, but I got through it.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yes, it's tough. If you go there too much against Greg, he actually hits it pretty well. On the second, I don't mind staying back, usually that chip will go short so I can come in or do something. If you go to a spot too often, you're going to pay the price. I did. I got my serve broken three or four times.

PETE SAMPRAS: I wanted to get in, period. I didn't want to hit too many passing shots. He was chipping and charging on me. If I want to go out and play, it's going to be on my terms. If I throw in a few doubles and lose the match, that's on my terms. I managed to kind of squeak it out.

PETE SAMPRAS: It's rough, rough, rough couple days for everybody, especially if -- you know, Greg and I were just hanging around all day, waiting to play. Nothing you can do. You don't know when to eat, when to practice. It's just a very, very tough day for everyone. It was good we got it done.

PETE SAMPRAS: I was in the city. They changed it to 6:00. I thought I was second after 5:30. I got here at 5:40, told I was going to play at 6:00. I was a little bit frazzled. It showed a little bit when I went out there. But they gave me a little bit more time.

PETE SAMPRAS: Huge, huge. Being down 6-3. Went to sleep a little easier. Got into a breaker today. Not easy, play two games, play a breaker against Greg. Scary moments. Big break to get back right before the rain.

PETE SAMPRAS: I enjoy playing here. Usually when I have subpar years, Wimbledon is a tournament that gets me going. Hasn't happened the last couple years. But the US Open the past two years I've gotten it going. I just love playing here. I enjoy this facility, the courts, the crowd. It's our Super Bowl here in the US so I'm pretty pumped.

PETE SAMPRAS: Louis, he's been pretty good to me over the years. Arthur has been pretty good. I enjoy playing both stadiums. Louis is a little more intimate. You can feel the people a lot more. I tend to like that. The court's a little smaller. Arthur Ashe court, it's a great court. I mean, it's so big, you don't really feel the people as much. But when it gets packed, it's a pretty impressive stadium. But Louis, I'm won my fair share of matches out there.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, just hanging in there, maybe not playing great, but playing pretty solid. Just hang in there. Hopefully you get a little fortunate. Playing someone like Greg, it's a couple points here and there. I just hung in there when I wasn't really on top of my game. You know, I was just going to keep on fighting. Playing a breaker, which I thought we were going to go to, it's a little bit roll the dice. It was nice I broke him there.

PETE SAMPRAS: 4-Love breaker. I was a little embarrassed. Kind of got overanxious.

PETE SAMPRAS: You can't be. You've got to move on. You miss a shot, a bad shot like that was, you just have to shut it out and move to the next point. You can't dwell on it too much. It was a bad miss at a bad time.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, enjoy winning, enjoy winning these close matches. You know, not quite as dominant as I once was. But the first two matches, I feel like I played pretty well. Today, a tough match-up against Greg. I enjoyed playing. That's why I'm still here, is because I look forward to the challenge, and each match gets a little bit tougher. I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

PETE SAMPRAS: It's a high-percentage shot because it's an overhead. It gets the crowd going. It gets me pretty pumped. It's a fun shot to hit when it's there and the timing is there. I enjoy doing it.

PETE SAMPRAS: I'll show anyone how to hit it (smiling). It takes a little timing. He's got to worry about his knee at the moment.