US OPEN

August 30, 2000

Pete Sampras

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Pete.

PETE SAMPRAS: I feel great. I mean just everything moving great, seeing the ball really well. So it was one of those matches where everything kind of clicked, you know, when I got that first break in the first and, you know, great atmosphere tonight. First night match. I was keyed up, you know, last time I played Justin, didn't play all that well. So tonight everything just -- happens every now and again when you play like that.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, you hope it carries over for the rest of the tournament, but it's pretty tough to keep that level up. But it can be done. I have a couple days off here to, you know, get ready for Saturday. So I feel, you know, I'm confident and playing well and everything is where I want it to be. These first two matches have gone pretty smooth, Damm played the Top 10 players, he kind of woke me up to the tournament. Tonight everything clicked, served pretty well, return. Just held the ball great.

PETE SAMPRAS: Night matches here in New York are always special. You're keyed up and there's a lot of focus on the one match here. You just -- this is our Slam, so you do whatever you can to -- you try to win and hopefully you play well. Historically, I've done well. So, you know, just the atmosphere is nice. It's definitely unique to be playing out there.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, there's nothing to work on. It's just staying fresh. I'll probably take tomorrow off, not going to hit any balls, just do a light workout. Hit some on Friday. Nothing to work on, it's just staying sharp, hitting the ball well.

PETE SAMPRAS: No. If anything, I'm more appreciative of playing this year versus being a, you know, held up in my house for a few weeks during the tournament. But I'm not treating this Open any different than the past Open. I put a lot of weight into the Slams and this one's no different than any others. So the fact that I didn't play last year doesn't mean I'm more eager, more motivated. I'm always keyed up and ready to do well here.

PETE SAMPRAS: No.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, just I'm sure Paul will ask around just to figure out. I hear he's a lefty. From Argentina. You would think he probably stays back. It's always a little bit unsettling playing someone you've never seen play, what he likes and what he doesn't like. Paul will give me a good idea of the type of player he is and as the match unfolds, just try to figure it out.

PETE SAMPRAS: I haven't hit four aces in many years. I really don't know.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah. I mean when is the last time I've done it?

PETE SAMPRAS: Four aces in a row?

PETE SAMPRAS: I can't remember.

PETE SAMPRAS: So it's many years. (Laughter.) 95, 2000, that's five.

PETE SAMPRAS: It's a little bit slower, the balls fluff up a little bit more. Playing Rafter here one year, I felt it was a little bit too quick. I've told to the USTA, I think we all agreed, that the court is a little quick. They slowed it down. It's still playing medium fast. You can stay back and do well.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, I don't like playing on too quick of a court.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I just don't. I like to have time to play, you know, everyone thinks I like the fast surface, but I'm going to hold serve just about anywhere. It's a matter of having more time to return it to pass; I love that. If anything fast courts, it helps out the guys that really don't serve that well. So I like a medium-paced court that you have some time to have some rallies.

PETE SAMPRAS: No, I knew Justin was going to get a bit more involved in the match in the third and the crowd got behind him and, you know, I just wanted to keep the pressure on him and hopefully get the break and, you know, I just was seeing the ball well. Just kind of put constant pressure on him. And, you know, played a great game to break him and serve it out, four aces in a row, I just kept up the pressure on him and just went from there. But matches like that, you go through peaks and valleys. He raised his level a little bit and got his game going a little bit, but I kind of matched it. And then moved ahead.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I never looked at the record as a pressure, you know. I never thought I'd ever do it as a youngster growing up. It's happening. I think when 11 came around and then 12, then the talk of breaking the record, but it was unfair to say the word was, "Pressure." It was an opportunity that I would have loved to have broken it one day. I'm obviously glad I've done it. I still kind of am flying high from what happened. I'm not saying I'm any more relaxed now than I would be here last year when I had 12, but, you know, I always want to do well at the Slams and try to add on to what I have already. But, you know what happened a month and a half ago is probably as good as it's ever going to get for me as a tennis player I think. Unless one day I win the French. But we'll see if that happens. But, you know, I'm ecstatic I did it; I really am. But I -- you know, feel at this point I can add on to it and maybe even add one or two more before it's all done.

PETE SAMPRAS: I don't care where it comes. Any time you can look back at a year and win a Slam, that's a great year for me; it really is. But having lost two tough matches here, Korda and Rafter, not playing here last year, yeah, I want to do well here, possibly do it. Maybe I can do it. We'll see.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, I heard it a couple times. That's New York.

PETE SAMPRAS: Where did you hear that from? (Laughter.) Yeah.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah.

PETE SAMPRAS: No, just a cool-down. It's good for the body, good for the recovery.

PETE SAMPRAS: Safin stands out. He's going to be in contention, especially at the French, and even on hard court. You know, I like, you know, I like Hewitt's game. There's a lot of young guys. Safin's just one of probably six or seven guys that are going to dominate. Kuerten is someone that has dominated already on the clay. You know, the list is pretty deep.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, as a young guy, you know, Safin's in a position where he's in the Top 10 now, his next goal is to win a major. You know, that is a whole new ball game when you win Majors and a whole new pressure and your life changes and, you know, I think he's someone capable of winning Majors and handling the pressure because he has a good game. You know, I'm sure that's his next goal that he's going to try to break. And so, you know, winning Slams, there's a lot that goes with it. It's a great accomplishment. But there's a lot of extra expectations that he didn't once have.

PETE SAMPRAS: It was never really a consideration this year to play the Olympics. When I made my schedule this year, playing Davis Cup and Olympics, I wasn't going to play. And to have Davis Cup and the Olympics in the same year is just a sign that the schedule's pretty messed up. You know, I've been -- I was in Barcelona, had a good time playing there. You know, when you think of the Olympics, you don't necessarily think of tennis, you know. I'm glad it's there, but, you know, you think of the Olympics, you think of track and field and swimming and tennis, 128 draw, I think they should change the format, make it into a team concept, like a World Team Cup concept where you have, you know, you could have Andre playing on Court 1, Tarango playing on Court 8. That's, you know, I felt that in Barcelona, that there wasn't any sort of team unity. It was, "Everyone's on their own," and we do that week in and week out. But -- so I just, you know, it's a long trip and I just never really considered going.

PETE SAMPRAS: Sure, everyone that's out there playing, I mean we all go through tragedies and tough moments, especially when it's your family, it hits home. It puts everything in perspective. Tennis isn't really that important when someone in your family is going through a tough situation. And, you know, but Andre is a professional, and, you know, I'm sure his family would like to see him play. I mean that's what I'm sure they're asking of him to do, and, you know, I went through something similar with Tim Gullikson, not quite as close as far as a family member, but still serious enough to be tough to play. But, you know, Andre, I'm sure -- if anything, is feeling for his family. I'm sure he'll do fine here. Maybe he'll use that as certain motivation to maybe win here.

PETE SAMPRAS: Any thoughts? No, not really.

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