TMS - CINCINNATI

August 10, 2000

Pete Sampras

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Pete.

PETE SAMPRAS: I just ran into a Tim that is playing great. He really served well and was hitting unbelievable passing shots. He really played a great match. I wasn't at my best, but I think he had a lot to do with that. He definitely outplayed me in just about every area. He got off to a good start. I kind of let it slip away a little bit. He got on a great roll and was just too good. He played really well.

PETE SAMPRAS: Just Alleve.

PETE SAMPRAS: There's always a little pain somewhere. (Laughter.) But I think today was in the head. I just -- a little soreness, but nothing too serious.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, I just didn't really find a rhythm on it. You know, he was on top of it early. And I wasn't really picking the corners, wasn't hitting it that well. It wasn't the best serving day.

PETE SAMPRAS: No. It was a late night, then I slept in pretty good, late match, so there was plenty of time to recover after yesterday. Just came out a little bit flat and he played great.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah. I mean he's come real close. Probably should have beaten me in one final at Queen's. First match we played on hard court in quite some time, I think. He, as we know, he's got the game to play great and he's got a complete game. Out of all the young guys, he's the one guy that has the most complete game. It's just putting it all together at the right time. And I think he's gone through little spurts here and there of playing well and not playing so well. But today he showed that when his game's on, he's tough to beat.

PETE SAMPRAS: We have no explanation. We still have Todd Martin in there. It just goes to show this game is going to be dominated by Americans for the next number of years, myself and Andre, Todd Martin, Gambill and guys like that, we can do well and still be at the top of the game. But if you look to the future of the game, you see a lot of young Australian, European, South Americans that are going to be in the top of the game.

PETE SAMPRAS: I mean everyone's hitting the ball big, serving well. And there's always, you know, so many serve-and-volleyers in the game we have today. So it's not surprising to see the Kuertens and the rest of the clay courters do well on hard court. They've, you know, changed games a little bit, been more aggressive and you're seeing good results.

PETE SAMPRAS: You keep on, you know, I got to stick to my guns, I still want to come in. If he was going to pass like that for a couple sets, it was too good, and he was able to do that. Really picked off some great passing shots. I only had a couple chances and I didn't get them. But he just outplayed me in just about every area.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, he's, you know, got to a certain stage and, you know, his year this year hasn't been what he would have liked. But I think Tim, not being as successful as he wanted, it will make him hungrier. It will make him want it more. We know he's got the game. I've always said it. I've practiced with Tim enough where he holds his own easily and beats you quite a number of times in practice. It's just a matter of putting that practice into the matches, and he did that tonight. Tomorrow's a new day and a different player, and it's just a question of being able to stay at that level for not only one day at a time, but weeks and months.

PETE SAMPRAS: It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, you just got to say too good. I mean I played Novak in the Davis Cup and felt the same way, where I just ran into a hot player. It happens. So... You know. I'll just relax and get ready for New York.

PETE SAMPRAS: Didn't really serve that well. And, you know, I thought I was serve-and-volleying pretty solid and he was coming up with some great passing shots. But, you know, I didn't play poorly, I just wasn't at my best. The way Tim was playing, I needed to be at my best today and I wasn't.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I was hoping he was going to cool off a little bit in the second. I think I helped him out a little bit by not being that sharp. And then he got the lead and a set and a break, the way he was serve-and-volleying he was going to be tough to beat, and come back and beat him in the third. You know, I certainly got some time to improve a few areas of my game.

PETE SAMPRAS: I've gotten plenty of matches. It's disappointing not to go into New York without a victory. When you win tournaments of this caliber, you bring a certain aura about yourself that can definitely help you out in a Slam like the US Open. So in that aspect it's disappointing. But I've gone into New York playing well and I've won, and I've gone to New York not playing well and won. But I'd much rather go in there playing well. I think I'm playing okay. You know, I'll let the body rest a little bit and get ready and go into New York, you know, hopefully playing my best.

PETE SAMPRAS: No.

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