TMS - THE ERICSSON OPEN

March 25, 2000

Pete Sampras

MIKI SINGH: Two-time Ericsson Open champion Pete Sampras is here. He'll play either Safin or Vinciguerra in the third round. He's had his 35th win here at the Ericsson.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, like I said in Palm Springs, I've struggled there over the years. I can't seem to control it there. The conditions being a little bit heavier here, a little bit slower, I just feel more comfortable playing here than I have in Palm Springs over the past couple years. The game that I played today was about as good as it gets. I mean, I served 80 percent. If I'm serving that hard, that consistently, it just really helps out my return of serve, I can be more aggressive, take more chances. Today I really didn't give a chance for Carlos to get in any sort of rhythm. I came in. I did what I wanted to do. I definitely learned from my loss in Palm Springs. I wasn't quite aggressive. Didn't really feel like my game was there. I got back on the practice courts, got back to work, and things clicked today.

PETE SAMPRAS: Just depends on the shot itself. Certainly if I have a high forehand, I'm going to go for a big winner. If it's a backhand, I'll chip and come in. Kind of depends on the score and the situation. Usually, I'm trying to be aggressive and get to the net.

PETE SAMPRAS: The men's game is as strong today as it's probably ever been. You have Carlos Moya, who has been at the top of the game, not seeded, your first match up. It isn't an easy way to open your tournament. But that being said, you know, you go out and play the tennis you can play. I don't really mind playing anyone if my game is there. You know, when you see the draw, you see Moya as a possible match-up, it's not easy. But the game was certainly there today. Hope I can maintain this over the next couple days.

PETE SAMPRAS: A lot depends on the score, depends on how I'm feeling out there. I just made an effort today to chip-and-charge early. The thing you can't do against Carlos or a lot of the Spaniards is stay back and let them control the points with their forehands. I wanted to be aggressive. But depends on 15-40 breakpoint or a tense moment, he's not going to serve 95, he's going to serve 75. I can have more time to chip-and-charge and be aggressive.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yes, absolutely.

PETE SAMPRAS: I still have a lot of pride out there. I enjoy competing and playing at this level. You can't go into the majors and turn it on like a light switch. You need to go into majors playing well, confident. Certainly if you build an aura about you, it helps. Certainly the French Open being months away, a different surface, you still want to play well throughout the year. I want to win every week I play. That's my goal every time I step into a tournament. It's no exception today. Playing Carlos, he's proven himself as a great player. If you don't go out keyed up and ready to play these guys, you're not going to win. I still want to play this game at the highest level, if not ranked No. 1, at least say in the top couple. If you can't get motivated to play these tournaments and play these players, you shouldn't be playing.

PETE SAMPRAS: I've tried everything from playing a lot on clay to not playing quite as much. This year I'm not sure what I'm doing, to be honest with you (laughter). Monte-Carlo is out because I'm playing Davis Cup, playing Hamburg, World Team Cup. Before that, I might play an event in Orlando or might go to Rome. I don't know at this point. Davis Cup certainly puts a loop in it all. I've committed to playing all year. I need to play enough on clay to be in match shape and not play too much to burn myself out. That's kind of where I'm at at this stage.

PETE SAMPRAS: Sure, I agree. Jim and I and Andre and Michael grew up playing against each other through the Juniors. We've accomplished a lot in our own careers. We're all getting up there in age, closer to 30. That's when tennis players historically, that's it, you know (laughter). Some players. It is a time to enjoy it. I'm not saying we didn't enjoy it through the years, but you get to appreciate a little bit more your career and what you've done. But someone like Jim who has been No. 1, has won four majors, he can sit back, go out and play and not feel the pressure he felt when he was 1 in the world and enjoy it. I obviously still want to be on top of the game for many, many years. As long as I'm playing, I want to play at the highest level. But we've all used each other to get better. I mean, you're so competitive. I remember Michael won the first major, then Jim, then Andre, then me. We all kind of had each other to make each other better players. Now Jim and Michael aren't quite on the top of the game, but they've had great careers.

PETE SAMPRAS: It feels pretty good. I still have my good days and bad days with my disc; something I'm going to have to live with for the remainder of my career is my disc problem. Just got to do the things as far as preparing and doing the therapy and maintaining the strength around my back.

PETE SAMPRAS: Uh-huh. I hit some with Kevin King and Phillip King, the two young players coming up that are playing the Satellites. I hit with them quite a bit at my house. Certainly after the generation of players I've been talking about, American tennis is a little bit thin. But it might be 10 or 20 years before you might see a group of guys like what we just have in today's game. But for me to hit with those guys, certainly it's a thrill for them. Anything I can do to help out their games is something I'm willing to do.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I haven't seen Roddick play, but I've heard some good things. Knowing the American media and the American public, if you're not No. 1, you're not quite good enough. It's true, unless you're winning Slams, you know. It's hard to say where those players are going to go. The game, if you look at it, you look at some of the Australians, Europeans, South Americans, I think those are the guys going to be dominating the game in five, ten years' time.

PETE SAMPRAS: Early on in tournaments like this tournament we have here, it's great for the fans. They can go out and watch all the top guys play in the world. You've got myself on stadium, Kuerten playing on Court 1, Henman playing out there. To see these players up close and personal is a thrill. It's a great day for Juniors and for just fans in general just to walk around the site and check it out. It just goes to show that the tour is doing a good job with their new format as far as getting all the players to play the same events. It's one thing that's going to help this game.

PETE SAMPRAS: What?

PETE SAMPRAS: I do. The ranking is more of a race, a lot easier to understand. You know, they're certainly taking the game to a direction I'm not sure I'm going in that same direction. I mean, I'm not playing all the nine. I'm doing whatever I can to get my best chance to do well at the majors. That's where I'm at right now in my tennis. I certainly like what's going on. You have ISL, which is a big company, trying to market the sport, trying to get the sport more popular in this country. I like it. I mean, we'll see how the next four or five months go with how the rankings fall through and how it turns out. I like the effort, it's definitely there.

PETE SAMPRAS: Just being more disciplined with my body, you know. I mean, it was a serious injury. It's still herniated. Sometimes I wake up and it's a little stiff. I just have to prepare my matches and my practices from stretching and keeping it warmed up. If anything, it woke me up to being a little bit more disciplined to my body and listen to my body. But for my everyday life, it doesn't affect me. It's just when I practice. I might come up a little bit stiff if it's a little cold. Just got to be careful.

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