US OPEN

August 30, 1997

Pete Sampras

Q. How easy was it, Pete?

PETE SAMPRAS: It was pretty smooth. You know, he's got a big game. I played him a couple times. He comes out swinging away. He's got a huge serve. Just kind of goes for it. He's always a pretty dangerous opponent. I thought I played pretty solid. The first week for me, you know, I really have no complaints about the way I've been playing. Just hope I can maintain this level or get better. But it was a good day.

PETE SAMPRAS: I think my conditioning has improved. I've gotten a little bit stronger compared to last year. When you have that, it just helps you recover pretty well from tough matches. And I'm confident. You know, obviously winning Wimbledon, having a pretty good summer helps. I feel like I'm playing well, so we'll see.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, each round gets more difficult. I play Korda now who took me the distance at Wimbledon. But each match, the first round or fourth round, you go out, it's business. This is a Grand Slam. I don't care if he's ranked 300 or 30, you can't take any match for granted out here. These guys I'm playing have nothing to lose, so you have to stay on your toes. I've done that pretty well for the first week.

PETE SAMPRAS: You're trying just as hard, but sometimes you just don't play as well. In the course of a two-week event, three out of five, you're not going to play well every set. You're going to go through your ups and downs. It's just those matches that you don't play well you need to find a way to win. Each match I played this week, I played pretty solid. It was a good start for me.

PETE SAMPRAS: No. I mean, I put so much emphasis on this tournament, and all the majors, that you try not to have your mind wander. You try to stay focused. It was nice playing on the court today because I'm kind of used to the surroundings a little bit more. It was nice to be out there. So I feel good. Things are looking good.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, over the years, you try to put a schedule together that will hopefully make you peak for the Grand Slams. You know, I always want to play a big event a couple weeks before a major, take a week off before a major, get ready to play. The other question, majors, this is our Super Bowl; this is our World Series. A lot of history here; a lot of history at the other ones. This is what it's all about to me, are the major tournaments. It probably will be for the rest of my career. This is our Super Bowl here.

PETE SAMPRAS: Uh-huh.

PETE SAMPRAS: Oh, yeah. After Wimbledon I had some time off. Made an effort to get used to the heat and humidity down in Florida. I've had a problem with that in the past. I really made an effort to get into the weights and get into the conditioning. It's been paying off.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah. Feel like I'm in better shape.

PETE SAMPRAS: Placement is just as important as power. You can serve at 130 up the middle. If the guy knows it's going there, doesn't really help that much. It's the disguise. Trying to have the same ball toss on every serve. Trying to mix up the serve; go to the body every now and then. Kind of like a pitcher out there, you always want to keep your opponent guessing. It's something that I've learned over the years. I seem to do pretty well.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yes, absolutely. I was hitting a couple serves 120. I was hitting the corners and he came up with some huge returns. I was taken back a little bit. That was good tennis. If he was going to maintain that for a couple games, break me, that wasn't going to be too good. He was guessing a certain way. I mean, he was leaning a certain way. I think he had to because he really had no idea where I was going to go. Yeah, it was definitely a big game to get through.

PETE SAMPRAS: No.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, he's a very hot player -- I mean, dangerous player. He can get hot at certain times. He took me the distance at Wimbledon. He's got a big game. Does everything pretty well. Won his first three matches pretty handily. It will be a good fight for me.

PETE SAMPRAS: Probably the traveling. You know, travel 34, 35 weeks a year, jet lag. That's not always that fun, you know. When I've been in Europe for two months, whatever, you look forward to getting back and eating at McDonald's or whatever.

PETE SAMPRAS: As far as what?

PETE SAMPRAS: That's a long question. Well, sure, eight, ten years ago, when you had the rivalries back then, you had the players you mentioned. But I feel like I'm doing my part. I'm going out, I'm playing, I'm playing well. That's really all I can really do as an athlete, is go out and try to win. As far as the rivalry, sure, what we had a couple years ago with Agassi, that was great for the game. Now we don't seem to have a rivalry that we've been talking about. And that's what the sport needs, especially in the United States, is something that the people can really cling onto. McEnroe, Connors, Borg, Lendl, those guys had it. But I can only do my part and go out and play.

PETE SAMPRAS: Oh, yeah.

PETE SAMPRAS: It's tons better. Look at the results we've had in the last couple years in majors. You have Kuerten winning the French. You have guys going through and winning majors. Krajicek. There are just a lot of great players today.

PETE SAMPRAS: I just think athletes are better today, they're in better condition. It just seems like there's a lot of depth in the game. Especially these young Spaniards coming through. It just seems everywhere you turn, there's someone coming up. It's exciting to see a lot of young guys coming up, but to have a rivalry, to have a couple guys play each other in all the majors or whatever, is something that the sport needs right now. In today's game, it's not like 10, 15 years ago where you can pretty much write in the draw who was going to get to the semis, where now anything is possible. That's why you see a lot of upsets.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, you have to return. I mean, but the serve I think is the key. Everyone is serving big, I find. The guys I played in this tournament are acing me a couple times a game. But in order to win out there, you have to return. That's the only way that I was going to break through at Wimbledon, was to learn how to return. You're going to hold serve most of the time, but in order to win these matches, you have to return. That's a huge part of the game. I mean, that's what made Agassi the player he is today, because of his return.

PETE SAMPRAS: Absolutely. I think it's had a much bigger impact for the guys that stay back and return. I can still serve 120 with a wood racquet, maybe not as consistent, but it helps the returners with the racquets. It helps those guys that don't serve that well serve a little harder.

PETE SAMPRAS: Serving at that speed, 135, 140, that's pretty overwhelming. But it's hard to keep that up for three, four sets at that pace. Your arm is going to come off. I hit a lot of my serves 95 out wide, just as long as it wins you the point. That's really the bottom line. Sure, it's always intimidating when you hit a big serve 130, 135. That's what makes someone like Philippoussis very dangerous.

PETE SAMPRAS: I don't think it's going to happen.

PETE SAMPRAS: 142?

PETE SAMPRAS: I don't think it can go much harder, I really don't. I mean, that's overwhelming. No, I don't see anything 145, 150.

PETE SAMPRAS: I don't see it going much farther than that.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, he's beaten -- he beat Agassi on hard. He's capable of playing well here. He serves pretty well. I haven't seen him play too much on hard. Saw him play quite a bit at the French. He seems to want to come in. Got a pretty good all-around court game. I really can't comment on it too much because I haven't seen him play that much. Good to see not only can he play on clay, but he's improved his hardcourt game.

PETE SAMPRAS: I've always tried to mix it up. When I won here in '90, that will always be the shot for me, my serve. But in order to win at this level, stay on top, you need more than a serve. Serving 142, or whatever it is, is going to be very impressive, but it's not going to win you every match. You need to back it up. You need to have some volleys, you need to have some groundies; need to be able to return, the whole package, not just the serve.

PETE SAMPRAS: I think he's got a good game. He's young, seems very eager to make a break. He's got a good all-around court game. He's got to work on a few things. I think the future looks pretty good for him.

PETE SAMPRAS: What was your question?

PETE SAMPRAS: Yes. This is a major tournament. A lot of the media is here. So, sure, if he plays well and gets through the tournament or through his draw, sure he's going to get a lot of attention. Everyone has been talking about American tennis. He's the next real hope for American tennis. So he's going to get a lot of attention.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I don't look at myself in terms of history. I feel like I'm in the middle of my career; I'm trying to get better. I'm sure when all is said and done, I'll look back at my career, I'll appreciate a lot more then what I'm doing. I feel like for how old I am, 26 now, I've had a very good career. I just feel that I can get better.

PETE SAMPRAS: I really don't have any. I mean, from the past, I just have my trophies and that's it.

PETE SAMPRAS: I think you have to ask him.

PETE SAMPRAS: I don't know what to say to that.

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