THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 25, 1997

Pete Sampras

PETE SAMPRAS: Different. He was playing with the wood racquets, so the power isn't like what it is today. I'm using a graphite racquet. Our games, we serve and volley and whatever, pretty good all-around court game. In that way it's similar. Over the last 30 years, there's been so much added power, guys are bigger and stronger today, the game has changed quite a bit.

PETE SAMPRAS: A couple times.

PETE SAMPRAS: I was 12 or 13, taking some lessons from Robert Lansdorf at the West End Club. He was playing a senior event, just hit some balls with him. It was obviously a wonderful experience.

PETE SAMPRAS: He was still hitting the ball pretty good.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, all things considered, having played last night, getting done pretty late, pretty humid conditions, it went a lot easier than I thought. Magnus has always played me pretty tough. He's coming back from a pretty serious injury. He's maybe not quite what he was when he was 10 in the world. You know, I really played unbelievable tennis for the most part. I served well, got off to a good start. He got a little down on himself. It was a smooth day, real good day.

PETE SAMPRAS: A little bit, yeah.

PETE SAMPRAS: It's so dry in Palm Springs, feels likes I'm playing in altitude. I never felt for the past couple of years I could take a pretty good cut at the ball and have an idea where it was going. I don't like that. I like heavier conditions where I can take a pretty good swing at it. Here at the Lipton, humid conditions, balls are pretty soft. Two different tournaments, even though they're outdoor hardcourt. I haven't played well in Palm Springs. Next year I'm going to have to figure out what I have to do with my racquets to figure out how to play in those conditions.

PETE SAMPRAS: Bored? That's a good question. I don't know.

PETE SAMPRAS: No.

PETE SAMPRAS: No. No. I'm too short for the NBA (laughter). My golf game is atrocious. I think tennis is the only sport I'll be playing.

PETE SAMPRAS: I feel like I'm to the point in my career where I like, you know, getting out and playing in huge matches. As far as the two matches of my career I've always thought of so far at age 25 is playing Boris last year in Hannover and playing Agassi in the '95 Open. Just walking out, you felt kind of like a heavyweight fighter, this is what it's all about. I really haven't had that feeling many times in my career. I'm to the point, in order for me to keep working hard and enjoying the game, you want to be involved in a rivalry. Agassi is certainly the guy that brings it out in the game. I'm kind of looking forward to something like that.

PETE SAMPRAS: I don't know. I don't play good golf. I'm like a 12, 13. I play decent basketball.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah.

PETE SAMPRAS: We don't really compete.

PETE SAMPRAS: He's all right. He's all right (laughter).

PETE SAMPRAS: It's not surprising. Thomas has improved his game other than clay, playing well indoor, playing well on hardcourt. He's a great player. He fights really hard, he's in tremendous shape. It's not surprising. The main part of his year is obviously the claycourt season and the French. You know, there's no saying he can't win here or wherever. He's a great player.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, it's not an American. I don't see any young Americans coming up. I think Henman has got a game that will be consistent for a lot of years. I mean, Philippoussis is the type of player that can play unbelievable tennis, but consistency I think he's looking for. Henman is the one guy that I find is going to be a threat, I really do, not only for me, but for all the guys.

PETE SAMPRAS: Maybe not now, but over time. I think he's still reasonably young. In the next couple years, it's obvious there's a lot of variables to deal with, the media, being a hero. It's not easy to deal with that. I went through that. There's a couple of levels in your career that you go through. Now he's up and coming, got nothing to lose. It will come a point where he's expected to win. It's an added pressure that I think with knowing him a little bit I think he'll handle pretty well.

PETE SAMPRAS: Nothing will be as tough as what I went through last year at the French, playing Bruguera the second round. That was rough. It shouldn't be like that. He should be in the Top 10, with his game and his talent. I don't know really what's going on. It's dangerous. You could play him at any time in a Grand Slam, won't be seeded. It's definitely a floater that you hope is not in your draw, your side of the draw.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, I enjoyed it. I've always stated that the wood racquet, sure, it's added a lot of power, but I can still serve 120, 122 with that racquet. I think the racquets today really help out the baseliners, help out the guys that can return. I can still serve hard with the wood racquet. I think it's misleading. Everyone thinks that there's so much power in the game. You put a wood racquet in Goran's hand, he's still going to hit a lot of aces; really doesn't matter. I kind of like the wood racquet. You feel you can take a pretty good cut at it. With the racquets today, a little more tentative, the ball flies a little bit more. It's a dead issue because I don't see it coming back.

PETE SAMPRAS: I hit for about 20 minutes. I think it would take me honestly a couple days, because I played with it until I was 14, I grew up playing with the wood racquet. I think that's why I hit the ball the way I do. I learned at a young age the fundamentals, hit through the balls. You got kids picking up Profiles and not really learning how to hit the ball. It's all power.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, Michael is serving a lot better than he has. In the past couple years, he's serving better. That's really it. I mean, I don't know who else uses the longer racquet.

PETE SAMPRAS: I don't think the longer racquet is any future of the game. Michael feels like he needs a little more height and he gets it with the longer racquet. It's something I won't try.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, sure. He's one of the classier guys on the Tour. I've always played great matches against him. He adds a lot to the tournament, to the game. To not have him around, you're missing Edberg and Becker and Agassi at the tournament. Seems like a lot of the top guys have fallen. Edberg was great for the game. I'm sure he's laying on the beach right now while I'm still working.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yes. He's the last true serve and volleyer we have. I serve and volley some, Boris serves and volleys some, Goran is more of a server. There really aren't any more serve and volleyers today. It's pretty much baseliners, hitting big forehands.

PETE SAMPRAS: I think the serve and volley game, I know from experience, is a little bit difficult to play. As a youngster it's so much easier as a junior to hit from the baseline, hit groundies all day. It's just an easier game to play. A serve and volleyer takes a longer time to develop. You go through your bumps in the road. It's easier to play a baseline game.

PETE SAMPRAS: I don't think he personally. I just think the game has changed with guys all staying back. Everyone talks about the power of the game. Look at the guys in the Top 10. Majority of them are baseliners. I think we all have to be a little bit honest here.

PETE SAMPRAS: Alvero Betancour is a friend of mine. He asked for a racquet. I always try to help out with charities and stuff. So there you have it.