U.S. OPEN

September 8, 1996

Pete Sampras

PETE SAMPRAS: It's over.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, this definitely saved my year. I mean, first two sets today I thought I played about as well as I could. Got off to a great start. Set the tone. What can I say? I mean, these past two weeks I have played my share of great tennis and poor tennis and got through the Corretja match and I never thought I would be here as the winner. But I thought hard and played the best match of the tournament today against Michael, and so it really saves my year. It really does. It wasn't a bad year, but this will definitely make the rest of the '96 season very enjoyable to play.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, today is Tim's birthday. He would have been 45 today and I was thinking about him all day today and all during the match and things he told me to do on the court and I still felt his spirit and even though he is not with us, he is still very much in my heart and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for his help and it was nice. I saw Tom when I was holding up the trophy and that was a nice moment. So, I am just glad it is over. I really -- just didn't really feel like playing another set.

PETE SAMPRAS: He has always thought, as far as technically on the court, playing Michael, really set the tone. His second serve is attackable and return and smack some forehands because it is one of my best shots. That is something he would have told me. He seen him play for so many years that he knows. I still remember things he has told me, so that would be one thing that he would have said.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I thought it could have meant to be at the French, but we all know what happened there. I don't know. Whatever happened, happened. Against Ivanisevic, I felt -- I had a day off after Corretja -- maybe this was meant to be. I don't know. I mean, I have never been a big believer in fate or destiny. I just feel you go out and play and win. That is it. This year has been very difficult at times on and off the court and this really leaves a very happy thought and some really good memories here.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, 1990 I really - I really couldn't appreciate what it takes to win a major. I was just kind of playing on instinct and kind of in a zone for the past couple of matches. In 1990 and now over the course of the years, I know what it takes to win majors. You need to play great tennis. You need a little bit of luck on your side and back then, it was kind of like a fantasy, the way I played, kind of a dream world and now it takes a lot of hard work and dedication and after Wimbledon and it paid off.

PETE SAMPRAS: I felt -- yeah, I felt a little bit. When I got off, it was a great start. My serve was there, everything was just clicking. Those are days you just dream about, especially in a final and I knew he would come around and start playing better and he did in the third set. He served a lot better and made it tight and I played real solid tiebreaker, hit some good shots and it was one of my best matches I played in my career. I mean, Michael the way he played against Andre, I knew it was going to be a tough battle.

PETE SAMPRAS: You know, it is hard to say. Each, you know, it is such a contrast playing yesterday against Goran. You don't know what he is going to do; what he is going to serve. Michael, you kind of know what to expect. He is going to be -- stay back. It is a huge contrast. I have played some Majors where I have had a lot of different styles of players, Corretja who stayed back and played kind of a clay court match. You just have to adapt and I did that well today.

PETE SAMPRAS: I can't remember. I don't know. I don't know. I mean, there was a time where four, five years ago, I was having a lot of trouble against Michael. He was beating me a number of times. I don't know where I beat him. I eventually started getting a hold of his game and playing better and beat him last four, five times.

PETE SAMPRAS: Eight or nine.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, the losses have been forgotten for quite a while. You mean what happened at Wimbledon and the French, it happened and it is over, and just try to look ahead, but, you know, my main goal when it is January 1 is to win a major title, and this is my last chance to do it and I did it. So, in a lot of ways, I didn't feel like there was a lot of pressure that my career was over after this if I didn't win it, but I'd say it is a great way to end.

PETE SAMPRAS: Not really. The overall picture, I am only 25 and it is not like this is it for me. I mean, I am going to have many more Majors ahead of me and, you know, eventually work hard enough, you are going to win some, and this one is - was the most difficult. I think I have won because of the way I felt physically against Corretja and just past couple of months - this is sweet.

PETE SAMPRAS: I am, even though, I am pretty stoic. I was in the back with all the boys and real happy, and I am pumped, I really am. I felt -- I just was so glad that shot was out on matchpoint. I just wanted it to be over, you know, Michael, he doesn't give you an inch. He really doesn't. Always fights to the end and I am pumped. I am really happy.

PETE SAMPRAS: I have a couple of weeks off and I play some events over in Europe, Basel and Paris and Stuttgart and ATP Finals in Hannover and -- over in Europe I will be playing.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, about four or five events.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I don't think anyone would lay down at this situation, whoever I played in the final. I mean, everyone - whoever I would play today, if it was Andre, wouldn't have laid down, but Michael especially, is a feisty player. He is so competitive and wouldn't give me a point. He is a very tough guy to beat. He makes you earn every point you win, so, you know, it is a rivalry that I have had since we were seven, eight years old growing up in California. I battled with him through the juniors and pros, and, you know, we both have come along way from the junior days and it is a rivalry that will continue, I believe. I mean, he is obviously a great player.

PETE SAMPRAS: A lot taller too.

PETE SAMPRAS: That doesn't surprise me at all. Michael earns his wins and makes his living fighting and fighting and fighting and that is his character. That is what makes him a champion and he will be around for the next five, six, seven-- ten years. So he is -- all the guys, Courier, Agassi, Martin -- just go down the list, Michael is going to be one of those guys that is going to be threatening to take the top spot and win major titles.

PETE SAMPRAS: I feel like I can do some things, you know, I can my serve and I can stay back and hit the forehand pretty well. I feel like, you know, I have got a pretty good all-around court game. If things aren't working well in one area, I can rely on something else. I don't know. I mean, that is something I really don't think about.

PETE SAMPRAS:

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I don't know, I will let you guys conclude that.

PETE SAMPRAS: All of them. I mean, I always felt Michael and Andre, especially Andre when he was growing up in the juniors by far, of the other guys, he was the most talented; just a matter of him putting it together and Michael -- I didn't know Michael was going to win the French. I thought maybe at such a young age and I think the fact that we had each other to play against and the competition, you know, it really made us better players. We grew up together battling, but I would have to say, you know, all those guys you mentioned, I expected to be in the top 10, top 20 and -- but it was a good rivalry.

PETE SAMPRAS: At this point the ranking can just -- you know, playing today the ranking was up for grabs and I wanted the title. The title is so much more important to me than the ranking. You know, so whatever happens the rest of the year, if I am ended No. 2 or No. 3, I have achieved what I wanted to achieve this year and that was to win a major and so that is it.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, that was against Corretja?

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, that was the single shot that I don't know where that came from. I think it came from the man upstairs.

PETE SAMPRAS: Tim. Came from Tim. That shot, I will never forget and the reaction of the crowd was awesome. I will never forget those moments when I really could feel the crowd chanting my name Pete and to win, that was awesome. You know, just decided I really didn't want to play the point. I wanted to hit a wide side and it went a lot better than I thought it would.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, I purposely, the day after the match, I didn't come out to the site. I didn't really -- unfortunately for you guys -- didn't want to talk about it because I wanted to prepare for Goran, but, you know, everyone has been talking about it and just with the crowd and the vomiting and all that stuff, I guess it was dramatic (audience laughter).

PETE SAMPRAS: So I don't know what to say, I mean, maybe over the next couple of years I will reflect on and see the tape of the match and appreciate it a little bit more than I do now.

PETE SAMPRAS: I got down to the referee's room. I always do that before the match. I was sitting there 2, 3 hours watching the ballgame. You are cooped up all day not really doing anything, it is good to get out and get some fresh air; hit some balls; move around, kind of break a little sweat. I did that. I don't know if it helped me get off to a great start, but I will do it again if it works.

PETE SAMPRAS: You should know that.

PETE SAMPRAS: Eight.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, that I think the fact that I have won a number of them over the past three or four years, the more I want to win them. The other titles are nice, but when it is all and said and done, you look at your career, these matches are going to stand out, the match against Agassi is going to stand out last year and all the Majors that I have won so far will stand out. It is not the money. It is not the commercials. The titles, that is what I will be remembered for and I will think about that a lot.

PETE SAMPRAS: No, everyone is competition.

PETE SAMPRAS: I rather not talk about the French (audience laughter) Yeah, I have thought about it, but once it comes around next year, I will prepare a little bit better than I did this year and now I know I can win there with the players I beat there and a surface I feel that I can play well on. I just need a little bit of luck on my side and hopefully one day I can win it. You know, it is in my thoughts, but I don't think about it a lot.

PETE SAMPRAS: I do not think you can put the one over the other. I mean, last year was a huge moment for Andre and myself. He was the hottest player on the Tour and so much media hype and, you know, a lot of pressure at stake and they are both huge matches, you can't put one over the other. I think this one I got through some tough matches against Novak and Corretja, maybe this could be a little sweeter, but they are all big.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I don't know if it is so much a will. I think it is the game. I think it is the guy you are playing. I feel like my game matches up pretty well against Michael. I can serve well. I can rally with him, and Michael pretty much has to do what he does best, that is, stay back and grind and come in when he has to. The thing against Michael if you are not playing well, if you are not serving well, it is a tough day. That is, but if I am playing well, I will be dominating and setting the tone, then I believe the match will go my way, so you know, when it comes to a fifth set, you know, then it comes down to will and heart and fortunately we didn't have to go through that.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, the first couple of sets were smooth and they were trying to get Michael into the match and I could feel the crowd trying to spur him on and I just -- I am also American, so (audience laughter) but I think the crowd wanted to see more tennis, I could understand that. It was a very long day for everyone and -- but that tiebreaker was a big moment.

PETE SAMPRAS: With some rest and good schedule I believe I can. There is no reason why I can't continue to work hard and even though it is an emotional grind, I do have some time off to regroup; get the batteries charged up again and, you know, prepare my schedule for the Majors and go from there. So I don't see there is no reason why I can't continue to play at this level and contend for major titles and continue to work hard.

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