ATP TOUR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

November 20, 1993

Pete Sampras

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, it just -- you just, you know, I was a bit of in a zone there for just about the whole match. I knew it was my day when I hit the behind the back shot off the frame for a winner; I thought it was going to be a good day at the office. He didn't play as well as he has been. I played two best sets I played in a long time. But the ball was, you know, wherever I would put my racket, it was there, and even the miss-hits were going on the line. I got some good line calls. Just one of those days that I won't forget.

PETE SAMPRAS: I was really thinking about that a lot today. No, I had no idea, but it is pretty ironic.

PETE SAMPRAS: Arm nice and loose ready to go. Pumped up. Big match, and you know, I just want to let him know that I could hit it pretty hard, and, you know, my arm has been feeling great and, you know, even throughout the whole match, my serve just kept on getting harder and harder, and he was really having a tough time reading it, but, you know, it is like, you know, fast ball or pitcher: just hit it hard, and hopefully it will hit the line.

PETE SAMPRAS: I wish it was more of a habit every game, but you know, just I am nice and loose and go out there and seemed like he, you know, got off to a good start and you know, I am not planning on it. It just kind of happens, and hopefully I can do it more often.

PETE SAMPRAS: Each every day is different. You know, probably cannot maintain this level of tennis for two straight days but tomorrow's match will be completely different than today's. I am going to be playing a serve and volleyer and today I could hit some balls in; as the match went on, I got more and more confident. But tomorrow's match will be a bit different.

PETE SAMPRAS: No, I will play every point like it is a big point. Every serve with be like the first serve of a game. No reason to let up. Indoor tennis, as fast as my points are, I am not really getting too fatigued, just my points are short enough where I can, you know, hit every serve as hard as I can.

PETE SAMPRAS: I will watch it on TV, yeah.

PETE SAMPRAS: I am a bit surprised the way I am playing. Obviously it is my fifth week and I am surprised that I am still feel pretty fit. My body feels good, and seemed like my tennis throughout the trip was getting better and better. Like I said, I have always wanted to keep a lot of motivation, no reason to let up right now, and like I said, I'd like to win this event and end my year like it has been going all year, just getting better and better, but, you know, tomorrow's match will be a bit different than today.

PETE SAMPRAS: This whole year has been really great, but if I am serving like the way I am serving; hitting a couple of aces a game, that could give me an opportunity to be a bit more carefree and looser on his service games, and you know, once you get up an early break, you just get more and more confident, but a lot depends how I am serving. If I am not serving as well and if I am working hard to, you know, hold my serve and I won't be quite as loose and carefree when I, you know, am returning his serve, so the serve is obviously the biggest part of my game. But hitting two, three aces a game is a bit intimidating. Like playing Goran, sometimes you are not quite as loose on your service games, so it was a day that I can hopefully play again like this.

PETE SAMPRAS: That match is the history books. You know, bad match and that is the way it goes. You can't play well everyday.

PETE SAMPRAS: Just didn't play well. I mean, even though you are one of the top players in the world, you can have an off day.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, I haven't had any problems. I am travelling with a masseur who is, you know, giving me a lot of rubs and which is important to stay nice and loose and a long road trip is important to stay fit. My shins really haven't been giving me any problems in a long time, so I feel great.

PETE SAMPRAS: He is a good masseur. His name is not important.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, whatever.

PETE SAMPRAS: Whatever it is, it is working.

PETE SAMPRAS: That is up to you to decide. I feel like I am playing very well.

PETE SAMPRAS: I am not a big-- really in favor of it. Tennis is an individual sport, and you know, Davis Cup is really the only place that you have coaching, but I don't really see that happening on the Tour, and I am not really in favor of it.