Sampras Tops ‘Em All

Tennis

Before he took the court Sunday for the final of the ATP Tour Championship at Hanover, Germany, Pete Sampras was voted the best tennis player of the past 25 years.

Then he went out and showed why he is altogether worthy of the honor.

In a compelling demonstration of classic tennis, Sampras routed Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 to capture his fourth ATP Tour title.

“When my game clicks like that, I feel unbeatable,” Sampras said.

Kafelnikov, the 1996 French Open, wasn’t about to disagree.

“I wanted to walk off the court after the first set because I knew it was going to get worse,” he said. “I felt so embarrassed. I had no chance.”

Sampras, the world’s No. 1 player for the fifth straight year, became the first player to win the ATP title in consecutive years since Ivan Lendl in 1986 and 1987.

Sampras also won this season-ending event in 1991, 1994 and 1996, joining Ilie Nastase with four ATP titles. Only Lendl, with five, has won more.

Sampras began shakily, dropping his serve in the opening game. But he quickly picked up his game and overpowered Kafelnikov with a full range of shots.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Sampras said. “It’s so much fun when everything you try is going to work out.”

Sampras picked up $1.34 million for his victory, bringing his career earnings to more than $30 million and his earnings for the year to more than $9 million.

Hingis edges Davenport

Top-seeded Martina Hingis once again was forced to play three sets, including two tiebreaks, but was able to hold off Lindsay Davenport to win the $450,000 Advanta Championships in Villanova, Pa.

In a matchup of the players who will enter this week’s season-ending Chase Championships ranked No. 1 and No. 2, Hingis struggled before earning a 7-5, 6-7 (9-7), 7-6 (7-4) victory and the $79,000 first prize.

Hingis trailed 5-3 in the first set before winning, was ahead 5-3 in the second set before losing the tiebreak, then trailed 6-5 in the third set before winning the tiebreak to earn her 12th title of the year, tops on the tour.

It was a long week for Hingis, 17, the top-ranked player and winner at the Australian and U.S. Opens and Wimbledon.

She needed three sets to win each of her last three matches, beating Anke Huber in the quarterfinals, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the semifinals and Davenport.

Agassi slip slidin’

Andre Agassi, in a prolonged slump, endured another setback when he was beaten by Christian Vinck of Germany 6-2, 7-5 in the final of the $50,000 Luxor Las Vegas-USTA Challenger tournament.

Agassi, ranked No. 1 in the world for 30 weeks in 1995 and for two weeks early in 1996, had fallen to No.141 entering his hometown tournament.

ATP plans changes

Beginning in 2000, the season-ending ATP World Tour Championship will rotate around the world.

The ATP also will simplify the ranking system, cut the number of top events from nine to seven, and possibly join the men’s and women’s tournaments.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: TOP PLAYER POLL The top 10 men’s tennis players of the past 25 years, as voted by a 100-member panel of current and retired players, tournament directors and journalists (first-place votes in parentheses): 1. Pete Sampras (26) 779 2. Bjorn Borg (17) 754 3. John McEnroe (13) 721 4. Jimmy Connors (9) 634 5. Ivan Lendl (3) 493 6. Boris Becker 446 7. Stefan Edberg (1) 372 8. Rod Laver (14) 360 9. Mats Wilander 209 10. Ilie Nastase 185