Tennis Serves Up Winning Rivalry
It is not yet Ali and Frazier, or Affirmed and Alydar, not Nicklaus and Palmer or even Connors and Borg, but it is getting there, this last-Yank-standing tennis rivalry of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.
“I’ll play him again for $100 right now,” Agassi said, and if he did, there would be a crowd.
“I’m ready,” said Sampras.
And no matter who won, Sampras would still have two Grand Slams this year to Agassi’s one.
“I might still be ranked No. 1,” Agassi said, “but on Dec. 31 when Pete looks back on his year, he’s going to feel better than me. I had a summer of 26 and 1. I’d trade all 26 for that one.”
When the one happens to be the U.S. Open, it still seems an uneven trade.
Sampras won his third national title Sunday, beating Agassi in four sets.
“When you think of the great players,” Sampras said, “you remember their titles, not their ranking. And when you win the Open, you like to beat the best player. I think that’s what our rivalry is and it is getting more and more popular.”
The proof of how special this is becoming is that the audience is more celebrated than the contestants.
“I hit an ace and looked up and saw John F. Kennedy Jr.,” said Sampras. “I said, ‘He looks familiar.’ And there’s a fuss when I’m about to serve and there’s The Terminator.”
Sampras meant Arnold Schwarzenegger, not himself, though when his serve is on, there is no better description of Sampras.
“When the ball is coming 123 mph down the middle,” Agassi said, “it doesn’t matter if you know where it is going or not.”
Sampras is not just all serve and no substance. The two men played one of the great games of the rivalry, of tennis, too, a 22-stroke rally that finished the first set. It broke Agassi’s serve and sent Sampras on his way
No point was shorter than the final one, an ace at match point, Sampras’ 24th ace of the day. Sampras can play them long or short and what ultimately divides Sampras from Agassi is variety. And big titles.
He leads Agassi in their rivalry now nine wins to eight, and in Grand Slam championships seven to three.
“So who is best?” Agassi asked. “He’s beaten me one more than I have him.”
The rivalry invigorates and wears on them both. “It’s difficult to always be going to a tournament expecting you will play,” said Agassi. “It’s hard to convince people Pete’s not on your mind. It’s hard to convince yourself.
“You know there is someone out there to worry about, someone who can beat you even when you play your best tennis, someone to challenge the ins and outs of every point, someone who will force you to come up with shots. I’ve enjoyed it very much.”
The two get to be pals at the Davis Cup this month.
“There won’t be a day when I’ll be satisfied with my tennis,” Sampras said. “It’s what gets me up in the morning to practice. And then, you know, there’s Andre.”
Lucky us.