HANOVER, Germany (AP) -- The year of his historic achievement ended less gloriously
for Pete Sampras on Saturday, in an error-filled loss to the tenacious Spaniard, Alex Corretja, in the semifinals of the ATP Tour World Championship.
Corretja beat the top-ranked Sampras 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), saving three match points
along the way.
His victory produced a historic all-Spanish
final at the elite season-ending $3.5 million
championship, with Corretja facing Carlos
Moya, a good friend.
Moya, the French Open champion, defeated Tim Henman 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.
Despite his loss, Sampras is assured of holding to No. 1 for a record sixth
consecutive year.
"It's a tough way to end it, I must admit," Sampras said.
"I had mixed emotions, coming so close to winning, being in the final. But the
achievement of doing it six years in a row, and the fans giving me a nice
ovation, it was a very food feeling."
"But it wasn't the way I wanted to end the year," Sampras said.
"Although I felt I wasn't playing as well as I was through the week, I felt like
I was playing well enough to win. He hit some unbelievable passing shots,"
said Sampras, who had not dropped a set in his three round-robin matches.
But he had 50 unforced errors against
Corretja, who only had 19.
Sampras was seeking his fifth title in the elite
tournament after winning the championship in
1991, 1994 and the last two years.
Only once before have two Spaniards
contested a final on any surface other than
clay, and that was at the start of this year
when Corretja beat Felix Mantilla in Dubai.
The ATP championship is played on an
indoor hard court.
"We have been told by people all over the
world that we can only play on clay," said Corretja, who is ranked No. 6 in
the world. "Now they have to show us some respect."
Sampras accomplished his main goal of the year - remaining No. 1 for the
sixth consecutive year - when Marcelo Rios dropped out Thursday because
of a back injury. That ruined Rios' hopes of challenging Sampras.
Corretja gave Sampras an epic four-hour battle in the U.S. Open
quarterfinals in 1996, when Sampras was so ill he had to vomit, still
managing to save a match point. But Corretja had never beaten Sampras in
their previous three matches.
"I realize God is fair and gave me this victory after two years of hearing
about that match," Corretja said.
The three match points turned into a long rallies, and all went Corretja's way,
one on his winner, two on errors by Sampras. Sampras netted a simple
forehand and dived for a volley on the last one, but it went wide.
"That easy forehand on match point
will sit on me for a while," Sampras
said after that match that lasted two
hours and eight minutes.
The loss reflected the kind of mixed
year Sampras has had, by his
standards. He won Wimbledon and
three other titles, but no other
Grand Slams.
Two Spaniards have never played in a final before in this tournament. The
last Spanish finalist was Manuel Orantes, who also won what was then
called the Masters in 1976 in Houston.
Although not known for his prowess on indoor courts, Moya reached the
semifinals of the championship last year in his first appearance in the
tournament and now has advanced to his first final.
Corretja could become the first player to win the event in his first attempt
since John McEnroe in 1978.
Moya turned the match in the middle of the third set, when he broke
Henman's serve to tie the core at 3-3.
"I played one of my best matches on indoor surfaces," said the fifth-ranked
Moya, adding that this was probably one his best three matches all year.
"I said when I came here that I wanted to win this tournament," Moya said.
"Nobody believed me. Now it's just one step away from me. I hope you
realize when I talk, I'm not joking at all."
With Henman serving to stay in the match, Moya whipped a backhand
passing shot to gain a match point. He hit a tremendous return winner past
Henman to clinch the match after two hours and 20 minutes.
"He definitely raised his game in those games that he broke me at 3-2 and at
the end," said Henman, who will move up two places to a career-high No. 7
in the world in final 1998 rankings. "He came up with some great shots."
Moya advanced to his fourth final of the year, the first not on clay. He also
won the Monte Carlo tournament.
