Pete Sampras, tennis' best ever, says goodbye
By Richie Whitt, Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 26, 2003
Muhammad Ali couldn't do it. Neither could Bill Parcells. Michael Jordan tried it twice, both times embarrassingly unsuccessfully.
Pete Sampras did it. And, like he always has, made it look easy. What Sampras pulled off Monday night at the U.S. Open is one of the most remarkable feats in sports.
He retired on top.
And, unlike some of the other names atop sports' Mount Rushmore, bet you a can of Wilsons he stays that way.
In a world where retired athletes and coaches are routinely, wrongly pushed back into business by that evil "itch that needs to be scratched," Sampras seems uniquely content. After 15 years and a record 14 Grand Slams, he's gone. For good. For great. Forever.
Oh, he made it official in New York, where a year ago he capped his unprecedented career with an unthinkable run to his fifth U.S. Open championship. But Sampras has been unofficially officially retired the past 12 months. After whipping rival Andre Agassi in the 2002 U.S. Open final, Sampras breathed a sigh of relief and retired his racquet.
He dabbled with the idea of returning in early March, practicing a couple of weeks with coach Paul Annacone. But neither the desire, nor the challenge, were there. The only uncapped peak resides in France, and with his game and his age, it's as remote as ever. Instead of dwelling on what he doesn't have, Sampras went back to his perfect life in the perfect mansion in Beverly Hills with perfect wife Bridgette Wilson and perfect 8-month-old son Christian. He played pick-up hoops, joined a beach volleyball game or two, watched Wimbledon, yawned and kept on being retired.
Since tennis turned out to be something Sampras did instead of being who he was, we're now only left with a lasting legacy of the greatest player to ever swing a racquet.
That's right, the greatest. It's a U.S. Open and shut case.
Rod Laver had more touch and Agassi a better return and Bjorn Borg a better backhand and Jimmy Connors better emotion and ...
In the end, Sampras has the better r?sum?. From 1993-98, a record six consecutive years, he was ranked No. 1. There's more. But do you really need it?
Between his first match as a 16-year-old in Philadelphia in 1988 to his fitting finale last September as a 31-year-old underdog in New York, Sampras never lost control. No drug busts. No frantic 911 calls made from his house. No 2 a.m. "misunderstandings" with police or fans or limo drivers or "entertainers." Unconditional focus was his greatest gift and nastiest vice.
Simple Sampras bored us with winning. Shame on us.
The record books won't let us forget Sampras. Hopefully, neither will the memories.
Vomiting on the court in the '96 U.S. Open quarterfinal against Alex Correjta but somehow recovering to stand up, much less win? That was Sampras.
Turning Wimbledon's fabled Centre Court into his personal backyard playground a record seven times? That was Sampras.
Crying on the court during an Australian Open semifinal after learning his longtime coach, Tim Gullikson, had terminal brain cancer? That was Sampras.
Slouching, shuffling through the U.S. Open locker room with sandals on his feet and a Pearl Jam CD blaring on his headphones? That was Sampras.
Rarely being hero or villain but routinely being a winner? That was Sampras.
And one of the most effortless, effective weapons in the history of sports? That, too, was Sampras.
The touch volleys, the stoic demeanor and the thinning hair -- all will be engulfed eventually by the Sampras Serve. Andy Roddick's is faster, John McEnroe's had a nastier angle and Boris Becker's a more violent kick, but Sampras' effortless motion not only produced the best ever serve in tennis -- but also one of the most clutch shots since the advent of keeping score. Simply unreturnable on the grass or the cement, Sampras' serve is up there with Nolan Ryan's fastball, Barry Sanders' spin, Ali's jab and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's sky hook.
He doesn't need more money or trophies or boosts to his ego. He climbed the mountain, and now he's enjoying the view.
Fittingly, Pete Sampras aced his retirement.
By the numbers
Pete Sampras retired from tennis Monday, a sport he dominated for more than a decade. A numerical look at his prowess:
First match Feb. 22, 1988, at age 16, Sampras loses to Sammy Giammalva Jr..
984: Matches
762: Match victories
88: Tournament finals appearances
64: Overall tournament titles
14: Grand Slam titles
6: Consecutive years ranked No. 1 (1993-98)
$43.3: Million in earnings
Last match: Sept. 8, 2002, at 31, Sampras defeats Andre Agassi to win the U.S. Open.