Sampras Tops Agassi In A Blast From The Past

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Pete Sampras Tops Andre Agassi In A Blast From The Past
By Anton Lagani, Lawn Tennis Analyst, Posted: Thursday, October 20, 2011 4:45am PST USA

Sampras Tops Agassi In A Blast From The Past

LOS ANGELES-- Friday night in Los Angeles, two tennis legends turned back the clock to thrill the Staples Center crowd as Pete Sampras would defeat his fellow American Andre Agassi 8-6.

The pro set final round match was the third match of the evening of the Champions Series at Los Angeles after two semifinals had earlier been decided.

First on the court in the evening of two all-American semifinals, Agassi topped John McEnroe 6-3 followed by Sampras beating Jim Courier 7-6(7-3).

Pete Sampras of the USA | Image: Lawn Tennis

In a record run during the period from 1993 to 2000, Sampras won Wimbledon seven times.

In the final round pro set, Agassi held serve to reach 3-4 then entertained the crowd by hitting several balls with a ball girl with Sampras missing from the court for a medical timeout.

After holding to reach 5-6, an Agassi courtside shirt change produced possibly the loudest crowd roar of the evening.

Then the Las Vegas native Agassi scored several more roars during a second oncourt hitting session with an additional ball kid with Sampras missing from the court for a second medical timeout.

Undeterred by repeated shouts of “we love you” from the pro-Agassi crowd, Sampras proceeded to hold serve to pull ahead 7-5.

However only minutes later, an Agassi ace down the tee on game point put the set at 7-6.

In the final game of the night with Sampras serving, a Sampras forehand dropshot winner followed by a netted Agassi backhand would decide the encounter.

Sampras and Agassi are both considered to be two of the greatest tennis players of all times.

Known for his powerful, extreme groundstrokes, Agassi won Wimbledon in 1992 and the US Open in 1994 and 1999.

The serve and volleyer Sampras, before the arrival of the Swiss Roger Federer, was widely considered as the greatest tennis player ever.

In a record run during the period from 1993 to 2000, Sampras won Wimbledon seven times; in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000.