Sweet Pete

IN 1989, WHEN I WAS A HIGH SCHOOL junior, Andre Agassi was the young tennis sensation - heir apparent to the productive reign of Connors and McEnroe. My friend was crazy over him, conjuring images of the young man from Las Vegas bashing the ball in the outmoded and dusty tennis court of our high school. But long hair, dangling earrings, and rock star costumes? Not my type. A year later Pete Sampras, Agassi's contemporary in the juniors, burst unto the scene. Already nicknamed Pistol Pete, for his barrage of aces, dashed the hopes of the highly-fancied Agassi in their first US Open final, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2, becoming the youngest ever men's singles US Open champion at 19 years and 28 days. Agassi was only 20 himself, making that 1990 epic clash, as one of the youngest finals in history.

It wasn't only Agassi's game that was debilitated. Pete pounded aces and displayed his serve-and-volley game to perfection to subdue now fellow legends Ivan Lendl in the quarters and John McEnroe in the semis. Unlike Agassi, Pete was clean-cut and traditional, wore his tennis whites with pride, not prone to histrionics on court, well-mannered, others say no frills to the point of boring. But I was hooked. Handsome lads with neat hair are my kind of weakness. Twelve years later, I'm still huge on Sampras.

Pete Sampras

Sampras game was ever-evolving. As a boy of seven, the future champion sported a two-handed backhand. At 12, Pete decided that in order to win Wimbledon, he's have to utilize a one-handed backhand and come into the net at every opportunity. The change crippled his junior career but paid huge rewards and dividends as a pro. He could serve (oh, that wondrous serve) and volley beautifully. He could also stay back and rip an enviable forehand. On good days, his backhand was enticing. He was and still is the master of the half volley. That complete arsenal was able to withstand the emergence of young guns and the passage of time.

From 1990 to 2000, the Sampras minions were kind of spoiled. Although the Pistol was still hovering in the labyrinth of the one-slam wonder tag for two years, he was still collecting ATP titles in bunches, his ranking no lower than fourth. He even waltzed into a US Open final again but succumbed to a stomach virus and Stefan Edberg in 1992. And then the magical years, 1993-2000, at least a slam each year. Two in '93 -Wimbledon and US Open, when his reign of six years as No. 1 began. Two in 94 - Australia and Wimbledon. Two again in '95 - Wimbledon and the US Open. The '96 season was clouded by the demise of his long-time coach Tim Gullikson but he was still able to battle through an on-court dehydration and Alex Corretja in the quarters and marched into a fourth US Open. In 1997, there was the Australian Open and then Wimbledon and three more Wimbledons from 1998 to 2000.

As a self-proclaimed biggest fan, my sked was kind of synchronized to the tennis calendar. I made sure that I won't miss a grand slam winning moment but I was sort of absent in four - US Open '90, '93, '95 and Wimbledon '93 due to the networks lack of coverage in RP. However, I wasn't re-missed on the Sampras files. Although playing only second-fiddle to Agassi's antics, Pete's game undoubtedly second to none. That was why it was disheartening when the Philippines leading broadsheet dismissed Sampras' magic in its editorial right after the US Open in '95. In that final, Sampras again dismantled Agassi in four sets. The editors had issues with racket technology and Sampras serve. Goodness, Sampras wasn't even tennis' biggest server. He just knew how to connect cerebral serves.

Big serves don't automatically propel a player to major championships. That is why the likes of Goran Ivanisevic, Richard Krajicek, Greg Rusedski, Mark Philippoussis and Mark Rosset never quite reached their full potentials. Boris Becker with six slams to his name, had a huge serve. But those editors overlooked the presence of Wimbledon's youngest male champion. They just aimed their arrows at Sampras, whom seven slams and seven years later still mesmerized.

The French Open is still the missing link. It's too hot in Paris in May. Sampras suspect fitness level failed to conform even for a finals appearance. His best chance was '96 when he survived three five-setters for a meeting with Kafelnikov in the semis but he wilted under the heat of the sun and pure exhaustion. Pete was always the American lost in Paris.

Unlike Agassi, Sampras' lovelife wasn't as colorful. Agassi dated models like Wendy Stewart, icons like Barbra Streisand, Brooke Shields(wife#1) and Steffi Graf(wife#2). Pete was with South African immigrant Delaina Mulcahy, who was somewhat eight years his senior, for the longest time when Tampa, Florida was his base. She later became a lawyer. The wholesome Kimberly Williams, star of the remake of Father of the Bride and sequel was the constant companion for two years ’97-‘99. The girl he married and expecting their first child, is B-movie actress Bridgette Wilson who immediately juxtaposed Sampras to her name as soon as "I do's" were exchanged. The choice of bride was a disappointment. When you've embraced a likeable stage guru like Williams, a thrashy blonde won't do.

The abyss Sampras wallowed into after tying the knot in September 2000 was mind-boggling. Hard to figure but the great Sampras struggled to strike a balance between career and marriage. Was the blonde a jinx? There was just a lack of motivation, 13 slams was already a record. What is there to achieve when the French is already that elusive? Maybe getting embarrassed by young tantrum-throwers Marat Safin (2000) and Lleyton Hewitt(2001) wasn't part of the deal. Or the second round exit in Wimbledon this year at Court #2. But those were the norm. What was a seven-time Wimbledon doing at Court#2, the graveyard of champions? Something’s brewing at the Sampras camp.

The fifth US Open title at Flushing Meadows this September is more than enough to silence all non-believers. He's sure to venture into fatherhood in the fall and that will surely affect his career decisions. For me, it wasn't really a surprise that he nabbed the Open. Yeah, youth is not on his side but think of current stars with his quality of serves and ground-strokes. I'm grateful to have earned my rights of passage in the Sampras era. You know, if the recent US Open was Pete's last. *

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