Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Sampas Takes Down Agassi

On Sept. 10, 1990, tennis great 19 year old Pete Sampras beats Andre Agassi to win US Open

Over his 15-year career Sampras totaled 762 wins and 222 losses for a 77.43 winning percentage, with 64 career titles. His highest ranking came at No. 1 on April 12, 1993.

In the Grand Slam, Sampras was the Australian Open in 1994 and 1997, Wimbledon seven times including four consecutive times from 1997-2000. He was on the US Open five times including back-to-back wins in 1995 and 1996. 

Sampras also won the Tour Finals five times, including back-to-back wins in 1996-1997. 

The best Sampras ever finished in singles at the French Open was in the semi-finals in 1996. He also made it to the third round of competition in the 1992 Olympic games.

In Doubles Sampras was not as impressive but still won two career titles, with 64 wins and 70 losses. His highest ranking as a duo came in 1990 when he and Jim Courier reached No. 27 overall on February 12, 1990.

The two titles Sampras won in doubles competition both came at the Davis Cup in 1992 and 1995, but he was never able to pair that success in the Grand Slam only making it to the first round in the US Open from 1988-1990, the second round of the Australian Open and French Open in 1989 and the third round of Wimbledon in 1989.

Since his retirement Sampras has played in many matches, with his first coming on April 6, 2006, three and a half years after his retirement. Sampras resurfaced in River Oaks, Houston, Texas, against 23-year-old Robby Ginepri. Ginepri won the match in two sets. Sampras later announced that he would be playing in World Team Tennis events.

The year 2007 saw Sampras become a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. It also saw Sampras announce that he would play in a few events on the Outback Champions Series, a group of tournaments for former ATP players who have met certain criteria during their careers. Sampras won his first two events on tour, defeating Todd Martin in both finals.

On November 20, 2007, Sampras lost the first of three exhibition matches in Asia against Roger Federer in Seoul, Korea. Two days later in Kuala Lumpur, Sampras again lost to Federer in two tie-breaks. However, Sampras was able to win the last match of the series, winning in two sets on fast carpet.

On February 18, 2008, in an exhibition match during the SAP Open at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. Sampras defeated another active player, former world No. 2 Tommy Haas. Sampras dispatched the German in 43-minutes. 

On March 10, 2008, Sampras played another exhibition match against world No. 1 Roger Federer at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Sampras once again lost the match in three tight sets.

In 2009 Sampras won two Outback Champions Series titles. He defeated McEnroe in the final of the Champions Cup Boston in February and Patrick Rafter in the final of The Del Mar Development Champions Cup in March.

In 2010 with Roger Federer, Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal, he played an exhibition doubles match at Indian Wells to raise money for the people of Haiti who had been affected by the earthquake. 

On November 17, 2011, Sampras played and lost an exhibition match against Milos Raonic. This was the last match that Sampras had played in.

For his career Sampras still ranks as the fourth highest money winner in tennis history, with a total of $43,280,489 of prize money won.

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