Tennis in 1997 | Britannica.com Tennis in 1997 Originally published in the Britannica Book of the Year. Presented as archival content. Britannica Stories Ringling Bros. Folds Its Tent Becoming only the second man in the modern era of "open tennis" to finish five consecutive years as the world’s top-ranked player, Pete Sampras garnered two more Grand Slam titles in a stellar 1997 campaign. Sampras dominated the men’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), winning his second consecutive and fourth career ATP Tour world championship. He also finished the year as the ATP’s top money winner, with $6,498,311, more than twice that of the runner-up, Yevgeny Kafelnikov. Switzerland’s Martina Hingis (see BIOGRAPHIES) established herself as the best in the women’s game, sweeping three of the four major championships before turning 17 and ending the season as the top women’s money winner, with $3,400,196. Capturing men’s Grand Slam crowns for the first time were Australia’s Patrick Rafter and Brazil’s Gustavo Kuerten.

Meanwhile, Iva Majoli of Croatia won her first major title. Three of Germany’s great players came to different crossroads, as did the enigmatic American Andre Agassi. Steffi Graf--world champion for 8 of the previous 10 years--had knee surgery in June and was forced off the courts for the rest of 1997. Michael Stich, 1991 Wimbledon champion, retired at age 28, and Boris Becker moved into semiretirement as he approached the age of 30. Agassi married actress Brooke Shields in April and wandered indifferently through most of the year, sinking to number 122 on the end-of-season computer ranking list. Australian Open When Hingis moved relentlessly through the field at Melbourne to stake her claim as the youngest Grand Slam singles titlist of the century, she did not concede a set in the entire event and obliterated Mary Pierce 6-2, 6-2 in the final. Graf was ousted 6-2, 7-5 in the fourth round by the surging South African Amanda Coetzer, who concluded the season as the number four player in the world.

Connect with Britannica Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest Sampras started his season in high style, recording a second championship run in Melbourne. The resolute American handled the oppressive weather conditions admirably, surviving two five-set contests and then halting Spain’s surprising Carlos Moya 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 in a meticulous final-round display. Moya toppled defending champion Becker in a five-set opening-round skirmish and upended second-seeded Michael Chang 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 in the semifinal round. Austria’s indefatigable Thomas Muster achieved a major breakthrough on the hard courts, reaching the semifinals with unexpected wins over two-time former titlist Jim Courier and the explosive Goran Ivanisevic. Muster then lost in straight sets to Sampras. French Open Ranked 66th in the world coming into the world’s preeminent clay court event, Kuerten proceeded to defeat three former champions on his way to a startling success at Roland Garros.

The 20-year-old knocked out 1995 winner Muster in a five-set third-round showdown, came through again in five arduous sets against defending champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov, and then was thoroughly uninhibited in a straight-set conquest of 1993-94 victor Sergi Bruguera. Kuerten was the first man from Brazil to win the French tournament. The top-seeded Sampras, slowed by a stomach virus, lost in the third round to Sweden’s Magnus Norman. Hingis had been away from tennis for seven weeks prior to the French Open, but even so she seemed certain to finish on top. After having won six consecutive tournaments and 37 matches in a row during the year, she was soundly taken apart 6-4, 6-2 by an authoritative Majoli. Searching for a third-straight title and a sixth overall, Graf contested her last match of the year and injured herself seriously with 64 unforced errors in a 6-1, 6-4 quarterfinal loss to Coetzer. The South African was narrowly eliminated by Majoli in a hard-fought three-set semifinal confrontation.

Hingis defeated 1990-92 champion Monica Seles in another suspenseful three-set semifinal. No match was more compelling than Majoli’s 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 fourth-round escape against Lindsay Davenport of the U.S. Davenport won the first set 7-5 and was leading in the second 4-0, 40-15, but she collapsed thereafter. Majoli retaliated audaciously and never looked back. Wimbledon Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies Taking the most coveted title in tennis for the fourth time in five years, Sampras was first-rate. He lost his serve only twice in seven matches, winning an astonishing 116 of 118 service games. In the final he routed Cédric Pioline of France 6-4, 6-2, 6-4, repeating the straight-set victory he had achieved against the same opponent four years earlier in the U.S. Open final.

Sealing his 10th Grand Slam singles title at the All-England Club, Sampras placed himself within striking distance of Roy Emerson, who collected a record 12 major championships in the 1960s. All About Astronomy Until Sampras restored order in the end, it was a tournament of upsets as rain disrupted the first week of play. The second week was so crowded with extra matches that Sampras was on court all but one afternoon. The favourite, however, was surrounded by three unseeded players in the semifinal round. Pioline subdued Stich in a spirited five-set struggle that ended minutes before darkness. Earlier, Sampras was a confident straight-set victor over Australia’s Todd Woodbridge. After beating Becker in a four-set quarterfinal, Sampras listened incredulously at the net as the German told him, "This was my last match at Wimbledon, and I just want you to know that it has been a pleasure playing against you." Also bowing out in the quarterfinals were Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski, the two top British competitors.

Not since 1936, when Fred Perry collected his third title in a row, had a British man been triumphant in the singles at Wimbledon, but both Henman and Rusedski had seemed capable of claiming the crown this time around. Much to the chagrin of many seasoned British observers, Rusedski suffered a four-set quarterfinal loss to Pioline on the same day that Henman faltered in a straight-set loss to Stich. Hingis was eager to make amends for her Paris disappointment, and she did precisely that. In the final the top seed confronted third-seeded Jana Novotna, whose all-court virtuosity was at first too much for the teenager, but Hingis’s agile mind and superior strategic acumen ultimately enabled her to recover for a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 triumph in her first Wimbledon final. Hingis was the youngest player to capture the All-England championship since Lottie Dodd in 1887.

In the semifinals Hingis was a straight-set winner over the glamorous Russian 16-year-old Anna Kournikova, and Novotna easily dismissed 1995-96 finalist Arantxa Sánchez Vicario. Second-seeded Seles could not convert a match point against Sandrine Testud of France and lost tamely in the third round. U.S. Open Eyjafjallajökull volcano With his movie star appearance and muscular physique, Rafter was an immensely popular figure in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., as the players assembled for the last Grand Slam event of the season. At 24 the Australian demonstrated irrefutably that he had come of age. He had lost five finals without winning a tournament leading up to the U.S. contest, but he raised the level of his game markedly and performed more powerfully than ever before. In the final he eliminated Rusedski 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. Not since Pat Cash triumphed at Wimbledon 10 years earlier had an Australian won a major championship. Rafter toppled two highly regarded Americans en route to his groundbreaking triumph.

In the fourth round he was dazzling under the lights in a four-set victory over 1994 champion Agassi, and in the semifinals he played what was perhaps the match of his career as he comprehensively cut down 1996 finalist Chang 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. Chang had seldom, if ever, been more demoralized by a defeat, having believed that he was perfectly positioned to claim his first major title since the French Open in 1989. Meanwhile, Sampras could not contain one of the game’s greatest and purest shotmakers and fell in the fourth round against Petr Korda of the Czech Republic. Sampras led 3-0 in the fifth set, but the inspired Korda would not submit and eventually prevailed 6-7, 7-5, 7-6, 3-6, 7-6. In the quarterfinals Korda surrendered down two sets to love against Sweden’s Jonas Bjorkman, excusing himself with a head cold and making a disconcerting departure. In many ways the women upstaged the men at tournament.

Venus Williams became the first African-American female to appear in the final since Althea Gibson won the crown in 1958. Unseeded and largely an unrealized talent until her remarkable performance, Williams advertised her astonishing athleticism and her strong will to win throughout the competition. In the final she was simply beaten by a decidedly better match player, her weaknesses thoroughly exposed by Hingis in a 6-0, 6-4 loss. Hingis consequently became only the sixth woman ever to capture at least three Grand Slam titles in a single year. It was apparent, however, that Williams stirred more emotions than any other player in the field. She upended 8th-seeded Anke Huber in the third round and toppled number 11 Irina Spirlea in an excruciatingly tight semifinal meeting, saving two match points to win 7-6, 4-6, 7-6. That match was marred by an incident at a changeover in which the two competitors seemed to deliberately bump into each other. Richard Williams--the father of Venus--accused the Romanian player of racism after the match but later apologized to Spirlea and retracted his accusation.

Other Events After an agonizing loss in the 1996 Davis Cup final, in which they were three times within a point of defeating France, Sweden came back unwaveringly in 1997 to become the champion nation for the sixth time. The Swedish men beat the United States 5-0 in the late November final at Göteborg, Swed. Sampras, who suffered a muscle tear in his calf, was forced to retire after having split sets with Magnus Larsson. Bjorkman--who ascended from number 69 to number 4 in 1997--was the chief architect of the triumph. In the Fed Cup final for the women, France was triumphant for the first time, overcoming The Netherlands 4-1 at Den Bosch, Neth. Pierce and Testud ably joined forces to lead France to the triumph.

1997 Wimbledon: Pete Sampras defeats Cédric Pioline | Tennis Buzz 1997 Wimbledon: Pete Sampras defeats Cédric Pioline Excerpt of Pete Sampras ‘ autobiography A champion’s mind : “ Todd Woodbridge had a career singles run at Wimbledon in 1997, making it all the way to the semifinals. Although he is one of the all-time doubles greats, Todd had trouble translating his skill to singles. He had geat technique and finesse, and he was very crafty. But he didn’t make a lot of power and he didn’t move great (in doubles, he only had to worry about half the court). Todd’s weaknesses played right into my strengths, and I had little trouble with him. Once again, I found myself facing Cédric Pioline in the final. I felt for Cédric because even though he had played a previous Grand Slam final against me at the US Open, this was different – no tournament feels as historic as Wimbledon . There was no pressure on him; I was the prohibitive favorite. His best chance lay in getting out there and just letting it rip – what did he have to lose? But that’s easier said than done.

Once again, as in our US Open final, Cédric seemed overwhelmed. I won the first two sets, giving up just six games. I was on top of my game and in touch with the Gift. It seemed like just minutes after the start of the match, yet there I was, serving at 5-4 in the third. I found myself thinking, Wow this is too easy. I don’t mean to be disrespectful toward Cédric. It was just that the match was on my racket, far sooner and with far less difficulty than I expected. I had this flash as I got within two points of the match: Man, this is so big, what I’m doing – this is it. Wimbledon. It’s huge … And I was immediately overcome by this feeling of insecurity. I panicked, like someone having an anxiety attack. I thought, Is it really supposed to be so easy? Am I missing something here? Is this all going to turn out to be some kind of joke or hoax, on me? In a very real, visceral way, it was like a great dream, the kind in which you feel omnipotent, but a part of you knows that at any moment you might wake up and destroy the illusion.

But I didn’t wake. I coasted across the finish line in straight sets, giving up a total of ten games. It was fitting end to one of the least eventful or significant of my Wimbledon tournaments. I didn’t have any epic battles or showdowns with career rivals. Yet my performance at Wimbledon in 1997 may have been my best, in terms of having full control of my game and using it to maximum advantage for the longest sustained period. One stat said it all: I served 118 games, and held 116 times.” Wimbledon legends: Pete Sampras Wimbledon legends: Pete Sampras Princy James - 21-06-2014 - View: 5499 There was a time when Wimbledon was Sampras, and Sampras was Wimbledon... Editors Thoughts Our perception of greatness is often a far cry from reality, for it attributes wrong facets to brilliance. Our heroes are exaggerated, demonstrative and audacious. We cloak them in passion and jazziness; perhaps this could have been the reason why Pete Sampras had never been an instant favourite of the people or the press. He seemed a bit blase, hence they deemed him 'boring'.

For Sampras, passion wasn't superficial, but something that ran deep through his veins, which he bothered not to feign to excite the spectacle. Although it took him longer than usual, his genius eventually found its way to the hearts of people; the eminence, the legacy, he left behind at Wimbledon, only a few can match! After Bjorn Borg, and before Roger Federer, it was Sampras who ruled Wimbledon. He won a record seven titles in eight years between 1993-2000, underscoring that he was the undisputed King of the Centre Court in the nineties. That decade, Wimbledon was all about this stoical American. Sampras' love for grass wasn't natural, but rather acquired; the ease with which he dominated Wimbledon was deceptive of that fact. His debut performance at the All England Club was in 1989, where he lost in the first round to Todd Woodbridge. Next year as well, his Wimbledon campaign ended without a win as he lost in the first round to South Africa's Christo Van Rensburg in straight sets (Rensburg is the only player other than Richard Krajicek to beat Sampras in straight sets at Wimbledon).

In 1991, he lost to fellow American Derrick Rostagno in R2, in four sets.His first three appearances at Wimbledon didn’t go beyond the second round. The hard-court Californian kid had ample reasons to 'hate' grass. It was his coach, late Tim Gullikson, who helped him evolve into a master on grass. Tim's efforts were paid off when Sampras reached the semi-finals for the first time in 1992, sending off defending champion Michael Stich in straight sets in the quarterfinals. But his happiness was short-lived, and he faced defeat at the hands of hard-hitting Croatian Goran Ivanisevic in the semi-finals; his first and only loss to 'Ivan-ace-evic' at Wimbledon. Even though he lost, there was a huge paradigm shift in Sampras' attitude about grass and Wimbledon from then on. 1993 - First Wimbledon title Although Sampras finaly fell in love with Wimbledon, he still hasn't been a beloved of its crowd yet. On the contrary, he got booed by the crowd when he defeated Andrew Foster, a Brit, in Round 16.

The nonchalant champion further irked the crowd when he toppled defending champion and another darling of the crowd, Andre Agassi, in a thrilling five set semi-final encounter, much to the dismay of the latter's fans, including Barbra Streisand. His opponent in the final was Jim Courier, the No:1 player and a winner of four Grand Slams. Sampras won the first two sets in tie-break, but Courier bounced back in the third, winning it 3-6. In the fourth and final set, Sampras fought back, winning the set -- 6-3 -- and the match. At 23, Sampras won his first ever title at Wimbledon. From then on, there was no looking back. In 1994, Sampras' dominance on grass was very apparent. Throughout the tournament, he gave up only one set -- against Todd Martin in the semi-finals. Ivanisevic once again, was awaiting him in the finals; that time, the Croatian was leading their head-to-head 5-3. As expected, the encounter between two big servers spawn aces in galore, and most points where limited to four or five shots.

It was a nail-biting finish for the first two sets, which Sampras won - 7-6, 7-6. Sampras clinched the third and final set 6-0 from an emotionally drained Ivanisevic. By defending his title, Sampras proved the crowd that he was no accidental champion. The following year, he defeated Ivanisevic once again, this time in the semi-finals in a thrilling five set encounter. In the final, his opponent was three-time champion Boris Becker -- the only opponent ranked in the top 20 in his draw! Although Becker won the first set, a young Sampras proved to be too good for the 29-year-old German. The final score was - 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2. In 1996, Sampras' hopes of winning a fourth straight title at Wimbledon were crushed by Dutch annihilator Richard Krajicek. Krajicek, who defeated Sampras 7-5, 7-6, 6-4, in the quarterfinals, eventually won the title defeating Malivai Washington in the finals.

In 1997, he made a comeback and reclaimed his title defeating Frenchman Cedric Pioline -- whom he had earlier defeated in the 1993 US Open final -- in straight sets. 1998 was a repeat of the 1994 final; Sampras once again faced Ivanisevic in the finals. But this time, the Croatian wasn"t willing to give up easily like he did four years back. The final score was 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. It was Sampras' third successive win over Ivanisevic at Wimbledon. In 1999, he faced a big scare from hard-hitting Australian Mark Philippoussis in the quarterfinals. Philippoussis was leading the match before he retired in the second set owing to a knee injury. In the finals, he encountered arch-rival Andre Agassi. Watching those two contrasting players was enchanting, and it was one of the most exciting finals in Wimbledon, even though Sampras won the match in straight sets - 6-3, 6-4, 7-5.

Historic triumph The year 2000 was special for Sampras for many reasons. He was past his prime, and wasn't winning any Slams other than Wimbledon since 1997. But on Centre Court, he was still the man to beat. That year, he was eyeing to break Roy Emerson's all-time record of 12 Grand Slams. Unfortunately, he suffered leg injury during his second round match against Karol Kucera. Luckily, he didn't had to face tough opponents en route to the finals. In the final, he faced Patrick Rafter, a player who defeated him in the 1998 US Open semi-finals. At one point, it seemed like Rafter was going to win the match when he clinched the first set 7-6. The match was interrupted by the rain, much to the relief of Sampras. He bounced back, rising to the occasion, and took the next three sets - 7-6, 6-4, 6-2. It was his seventh Wimbledon title and 13th Grand Slam crown. That evening, Wimbledon witnessed the historic triumph of Pete Sampras. He proved to the world that he is indeed the best.

Passing the baton to Roger Federer Sampras' long reign at Wimbledon came to a halt in 2001 when a 19-year-old boy named Roger Federer executed the King of Grass in a remarkable fashion in five sets. 6-7, 7- 5, 4-6, 7-6, 5-7. Like David who slayed Goliath, Federer showed Sampras the doors in the Round of 16. That was the end of an era, an era like no other! Sampras handed over the baton to the rightful hands of young Federer, who will later dominate the same surface, and level his record of seven titles. Final Wimbledon Sampras' dream of winning one more title on his favourite ground suffered a massive setback in 2002, where he lost to Switzerland's George Bastl 6-3 6-2 4-6 3-6 6-4 in the second round on Court 2, dubbed as the 'graveyard of champions'. The defeat left the seven-time champion in shock. The crowd watched in disbelief as he walked away with his head down.

In the post match press conference, he was on the verge of tears. It was hard for him, and also for his fans. That was the last time we ever saw Sampras at Wimbledon. His record number of titles at Wimbledon has been levelled by Federer recently, and he might also break that soon. Still, the memories of the serene champion will linger long in our hearts. There was a time when Wimbledon was Sampras, and Sampras was Wimbledon! COMPANY BBC SPORT | Tennis | Wimbledon History | Wimbledon legends: Pete Sampras Wimbledon legends: Pete Sampras 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 Grand Slam titles: 13 Prize money: $43,280,489 Pete Sampras made Centre Court his own in the nineties, although he did not have the best of beginnings in SW19. The American won only one match in his first three years at Wimbledon before things came right, and in some style.

In the 1993 final he beat the then world number one, Jim Courier, having already dismissed Andre Agassi and Boris Becker in previous rounds. From then on, of course, 'Pistol Pete' dominated successive tournaments winning seven titles in eight years. Although his early losses proved puzzling to a man who had won the US Open at the age of 19 his serve-volley game eventually proved almost unbeatable. From victory in the first round in 1993 to his last title win in 2000 he lost only one match in 1996, a quarter-final defeat to eventual winner Richard Krajicek. That defeat split his haul into three titles in the early nineties, and four in the run up to the millennium. After seeing off Courier in 1993, Sampras saw off Goran Ivanisevic and Boris Becker. And following his failure in 1996 he lost only three sets, all tie-breaks, en route to the final where he comfortably beat Cedric Pioline.

Ivanisevic was the only man who took Sampras the distance in any of his Centre Court finals, but again the Croat came up short, as Andre Agassi and Pat Rafter did in 1999 and 2000. Sampras may not have gone for quite the pace of an Ivanisevic or Greg Rusedski on his serve, but its accuracy, disguise and above all consistency, made it far and away the best the game has ever seen. Similarly, Stefan Edberg could claim to have been a better volleyer and Rafter a superior athlete, but no one ever put it all together like Sampras on grass. The American also boasted fierce groundstrokes, a sensational jump smash and a will to win that saw him play through injury and sickness on a regular basis. These are all reasons why Sampras has won more Grand Slams than anyone else and was voted the best player in the history of the Association of Tennis Professionals. If any of Sampras' games are forgettable, which many are, it is because he was so far ahead of the rest, they could barely give him a game.

Pete Sampras Pete Sampras 14-time major champion, and 4-time finalist Career Titles Winner 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999 Davis Cup Member of the U.S. Davis Cup Team 1991-1992, 1994-1995, 1997, 1999-2000, 2002 Member of the U.S. Championship Davis Cup Team 1992, 1995 Overall Record: 19-9 Pete Sampras PeteSampras Pete Sampras Citizenship: USA Born: August 12, 1971 in Washington, D.C Played: Right-handed There’s no drawn out prologue to the Pete Sampras Story, no opening chapter that moves at a snail’s pace, creating a confusing narrative that causes the reader to lose interest.

In 1990, when he was 19 years and 28 days old, Sampras became the youngest US Open men’s singles champion in history, defeating his career-rival Andre Agassi, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. Twelve years later, Sampras ended his record-breaking career at the US Open, winning his fifth singles title at his home major and fourth overall against Agassi, 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. In between those 12 years, Sampras carved out a place in history with a then-record 14 major singles titles (since tied by Rafael Nadal and passed by Roger Federer with 17), and unequivocally placed his name among the best ever to wield a racquet.

Sampras wasn’t an overnight success, it took two arduous years taking his lumps on the professional tour to round into a big-serving, big match player, but when he retired a 14-time major champion (seven Wimbledon titles, five US Open championships, two Australian Open victories), he was regarded worldwide as the consummate champion who won 14 of 18 finals, a 78 percent winning mark, best in history. His seven Wimbledon and five US Open titles are tied for best all-time. Sampras compiled a 762-222 career singles record, top-10 all-time, and captured 64 tour singles titles in 265 overall tournaments (was a finalist in 24 tournaments), fifth best all-time. In a five-year span of tour domination from 1993 through 1998, Sampras held a stranglehold on the ATP year-end rankings, finishing the year as the world’s No. 1 player six consecutive years, a record that he still holds. Jimmy Connors had held that distinction for five years (1974-78).

In comparison to his flamboyant and flashy nemesis Agassi, who Sampras faced 34 times in his career (winning 20 matches and defeating his rival in four of five major finals), Sampras was all-business on court. “I let my racquet do the talking,” he consistently told the media when asked why he wasn’t more colorful on court. “That’s what I am all about, really. I just go out and win tennis matches. I never wanted to be the great guy or the colorful guy or the interesting guy. I wanted to be the guy who won matches.” Until Sampras won his 13th major title, Aussie Roy Emerson held – since 1967 – the record for men’s single major wins with 12. When Sampras defeated Agassi to win the 2002 US Open, Sampras became the fifth oldest champion in history at 31 years, 27 days, and the oldest since his idol Rod Laver (31 years, 1 month) in 1969. The Potomac, Maryland native groomed his game in Rancho Palos Verdes, California at the Jack Kramer Tennis Club.

In a five-year span starting in 1985 he went from 5-foot-5 to 6-foot tall and refined his game immensely, abandoning his two-handed backhand for a one-hander and ditching his wooden racquet for the new graphite technology. He turned professional at age 16 in 1988, launching his career as the No. 893 ranked player in the world. He broke into the top 100 by year end, but his first three years playing in major events didn’t produce the kind of results that would indicate future stardom. In fact, his career didn’t flourish until 1993, three years after he won the 1990 US Open. But his 1990 championship provided a glimpse of greatness, more for who he defeated to win the championship than how he became the youngest male champion in 100 years. Prior to the tournament, Sampras was seeded No. 12 and ranked 136th in the world by the ATP. In the fourth round he took out hard-driving Austrian Thomas Muster, the No.

6 seed, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 6-3. In the quarters he played a phenomenal match in upsetting No. 3 seed Ivan Lendl in an epic five-setter, 6-4, 7-6, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2, and ending Lendl’s run of eight straight US Open finals. Sampras faced unseeded John McEnroe in the semifinals, but he was still John McEnroe playing on his favorite stage, and Sampras needed to raise his game to earn a 6-2, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory. He was peaking at just the right time, but no one could predict the 19-year-old would dismantle No. 4 Agassi so easily in the final, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. He had become the first American male to win at Flushing Meadows since McEnroe in 1984, and kept the entire field spellbound with what would become the cornerstone of his career: serving.

His 13th ace of the match, and 100th of the tournament, blasted past Agassi on championship point. Sampras had instantly become the game’s new fresh-face. Said Lendl afterwards, “I think what’s so cute about him is he’s just another kid. I don’t think he’s fully realized what’s happened to him.” As a young player, Sampras idolized Laver, as much for his ability to win on all surfaces, as how he comported himself in victory. The two shared a common playing style – serve and volley, attack, controlled tennis – but Sampras was bigger and stronger than Laver and could pound his forehand and backhand harder than the Aussie legend. What they shared was class, Sampras was the consummate champion in triumph and defeat. Starting in 1993 and until 2000, there were considerably more triumphs than defeats. Sampras captured 12 of his major titles in this eight-year span playing in arguably the best decade in men’s tennis history. The competition was fierce and stacked.

Sampras won his first Wimbledon Gentlemen Singles Championships in 1993, leading to a run of seven victories in eight years – three straight (1993-95) and four consecutively (1997-2000). At the All-England Club, Sampras compiled a 63-7 record (90 percent), second best all-time behind Bjorn Borg’s incredible 93 percent winning mark. He won three of five US Opens from 1993 to 1996 and his two Australian Championships were captured in 1994 and 1997 (Sampras was a finalist in 1995). He won two major singles titles in the same year four times (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997). Sampras’s assault on the Wimbledon record books began in 1993. He won the 1993 and 1994 Wimbledon titles as the No.

1 seed, defeating Jim Courier (7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2) and Goran Ivanišević (7-6, 7-6, 6-0), respectively. His 1995 title was earned as the No. 2 seed in a 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 triumph over No. 3 seed Boris Becker. His four straight championships starting in 1997 (he lost in the 1996 quarterfinals), were all achieved as the No. 1 seed. He ousted Frenchman Cedric Pioline in 1997 (6-4, 6-2, 6-4), Ivanišević in 1998 (6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2), Agassi in 1999 (6-3, 6-4, 7-5), and Aussie Patrick Rafter in 2000 (6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 6-2).

“Whatever happened in my career or my tennis or mentally, it happened for a reason,” Sampras said. “In a lot of ways, I felt like I was born to win Wimbledon.” At the US Open, Sampras advanced to the 1992 final against Stefan Edberg, falling 3-6, 6-4, 7-6, 6-2. In 1993 he defeated Pioline, a routine 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 victory. In a well-played and entertaining 1995 final against Agassi, Sampras prevailed 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5. He successfully defended his title in 1996, sweeping past Michael Chang, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6. When Sampras defeated Agassi in the 2002 final, it put the finishing touches on a tremendous run at Flushing Meadows, where he compiled a 71-9 record (88 percent), best in history.

It was certainly a far cry from his 1988 debut when as a wild card entrant, he lost to Chilean Jaime Yzaga in five sets after winning the first two sets in tiebreakers, 6-7, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2. Sampras added to his legacy with a pair of Australian titles, the 1994 championship earned over Todd Martin, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4. Spain’s Carlos Moya was swept in straight sets in 1997, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3. The only major title that evaded Sampras was at the French Open, where the slow clay at Roland Garros was a stickler for Sampras, whose game was tailor-made for hard courts. His best finish in Paris was the semifinals in 1996. The sum of Sampras’s major exploits were legendary and among the greatest achievements in history. From 1992 to 2002, he had 11 years of reaching at least one major final, a record he shares with Lendl.

From 1990 to 2002, he appeared in eight US Open finals, tied with Lendl in the record books. He won five or more titles at two different majors, a mark shared with Borg and Federer. He was named the ATP Player of the Year six consecutive times (1993-1988). Those same years saw Sampras crowned International Tennis Federation World Champion. He played eight times for the U.S. Davis Cup team, winning the 1992 championship over Switzerland 3-1 and the 1995 title against Russia, 3-2. There were no discernible weaknesses in Sampras’s game. His serve and volley skills were enough to propel him past most players, but as his game matured Sampras learned to rely less on his serve and became exceedingly equipped to play an all-court game. His forehand could be lethal, his return of serve improved, his backhand – both topspin and slice – became a dependable and powerful stroke, and his willingness to strategically orchestrate points made him a rock-solid opponent to defeat. “That’s the sign of a champion,” McEnroe said about Sampras.

“He has almost all the shots, and he’s worked hard. He’s capable of doing anything.” On its July 14, 1997 cover, Sports Illustrated featured a leaping Sampras ready to unleash a thumping overhead with the headline, “An American Classic.” In 2005, TENNIS Magazine named him the greatest player from 1995-2005 in the magazine’s 40 Greatest Players of the TENNIS Era issue. “After I went through two years of not winning an event, what kept me going was winning one more major,” Sampras said. “Once I won that last US Open, I spent the next six months trying to figure out what was next. Slowly my passion for the sport just vanished. I had nothing left to prove.” What Sampras left behind was an indelible mark as a champion who played his best when the stakes were greatest. A gracious, workmanlike champion who has his name threaded throughout the history books, Sampras earned $43,280, 489 million in prize money, and his place in the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Grand Slam Best Results Team USA: Pete Sampras | Pro Tennis - News | | USTA Team USA: Pete Sampras Pete Sampras (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Birthdate: August 12, 1971 Member: 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 Singles Record: 15-7 Doubles Record: 4-1 Overall Record: 19-8 Represented the United States for the first time in nearly two years, as he helped the U.S. to a 5-0 win over the Slovak Republic in the 2001 Davis Cup first round in Oklahoma City, Okla. Improved his Davis Cup record to 19-8. His four-set win over Karol Beck on Friday was his 15th Davis Cup singles victory, placing him into a tie for 13th place all-time in U.S. Davis Cup history along with Stan Smith and Tut Bartzen.

Said Sampras of playing Davis Cup with his much younger Davis Cup teammates James Blake, Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick, "These guys are bouncing off the walls. They have got a lot of energy, and, you know, they are watching "The Simpsons" at night. And I am with Todd Martin watching "On Golden Pond." So they can't sit still for half an hour. They have dinner. They are up in the room, playing games and playing pingpong in their underwear. That's what these guys are doing." Playing in his hometown of Los Angeles, Sampras was the hero of the 3-2 win over the Czech Republic in the 2000 Davis Cup by NEC quarterfinal, defeating Slava Dosedel 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 in the fifth and decisive rubber of the tie. Sampras overcame a partially-torn quad muscle to gut out the win for the United States. On the opening day of play, Sampras put in the U.S. in an early 1-0 hole, losing to Jiri Novak 7-6, 6-3, 6-2.

The loss was Sampras’s most convincing defeat in Davis Cup play. Named to the team that played Zimbabwe in the 2000 Davis Cup by NEC first round but was forced to pull out of the competition with a torn hip flexor muscle suffered at the Australian Open. Returned to the Davis Cup team in 1999 and represented the United States against Australia in the Davis Cup by NEC Centennial Celebration at the Longwood Cricket Club in Brookline, Mass. Sampras paired with Alex O’Brien to defeat Mark Woodforde and Sandon Stolle 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3 to cut Australia’s lead to 2-1 against the United States. The United States would go on to lose to Australia 4-1. Forced to retire with a torn left calf muscle against Magnus Larsson of Sweden trailing 6-3, 6-7, 1-2 in the 1997 Davis Cup final against Sweden in Gothenburg, Sweden. The loss put the American team down 0-2 after the first day of play. Sweden went on to the win the Davis Cup with a 5-0 victory.

Defeated Mark Philippoussis and Patrick Rafter in singles to lead the United States to a 4-1 win over Australia in the 1996 Davis Cup semifinal in Washington, D.C. Increased his Davis Cup singles winning streak to eight and his career Davis Cup record to 16-6 (13-5 in singles). Lost his first ever Davis Cup doubles match with Todd Martin, losing to Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge. Accounted for all three points as the U.S. defeated Russia 3-2 in the 1995 Davis Cup final in Moscow. Playing on clay, his worst surface, Sampras defeated Andrei Chesnokov in five sets on the first day of play. Sampras was dragged off the court by USTA Trainer Bob Russo and USTA Team Doctor George Fareed after the match due to severe cramps. Sampras teamed with Todd Martin to defeat Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Andrei Olhovskiy in doubles on the second day and clinched the match with a straight-set win over Kafelnikov on the final day.

Sampras described his win over Kafelnikov as his "best-ever on clay." Sampras became the first American since John McEnroe in 1982 to account for all three points in a Davis Cup final. Won both his singles matches as the United States defeated Sweden 4-1 in the 1995 Davis Cup semifinals. Defeated Renzo Furlan and Andrea Gaudenzi as the United States defeated Italy 5-0 in the 1995 Davis Cup quarterfinals in Palermo, Italy. Split his two singles matches in a 3-2 U.S. loss to Sweden in the 1994 Davis Cup semifinals. He defeated Magnus Larsson 6-7, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 in his first match, but was forced to retire with a strained hamstring after dropping first set to Stefan Edberg. Defeated Jacco Eltingh but lost to Richard Krajicek in a 3-2 U.S. win over The Netherlands in the 1994 Davis Cup quarterfinals in Rotterdam.

Helped the United States win the 1992 Davis Cup final over Switzerland, teaming with John McEnroe to defeat Jakob Hlasek and Marc Rosset 6-7, 6-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-2. The victory gave the U.S. a 2-1 lead in the match that it would eventually win 3-1. Clinched the 4-1 U.S. win over Sweden in the 1992 semifinals, teaming with McEnroe to defeat Stefan Edberg and Anders Jarryd 6-1, 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Represented the U.S. in singles against Argentina and Czechoslovakia, achieving a 3-1 record. Made his Davis Cup debut against France in the 1991 Davis Cup final in Lyon, France. Lost to Henri Leconte and Guy Forget. The loss to Forget clinched the 3-1 win for France.

OLYMPIC CAREER Forced to pull out of the 1996 Olympics due to a strained Achilles tendon two days before the Opening Ceremonies of the Games. Represented the United States at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. He reached the third round losing to eventual bronze medalist Andrei Cherkasov. In doubles, he and Jim Courier were defeated in the second round. RANKING HISTORY 2002 HIGHLIGHTS Reached the semifinals of Indian Wells, losing to Lleyton Hewitt. Reached the fourth round of the Australian Open, losing to eventual finalist Marat Safin, 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (8). CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2001 Advanced to the quarterfinals of the Stuttgart Indoors, losing to Max Mirnyi.

Became the first player in US Open history to defeat three former US Open champions in succession -- 1997 and 1998 champion Patrick Rafter in the fourth round, 1994 and 1999 champion Andre Agassi in the quarterfinals and 2000 champion Marat Safin in the semifinals. Lost to Lleyton Hewitt in the final, 7-6, 6-1, 6-1. His quarterfinal win over Andre Agassi, (6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5), did not feature a service break and was highlighted by a standing ovation by the capacity crowd at the start of the fourth-set tie-break. Finished runner-up at the US Open tune-up in Long Island, N.Y., losing to Tommy Haas in the final. Reached the singles final at Los Angeles, losing to Andre Agassi. Upset in the fourth round of Wimbledon by Roger Federer, ending his consecutive match winning streak at Wimbledon at 31 straight matches.

The loss also ended the bid by Sampras to win a fifth-straight Wimbledon title, tying Bjorn Borg’s mark from 1976 to 1980 and his attempt to win his record eighth Wimbledon title. Lost in the second round of the French Open to Galo Blanco of Spain in straight sets. Saved three match points in defeating qualifier Cedric Kauffmann of France 8-6 in the fifth set in the first round. Upset by Andy Roddick in the third round of the Ericsson Open in Miami. Lost to Andre Agassi in the final of the Tennis Masters Series Indian Wells. Lost in the fouth round of the Australian Open to Todd Martin. 2000 Reached the final of the US Open for the first time since 1996 and the first time in Arthur Ashe Stadium, losing in straight sets to Marat Safin of Russia. Won his record breaking 13th career Grand Slam men’s singles title at Wimbledon, defeating Patrick Rafter in the final 6-7 (10), 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-2.

Sampras surpassed Roy Emerson’s record of 12 Grand Slam singles titles won from 1961 to 1967. The Wimbledon title was the seventh for Sampras, which equals the record set by Willie Renshaw in 1889. Sampras won the title despite suffering from acute tendinitis in his left ankle. Upset in the first round of the French Open by Mark Philippoussis 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 8-6. Won his 62nd career title defeating Gustavo Kuerten 6-1, 6-7, 7-6, 7-6 in three hours and 18 minutes in the final of the Ericsson Open in Miami, Fla. Lost to Andre Agassi in a dramatic five-set semifinal at the Australian Open 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (0), 7-6 (5), 6-1.

1999 Ended the year in brilliant fashion, winning the ATP Tour World Championships in Hannover, Germany, defeating Andre Agassi 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 in the final. Sampras entered the event, played in the third week in November, having only played one tournament match since August 24. Withdrew from the 1999 US Open with a herniated disc in his back, suffered during a practice session with Gustavo Kuerten. Injured his hip against Vince Spadea in the quarterfinal of the ATP Tour event in Indianapolis, Ind., ending his winning streak at 24 matches. Defeated Patrick Rafter in the final (and Andre Agassi in the semifinals) to win the ATP Tour event in Cincinnati and to increase his winning streak to 22 matches. The title was the 60th career singles titles for Sampras. Defeated Andre Agassi 7-6, 7-6 to win the ATP Tour title in Los Angeles. Defeated Andre Agassi in the Wimbledon men’s singles final to win his 12 Grand Slam singles title – tying Roy Emerson’s all-time record – and his sixth Wimbledon title.

Won his first title of 1999 at Queen’s Club, defeating Tim Henman in the final. Lost in the second round of the French Open to eventual finalist Andrei Medvedev. Skipped the Australian Open due to exhaustion. 1998 Became the first player in the history of the ATP Tour rankings (since 1973) to finish the year ranked No. 1 for six consecutive years. Won the singles title in the end of the year in Vienna and reached the final at the Paris Indoor (lost to Rusedski) to help clinch the No. 1 ranking. Lost in the semifinals of the US Open to Patrick Rafter. Won the singles title at Wimbledon for a fifth time – tying him with Bjorn Borg as the only five-time men’s singles champions in the Open Era. The Wimbledon title was his 11th career Grand Slam singles title – tying him with Borg and Rod Laver for second place all-time in men’s tennis. Defeated Goran Ivanisevic in the final in five sets. Defeated by Ramon Delgado in the second round of the French Open. Lost to Karol Kucera in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.

Won singles titles at Philadelphia and Atlanta. The title in Atlanta was his first on clay since the 1994 Italian Open. 1997 Named "SportsMan of the Year" by the U.S. Olympic Committee for 1997, becoming the first tennis player to ever win the award. Concluded the year ranked No. 1 in the ATP Tour singles rankings for a fifth straight year - tying the record set by Jimmy Connors, who finished the year ranked No. 1 from 1974-1978. Defeated Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the final of the ATP Tour World Championships in Hannover. The title was his fourth at the ATP Tour World Championships. Defeated Jonas Bjorkman in the final of the Paris Open. Won the Grand Slam Cup in Munich, defeating Patrick Rafter in the final. Was defeated by Petr Korda 6-7, 7-5, 7-6, 3-6, 7-6 in the fourth round of the U.S. Open. Won his 49th career ATP Tour title at Cincinnati, defeating Thomas Muster in the final.

Won Wimbledon for a fourth time in his career, defeating Cedric Pioline in the final 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. The title marked his 10 Grand Slam singles title. Upset in the third round of the French Open by Magnus Norman. Won titles in San Jose (defeated Greg Rusedski) and Philadelphia (defeated Patrick Rafter). Won the Australian Open for the second time in his career, defeating unseeded Carlos Moya in the final 6-2, 6-3, 6-3. 1996 Finished as the No. 1 ranked player in the world for a fourth straight year, joining Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. Won the ATP Tour World Championship for a third time, defeating Boris Becker in a five-set final. Won the U.S. Open for the fourth time, defeating Michael Chang 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 in the final. Won the championship on what would have been his late coach, Tim Gullikson’s 45th birthday. Gullikson died of a brain tumor on May 3.

In the quarterfinals, Sampras staged one of the gutsiest performances in tennis history, defeating Alex Corretja of Spain 7-6, 5-7, 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7) in 4:09 after vomitting struggling with fatigue and vommitting on court. Sampras saved a match point at 6-7 in the tie-break and served an incredible second-serve ace at 7-7 in the tie-break. Fell short of winning his fourth straight Wimbledon title - losing in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Richard Krajicek 7-5, 7-6, 6-4. Had his 25-match winning streak at Wimbledon ended. Endured 29 aces from Krajicek - the same amount served up up Mark Philippoussis in his upset of Sampras in the third round of the Ausralian Open. Achieved his best result at the French Open reaching the semifinals. Defeated two, two-time French Open champions en route - Sergi Bruguera in the second round in five sets and Jim Courier in five sets in the quarterfinals.

Exhausted from playing three, five set matches en route to the semifinals, he lost in straight sets to eventual champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov. Won his 39th and 40th career singles titles in Hong Kong and Tokyo respectively. Upset by Goran Ivanisevic in the semifinals of Key Biscayne and by Paul Haarhuis in the quarterfinals of Indian Wells. Defeated Todd Martin in the final of Memphis for his 38th career singles title. Regained the No. 1 ranking by winning the title in San Jose, Calif., defeating Andre Agassi in the final. After the match, he was asked whether carrying the No. 1 ranking was a lot of baggage. Sampras replied, "It’s not a lot of baggage. It’s just a couple of carry-ons." Upset in the third round of the Australian Open by Mark Philippoussis 6-4, 7-6, 7-6, losing his No. 1 ranking to Andre Agassi with the loss. 1995 Finished the year as the No. 1 ranked player in the world for the third straight year. Clinched the No.

1 ranking by reaching the semifinals of the ATP Tour World Championships. Won five titles and was co-nominated to the U.S. Olympic Committee with Andre Agassi by the USTA as its Athletes of the Year. Won the U.S. Open for a third time, defeating Andre Agassi in the final 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5. He served 142 aces en route to the title - including 24 in the final against Agassi. Became only the fourth player in history to win three U.S. Open titles and three Wimbledon titles. Became the first American to win three straight Wimbledon men’s singles titles, defeating Boris Becker 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 in the final. Also became one of only three men to win three or more straight Wimbledon titles joining Bjorn Borg 1976-1980 and Fred Perry 1934-35-36. The victory earned him the honor of being the first men’s tennis player to win the USOC Athlete of Month award when he was bestowed the honor for the month of July.

Won the grass court title at Queens' Club, defeating Guy Forget in the final 7-6, 7-6. Sampras had beaten Marc Goellner 6-7, 6-2, 13-11, saving three match points, earlier in the day in the semifinals and then teamed with Todd Martin after the singles final to defeat Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge in the doubles semifinals. In all Sampras played 111 games in five hours and 20 minutes of playing time. On Monday, he won the doubles title when he and Martin defeated Jonas Bjorkman and Jan Apell in the final. Dropped to No. 2 in the rankings behind Agassi on April 10. Reached the final at the Australian Open, where he lost to No. 2 seeded Andre Agassi 4-6, 6-1, 7-6, 6-4.

En route to the final, he won back-to-back matches after trailing two sets to love against Magnus Larsson in the round of 16 and Jim Courier in the quarterfinals, (the first player to do so in a Grand Slam since Paul Annacone at the 1987 Australian Open). His 6-7, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Courier, regarded as one of the most dramatic matches in the history of the Australian Open, was highlighted by Sampras weeping in the fifth set after a fan shouted for Sampras to win the match for his coach, Tim Gullikson, who had left the tournament due to complications from a brain tumor. 1994 Won the year-end IBM/ATP Tour Championships, defeating Boris Becker, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4. Finished year as the world's No. 1 player for the second straight year. Sampras was ranked No. 1 for the entire 1994 season - becoming the first player to hold that distinction since Ivan Lendl in 1987.

The title in Frankfurt was his 10th of the season - the most in a single season on the ATP Tour since Ivan Lendl won 10 in 1989. He also reached the final of the Grand Slam Cup, losing to Magnus Larsson, but defeating Goran Ivanisevic in the semifinals 10-8 in the fifth set. At the U.S. Open, he was seeded No. 1 for the first time in his career - but was ousted by Jaime Yzaga in fourth round by a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-7, 5-7 score. Withdrew from four tournaments leading into the 1994 U.S. Open due to tendinitis in his left foot and a right hamstring injury. Defended his title at Wimbledon, defeating Goran Ivanisevic in the final 7-6, 7-6, 6-0. Became the first player to repeat as men's singles champion at Wimbledon since Boris Becker in 1985 and 1986. Served 17 aces in the final and 115 during the tournament.

On June 13, he held a 2,412-point lead (the largest ever) over No. 2 Michael Stich in the ATP singles rankings. Upset by Jim Courier in the quarterfinals at the French Open by a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 margin. The loss to Courier broke his 25-match Grand Slam winning streak. Had his 29-match winning streak halted by No. 2-ranked Michael Stich by a 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2 margin at the World Team Cup in Dusseldorf, Germany. Won his second career clay court title at the Italian Open, defeating Boris Becker in the final 6-1, 6-2, 6-2. The title was his fifth in a row and seventh of the year. The victory over Becker was his 27th straight match victory of the year. Defeated Agassi 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in the final at Key Biscayne. Suffered from a severe upset stomach prior to the match. Was allowed to play when Agassi agreed to delay the match.

Became the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to win three Grand Slams in a row (1993 Wimbledon, 1993 U.S. Open, 1994 Australian Open) defeating Todd Martin in the final of the 1994 Australian Open. En route to the championship he defeated Josh Eagle, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Stephane Simian, Ivan Lendl, Magnus Gustafsson and Jim Courier. 1993 Accumulated an 83-15 won loss record. Won eight titles and $3,648,075 in prize money. Won his second U.S. Open singles title with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 win over France's Cedric Pioline. Seeded No. 2, he defeated Fabrice Santoro, Daniel Vacek, Arnaud Boetsch, Thomas Enqvist, Michael Chang and Alexander Volkov en route to the final. Regained the No. 1 spot in the men's rankings from Jim Courier with his U.S.

Open win, while becoming the first player since Boris Becker in 1989 and the first American since John McEnroe in 1984 to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in the same year. Seeded No. 1, he won his first Grand Slam title since the 1990 U.S. Open prevailing at Wimbledon defeating fellow American Jim Courier in the final 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3 on the fourth of July. Seeded No. 1, he reached the quarterfinals of the French Open – losing to eventual champion Sergi Bruguera. Also reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, losing to Stefan Edberg. Became ranked No. 1 in the world on April 12, 1993 and held the top spot for all but three weeks of the year. He became the 11th man to rank No. 1 in the world. 1992 Won five titles – including his first on clay Kitzbuhel, Austria. Reached his second career Grand Slam singles final at the U.S.

Open, where he was defeated by Stefan Edberg 3-6, 6-4, 7-6, 6-2. In the semifinals he was stricken with a case of dehydration and food poisoning but managed to defeat Jim Courier 6-1, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. Reached the semifinals of Wimbledon defeating defending champion Michael Stich in the quarterfinals. Lost to Goran Ivanisevic in the semifinals. Represented the United States at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. He reached the third round losing to eventual bronze medalist Andrei Cherkasov. In doubles, he and Jim Courier were defeated in the second round. Reached the quarterfinals at the French Open for the first time - losing to Andre Agassi. 1991 Finished the year ranked No. 6 and captured four titles, including the IBM/ATP Tour Championships in Frankfurt where he defeated Jim Courier in the final. As defending champion, he lost to Jim Courier in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open.

After two first round exits, he won his first career match at Wimbledon - defeating Danilo Marcelino in the first round before falling to Derrick Rostagno in the second round. Came back from two-sets down for the first time in his career to defeat Thomas Muster in the first round of the French Open. Lost in the second round to Thierry Champion. 1990 Became the youngest male at the age of 19 years and 28 days to ever win the U.S. National or U.S. Open singles title when he defeated Andre Agassi for the 1990 U.S. Open crown. Seeded No. 12 in the event, he was the lowest seeded player to win the title in the Open era. Defeated in succession Dan Goldie, Peter Lundgren, Jakob Hlasek, Thomas Muster, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe and Agassi. The 6-4, 7-6, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2 defeat of Lendl ended the Czech's eight-year streak of making at least the finals of the U.S. Open.

He capped off the 1990 season by beating Brad Gilbert in the final of the inaugural Grand Slam Cup competition. The win netted him $2,000,000 first prize. He donated $250,000 to the Cerebral Palsy Foundation. Finished ranked No. 6 in the world and won three titles. Won his first career title in Philadelphia defeating Andres Gomez in the final. Won his second career at Manchester. 1989 Burst onto the scene at the 1989 U.S. Open as an 18-year-old, reaching the round of 16 defeating defending champion Mats Wilander in the second round 5-7, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4. Won the doubles title at the Italian Open and reached the final at Forest Hills with Courier. 1988 In his U.S. Open and Grand Slam debut, he lost to Jamie Yzaga 6-7, 6-7, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. Turned professional in 1988.

In his second tournament as a professional, he defeated Ramesh Krishnan and Eliot Teltscher before falling to Emilio Sanchez at Indian Wells, Calif. 1987 Ranked No. 7 in the USTA Boy's 18 in 1987, finishing as runner-up to Michael Chang at the USTA National Boys’ 18 Hard Court Championships. Concluded his junior tennis career without ever winning a USTA national championship. Won the 1987 USTA International Boys’ 18 Grass Court doubles title (with Matt Lucena). Won a gold medal in singles at the 1987 U.S. Olympic Festival. PERSONAL

Question: Which French tennis player did Pete Sampras defeat in the 1997 Wimbledon final?
Answer: CEDRIC PIOLINE