Sampras' best matches.

Tennis Duke · Feb 24, 2004

I would like to know what your most memorable matches of Pete are. What are the 3 must have pete matches? Thanks.

Kevin Patrick · Feb 24, 2004

Only three? That's too tough, so:
Matches which showed the complete domination he was capable of:
1990 US Open Final, def Agassi 64,63,62 (he was a complete player already at 19)
1999 Wimbledon Final, def Agassi 63,64,75 (nobody,even Federer would have beaten him that day)
Matches that showed he wasn't boring or emotionless, that he had guts(literally & figuratively), that his backhand didn't suck, & that he could play on clay:
1995 Aussie Open QF: def Courier 6-7(4) 6-7(3) 6-3 6-4 6-3
1995 Davis Cup Final:def Chesnokov 3-6 6-4 6-3 6-7(5) 6-4
1996 French Open QF: def Courier 6-7(4) 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4
1996 US Open QF:def Corretja 7-6 5-7 5-7 6-4 7-6
1996 Masters Final: def Becker 3-6 7-6 7-6 6-7 6-4

borisboris · Feb 24, 2004

1995 Wimbledon Final vs. Becker = Very impressive
Any Master Series Championship final

Vanja Ljubibratic · Feb 24, 2004

Pete's 2000 AO SF with Agassi was very impressive too. I don't think it ranks with some of the others, but I remember Pat Mac saying that the only thing Agassi can do at this point is to guess on the return. Agassi ended up winning that one in 5 I think. Then he unfortunately beat Kafelnikov in the finals in a really, really great match. I wish I had it on tape.

@wright · Feb 24, 2004

I have to agree with Kevin Patrick about the 99 Wimby finals. He made Agassi look silly that day. I remember a couple times in that match Andre hit unbelievable returns and got up 0-40 only to be aced 3 or 4 times in a row. Too damn good.

sliceroni · Feb 24, 2004

1999 Against Agassi at Wimbledon. As mentioned, Pete was in the zone against Agassi who was at his peak. This match explains why Pete is the Michael Jordan of tennis.
1996 Masters final against Becker. Highest quality match against two of the best power s&v ever. Even from the backcourt they undoubtly hit 80-90mph groundies in this one. Watch it.
1996 US Open QF against Corretja. Dramatic epic battle.

Scorch · Feb 25, 2004

They have already been mentioned but I want to second them:

Australian Open 1995 QF versus Courier - the most emotional tennis match I have ever witnessed - Pete was serving aces through tears!

US Open 1996 QF versus Corretja - if this is the one that I am thinking of, where Pete was so exhausted he was thowing up then it was one of the most dramatic matches I have seen. And to think Corretja double faulted on match point!

People always say Pete had no emotion but I think that is sooo off the mark. Fact is on the occasions that Pete did get emotional it made for such good tennis entertainment becasue you knew it was genuine and that it meant something.

J-Fire · Feb 25, 2004

1996 Masters Final against Becker
1995 Aussie Open QF against Courier
1999 US Open QF against Agassi

purge · Dec 30, 2011

oh sure.. why not

NicoMK · Dec 30, 2011

I can recall a semi against Agassi in Cincinnati in 1999.

From the end of the first set to the middle of the second, he was unplayable, hitting winners over winners and Agassi couldn't do anything.

He lost a bit of concentration after this and Agassi came back in the match but lost in two sets.

The match on YT, at least Part One : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w84gKFc3XLo

Cheers!

BrooklynNY · Dec 30, 2011

Indian Wells and Miami 94 against Agassi are awesome matches

tusharlovesrafa · Dec 30, 2011

2008 Rg Finals.

Sentinel · Dec 30, 2011

Wow, some of the posters just b4 me weren't born when this thread was started. Thanks @purge for regurgitating this thread.

http://youtu.be/TW3gwshJY_M

tusharlovesrafa · Dec 30, 2011

Are u refering to me??

BrooklynNY · Dec 30, 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98U9AeaBbb4

Also, San Jose vs Agassi 1996 is good match

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1Wl4fK9sZE&feature=related

ark_28 · Dec 30, 2011

Pete V Roddick US Open 2002 was superb rolled back the years against the young hot shot that he had taken two loses to outside of the majors.

Cup8489 · Dec 30, 2011

tusharlovesrafa said:
Are u refering to me??

well, you are just before him. LOL

Devilito · Dec 30, 2011

all you need to know:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPsu-zL2Ah0

mattennis · Dec 30, 2011

Devilito said:
all you need to know:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPsu-zL2Ah0

Brings back memories.....very beautiful tennis. One of the best indoor matches I have ever seen between two great all-court players.

Amazing how Becker saved like 3 or 4 match-points in the fourth set tie-breaker, with great baseline points.

Two of the all-time greats playing at the top of their capabilities in a very fast indoor carpet.

VGP · Dec 30, 2011

For Boris Becker, when asked for a match where he played his BEST tennis, Becker cites that 1996 tour final as the match, a loss to Sampras.

mattennis · Dec 30, 2011

jajaja, Sampras screaming laud after winning several important points. Who said he showed no emotions on court?

The thing is that Becker was playing amazingly well those months on indoor, beating Sampras in M-1000 Stuttgart indoor Final in five sets (another great match between them) one month earlier and had defeated Sampras in the RR something like 7-6 7-6.

Sampras knew that Becker was probably one the best indoor carpet players ever and was eager to beat him in the best indoor carpet tournament of the world, the Masters in Germany (no less), and that's why he showed those loud screaming after winning important points (not so usual about him).

mattennis · Dec 30, 2011

VGP said:
For Boris Becker, when asked for a match where he played his BEST tennis, Becker cites that 1996 tour final as the match, a loss to Sampras.

I know, I watched him telling that in an interview. He said that that match was the highest tennis level he had ever played.

Laurie · Dec 30, 2011

NicoMK said:
I can recall a semi against Agassi in Cincinnati in 1999.

From the end of the first set to the middle of the second, he was unplayable, hitting winners over winners and Agassi couldn't do anything.

He lost a bit of concentration after this and Agassi came back in the match but lost in two sets.

The match on YT, at least Part One : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w84gKFc3XLo

Cheers!

Funny you mention that, that's one of my favourite matches of all time, short but very sweet. I recorded that on Eurosport that summer.

How about that amazing and crazy 2000 Miami final against Gustavo Kuerten with that incredible crowd, it was like Davis cup, one of the best Masters finals ever played by both men.

1999 Los Angeles final against Agassi was also a great match. Highlights here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwSH43OVUPE

I also thought the 2000 Wimbledon final was a great match, despite the injury Sampras found a way to win.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLelx4w228E

Then the 1997 Davis cup semifinal v Pat Rafter, and the 1997 ATP final v Kafelnikov, Sampras at his incredible best.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35ve0wcJ3Rg

And a bit of fun, one of the cleanest return games ever played

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFiOslvMvXY

roundiesee · Dec 30, 2011

Sentinel said:
Wow, some of the posters just b4 me weren't born when this thread was started. Thanks @purge for regurgitating this thread.

http://youtu.be/TW3gwshJY_M

Ha ha, nice one Senti!

I agree with the choice of the 1999 Wimby final; I could not believe how well Pete played that day. I think Andre was quoted as saying (after the match), "The only thing I remembered was walking on the court, and then walking off. The rest is all a blur........" Poor Andre....

swordtennis · Dec 30, 2011

Agassi USO 1995
Agassi Indian Wells 1995
YEC 1996 Becker

Sampras' best matches.

Tennis Duke

Guest

Hall of Fame

Semi-Pro

New User

Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame

Rookie

J-Fire

Guest

Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame

Bionic Poster

Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame

Legend

G.O.A.T.

Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame

Legend

Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame

Laurie

Guest

Hall of Fame

G.O.A.T.

Similar threads