kucera was always a player who could threaten. just wasn't focused or interested enough to do it constantly
taking nothing away from his performance, which was great
sampras was just weird for the whole of the AO 98. i don't know exactly what it was, but he looked and played as if not really interested. he also looked exhausted
despite being the defending champion, he didn't look at all like he was a shoe-in to defend it
perhaps being cheated out of a 3 slam year in 97 by a doping korda affected him, i don't know
but in mid-late 97 his serve went up a notch, his volleys were subtle and touch, the forehand was lethal on any hard court
it's strange, but in hindsight it was a strange year for sampras
that AO was a hint
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