Curiosity about a Sampras-Agassi match..

[illkhiboy]

Sampras and Agassi played a round robin match at the Masters Cup in 1999. Agassi won 6-2, 6-2. What sort of match was this? Did Agassi completely thrash him, or was it tougher than the scoreline suggests? I know Sampras wwas coming back after an injury so that probably affected him, but how much of a factor was that? Really intrigued, especially so since Sampras beat Agassi in straight sets in the final of the same tournament.

[erik-the-red]

First note: I didn't see this match.

I did see their final in the same tournament (1999 World Championships). The commentators said Sampras was "killed on his second serve." Apparently, his backhand broke down as well.

[Moose Malloy]

I know Sampras wwas coming back after an injury so that probably affected him, but how much of a factor was that?

A big factor, it was his first match in months, while Agassi was on a roll the last half of '99, winning US Open, Paris Indoor.

Sampras never got worried about losing a RR match, he knew you can lose a match & advance to the semis. Every year Sampras won the masters he lost a match in the RR.

[Chadwixx]

Get pete's serve back and he isnt very hard to beat. Very 1 dimentional in 1999.

[fastdunn]

Becker said about the round-robin matches of Master's cup:
"It is very hard to beat the same player twice in a tournament".

Sampras lost a match to Becker at round-robin that year.
Sampras was in danger of not getting to semi-final.
Becker saved him by winning the last meaning-less match of round-robin.

Sampras actually talked to Becker that he liked to play him
in the final kindof begging(?) to save him.
Then ever-so-flimsy(?) Sampras thanked Becker and beat him in the final.

It was fabulous final, though, both players displaying
glorious true all court tennis.

[Pistol Pete]

umm pete was not 1 dimensional in 99...pete had to pull out of the open because of a herniated disc in his back he played paris 1 round won then pulled out..
but he had not playing for 3 months...he played agassi 2nd match of rr lost got his timing with the next 2 matches and we no the rest

[vive le beau jeu !]

Originally Posted by Moose Malloy

A big factor, it was his first match in months, while Agassi was on a roll the last half of '99, winning US Open, Paris Indoor.

yes pete was lacking a bit of competition while agassi was rather on fire...
but what a revenge in the final !
i remember especially several amazing "jumping smashes"
he was obviously entertaining himself a lot on the court that day, making tennis look so easy......
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showp...34&postcount=1

[drakulie]

In the final, Sampras' strategy was to "go for it" on his backhand, rather than to play it safe and exchange baseline shots with Agassi, which is why he lost in their first meeting.

This strategy paid off. He was killing Agassi on the backhand side, hitting some incredible winners down the line and actually dominating play from that side. His serve was also amazing, and he had some truly incredible overheads.

Originally Posted by Chadwixx

Get pete's serve back and he isnt very hard to beat. Very 1 dimentional in 1999.

Yep, five tournaments wins in 1999 including Wimbledon, Cincinatti and the ATP championships despite not playing a full season at the beginning of the year or the end.

Just shows how someone can really play when they are motivated and not going through the motions in the round robin. It obviously fools people like Chadwixx! After the final, Sampras said in the press conference the defeat to Agassi in the round robin didn't sit well with him. He was looking for revenge big time. Agassi knew that, look at his body language through the match. Aimed a forehand at Sampras' head in the 3rd set and declined to speak to the crowd after the match.

That final is one of my favourite Sampras matches. I saw it live on ZDF (german channel). I also had those amazing two jump smashes in a row on my tennis dvd clips website a couple of moths ago. I think I'll have to find that clip and put it back.

When Sampras went for winners he had a fantastic backhand. All to do with footwork. When he planted the front foot and hit through the ball, it was a great shot.

[HyperHorse]

ive always wondered how Sampras lost to Chang in the semis back in '95...
anyone see this match?

[ACS]

I remember watching both the RR and the finals that year (but, being almost 7 years ago, I may be a bit sketchy on the details)...at the time, Agassi was playing about as well as he ever had, while Sampras had played one tournament since withdrawing from the US Open that year (where he had to default due to continued troubles with his back)

So, Sampras came in not being match tough, while Agassi was at the top of his game. Pete actually had break points to go up early, but Agassi saved them and took over. Pete seemed extremely sluggish after the first few games, and seemed a bit confused about how he wanted to play the match. Meanwhile, Andre was all over his serve after the first few games. After the match, Agassi made a comment something like "Not on my best day can I expect to beat him 2 and 2" and that he expected Sampras to bounce back.

Sure enough, they met in the final, and Sampras came out smoking (swinging big and hitting huge winners all over the court). Agassi seemed a bit out of sorts, and he never really mounted a serious charge in the match.

[Chadwixx]

Originally Posted by laurie

Yep, five tournaments wins in 1999 including Wimbledon, Cincinatti and the ATP championships despite not playing a full season at the beginning of the year or the end.

In 1999 there was only agassi and sampras. The legends of the early 90's were retiring, and the new guys were still in the juniors. It was a pretty soft time in mens tennis.

http://www.atptennis.com/en/players/...S402&x=11&y=12

Not exactly a list of the all time greats.

Just out of curiosity Chadwixx, are you saying Agassi was lucky to have such a great year in 1999 because the competition was soft?