Pete Sampras gets very angry

Craig Sheppard

Craig Sheppard

Hall of Fame
I'm surprised he let him get down from his chair. If ever there was a time to get in an umpire's face, that was it... Couldn't tell from the quality of the vid if it was correct or not, but what umpire overrules on match point? Even if you do, you make a correction and then replay the point IMO.
 
S

Sean Dugan

Rookie
I watched that match on live TV. Pete was pis sed!!!! F this/F that. Most of his "tantrum" was edited out on that video. The word tantrum doesn't really apply to Sampras. He let the ump have it for a few minutes from his chair. The only time I ever saw him get really angry.

The replay showed Rafter's serve was on the line. Pete was mad because the chair ump overuled on match point on a close call. But the ump had a great look at it and the ball was in. Sorry Pete. It isn't the chair ump's fault that the linesman (or lineswoman) blew the call. It was a clean ace.

I saw Pete yell at a ball kid once because the kid didn't go get his damper when it flew off after a serve. That was during the time Pete only used one damper and would move it from frame to frame when he changed racquets. I guess it was his lucky damper or something.

I also remember there was a commercial in which Johnny Mac was trying to teach Pete how to act up, yell and throw things. I think it was a Pizza Hut ad and Pete's line was "I'm kind of dull."

Man, I miss watching those two guys play.

And Pat and Cliffie have aged ALOT in 9 years.
 
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Q

quest01

Hall of Fame
I had to turn the volume all the way up to hear how many times Sampras said the F word. There was one time you can clearly hear him say the F word and that obviously surprised me. I was like whoa, was that really Pete Sampras that said that.
 
saram

saram

Legend
quest01 said:
I had to turn the volume all the way up to hear how many times Sampras said the F word. There was one time you can clearly hear him say the F word and that obviously surprised me. I was like whoa, was that really Pete Sampras that said that.
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shocked me as well....!
 
M

MacKenzie

Guest
I think we can all understand his anger. :mad: However, I didn't know Pete even knew that word. ;)
 
VGP

VGP

Legend
Being in the latter part of the year in '98, Sampras was clearly shooting to end the year at #1 and make that record 6 years in a row.

His temper hit its maximum that year. I think it was Nate Ferguson (or was it Paul Annacone) that commented on Sampras smashing a racket in anger that year because he put so much pressure on himself to win matches......
 
superman1

superman1

Legend
Federer isn't as much like him as people think. I read an article a while back that talked about Sampras and Agassi off the court, and the surprise was that of the two, Sampras came across as the more talkative one and the one who liked to sit back, open up a beer, and cuss up a storm with his buddies. When Federer loses it, the worst he'll do is say "sh*t" in a really whiny voice.
 
A

AJK1

Hall of Fame
Sampras made a fool of himself, there's nothing worse looking than a bad loser. He should have shook Pat's hand and moved on.
He looked like he was gonna cry!
 
L

laurie

Guest
The matchpoint only tells part of the story. His behaviour was a culmination, about how he felt about Rafter.

He had beaten Rafter 7 times in a row and thrashed in the 1997 davis Cup semifinal, one of his best performances. He had won the first 6-1 and Rafter gave his racquet to the ballkid. That got a lot of people on Rafter's side. This actually got under Sampras' skin as Rafter was taking some of his home advantage. Not only that but Rafter raised his level and fought harder than he had fought before and turned the match around.

Sampras was already pissed off before the match was over. The overule was just the trigger for him to blow his top.

Who knows how Federer would react if he somehow lost to Roddick in the US Open.
 
VAmazona

VAmazona

Rookie
What the heck does Fed have ANYTHING to do with an observation? Does the comparison of these two go down to the way they tie their laces as well?
 
woody88

woody88

Rookie
Let us not forget, that Pete and Rafter had some trash talking too for a bit. I think during this match's time, it was when they were feuding. So Pete was probably really ticked off, to be losing to Rafter, on top of losing.
 
J

j30tennis

Rookie
I think both Sampras and Federer are extremely boring individuals. Sampras was still great not real sure about the competition Federer faces. Both are very comanding players. Just dull as the day is long.
 
35ft6

35ft6

Legend
j30tennis said:
I think both Sampras and Federer are extremely boring individuals. Sampras was still great not real sure about the competition Federer faces. Both are very comanding players. Just dull as the day is long.
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To me, Federer isn't nearly as boring as Sampras. Not sure if any number 1 in the open era is as comfortable with being number one and promoting the sport of tennis as its dominant player as Roger Federer is.
 
A

AJK1

Hall of Fame
When he was recently interviewed on "Enough Rope" Rafter said Sampras went into the locker room and smashed everything in sight.
Rafter was asked who he didn't like on the Tour and he said Sampras, who was a cry baby when things didn't go his own way. Not something an Aussie would do!
 
J

j30tennis

Rookie
35ft6,

Do you think tennis can right the ship? It seems like something is missing in the game, I think mainly the comp isn't there anymore. Man I hope it is not that Federer is just that good and everyone else seems like they do not belong. I enjoyed tennis in the 90's seemed liked players actually enjoyed playing and competing and not just being out on the court. Any thoughts? Thanks
 
origmarm

origmarm

Hall of Fame
I remember this. I think he did indeed smash a racquet that year also.
Its unusual to see an umpire overrule on match point. Personally I think in this case it looks in to me but then its hard to tell on the vid.
 
35ft6

35ft6

Legend
AJK1 said:
When he was recently interviewed on "Enough Rope" Rafter said Sampras went into the locker room and smashed everything in sight.
Rafter was asked who he didn't like on the Tour and he said Sampras, who was a cry baby when things didn't go his own way. Not something an Aussie would do!
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The sad thing is that I'm pretty sure for a while Rafter said Sampras was his idol or something.
j30tennis said:
35ft6,

Do you think tennis can right the ship?
Click to expand...
Not sure if I can answer your question because I don't really think there's anything wrong with tennis. A good rivalry, including contrasting personalities, between two Americans, one ranked 1 and the other 2, would be a huge boon to TV rankings in the states, but aside from that, I don't really have any major complaints.
It seems like something is missing in the game, I think mainly the comp isn't there anymore.
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Even with Djokovic's emergence? I think, and I'm not the only one, many past greats feel the same way, Fed is just that awesome.

It's a circular argument in a way. If Fed wasn't as dominant, and other guys got a chance to win Slams, would that mean he had better competition? Sampras dominated Wimbledon for a while, does that mean his competition on grass was weak or that Pete was simply the best grass court player?
Man I hope it is not that Federer is just that good and everyone else seems like they do not belong. I enjoyed tennis in the 90's seemed liked players actually enjoyed playing and competing and not just being out on the court. Any thoughts? Thanks
Click to expand...
I don't notice any difference in enjoyment levels. Guga smiled the most of any player of the 90's but the rest were a bunch of grim looking fellas. Marcos, Monfils, Fed, and others, they all play the game with a lot of joy and passion.

In terms of technical quality, the game IMO is the best its ever been. Yes, less variety, but I think that's evolution at work. The ball striking is incredible. I would LOVE to see more personality, more crap talk, and emotions, but that's just me. And a great American rivalry would be great but only in terms of TV ratings, to me tennis is an international sport and I don't need the best to be Americans necessarily. :grin:
 
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