Best Agassi-Sampras Encounter

[Bryan Aldridge]

So I was watching some of the Agassi marathon on ESPN classic today, and I was amazed by the quality of play of the 1995 Agassi/Sampras Australian Open Final. So I started thinking, what Agassi-Sampras encounter in a slam was their highest caliber match in your opinion?

 

[JohnS]

high quality, heavy hitting, low unforced errors, reminds me of the federer-safin match. Surprising, sampras was staying on the baseline on second serves. Scores might not be too close, it is lop sided on certain sets, but still high quality.

aussie '95

 

[quest01]

Sampras when he started and midway through his career only served and volleyed on his first serve. Later on in his career he served and volleyed on both his first and second serves. Wimbledon was the only tournament in which he served and volleyed throughout his career.

The best Agassi-Sampras match was the 01 US Open Quarters. It had zero breaks of serves. Unfortunately Sampras tanked against Hewitt in the final. After Sampras lost the first set in a tight tiebreak, i believe Sampras tanked afterwards.

 

[FitzRoy]

Yeah, I just watched the '95 Australian Open Final on ESPN Classic too. That one definitely has to be up there. I think the 2000 Aussie Open Semifinal was also a very well-played match. My vote, though, went to the 2001 US Open Quarterfinal. For starters it was extremely high in quality, with no breaks of serve. Also the setting was perfect: it was a prime-time night match with a packed house (including many celebrities), and from the start it just had the feel of a classic. My opinion may be a little biased, though, because that match happens to be the one I most clearly remember watching, including details like where I was at the time, and the other people who were there watching.

I liked the 2002 US Open Final a lot as well, but it's hard to say that it was of the same quality. And I hope noone votes for the 1999 Wimbledon Final, unless they just really liked seeing a brutal beatdown.

 

[JohnS]

who the hell voted for '95 uso . Yeah the score looked close and all, but eh... I dont think the quality was great compared to some of the other matechs such as the '01 uso.

 

[Bryan Aldridge]

who the hell voted for '95 uso . Yeah the score looked close and all, but eh... I dont think the quality was great compared to some of the other matechs such as the '01 uso.

I voted for it accidently. I meant to select 1995 Aus Open final. Now you calm it down, or "somebody gonna get a hurt real bad... somebody"

 

[JohnS]

I voted for it accidently. I meant to select 1995 Aus Open final. Now you calm it down, or "somebody gonna get a hurt real bad... somebody"

"Hey!!! Hey!!!" well "your momma's soooo fat... that when she JuMp Fo JoYeee... She got stuck..."

are you !Russell Peters?

 

[chaognosis]

who the hell voted for '95 uso . Yeah the score looked close and all, but eh... I dont think the quality was great compared to some of the other matechs such as the '01 uso.

Well, it does have the advantage of being without question the most important match of their rivalry -- and arguably the most important match in terms of establishing Agassi's historical legacy (the other contender being the 1999 French Open final). I agree that both in terms of tennis and in terms of drama there were better matches between these two, but this is the one that defines them and their relationship as players better than any other.

 

[KBalla08]

i voted for 99 wimby final, i thought it was great

 

[Bryan Aldridge]

Well, it does have the advantage of being without question the most important match of their rivalry -- and arguably the most important match in terms of establishing Agassi's historical legacy (the other contender being the 1999 French Open final). I agree that both in terms of tennis and in terms of drama there were better matches between these two, but this is the one that defines them and their relationship as players better than any other.

I do remember Mary Carillo saying that Agassi said whoever was able to win the 95 US open, whether it was him or Sampras, should be ranked #1.

 

[ACS]

Well, it does have the advantage of being without question the most important match of their rivalry -- and arguably the most important match in terms of establishing Agassi's historical legacy (the other contender being the 1999 French Open final). I agree that both in terms of tennis and in terms of drama there were better matches between these two, but this is the one that defines them and their relationship as players better than any other.

good points...i would say the 95 US Open was the defining match of Agassi's career until the 99 French...after that, his place in history was secure...he wasn't going to be remembered as someone who had a good run as a teenager, gave Sampras a run for his money, then went away

as an Agassi fan, I've got to say that my favorite Pete-Andre match was the 2000 Aussie semi (the 4th set tiebreak was wild...I'll never forget Andre's reaction to winning that set, even though I watched it at 5am)

objectively, the best match was probably the 01 US open quarter

 

[Matt Riordan]

I picked the 2001 US Open quarter-final match. As more a Sampras than Agassi fan, I knew, just KNEW, that, with his bad run of form and three consecutive losses to Andre, if Pete lost the first set he was doomed. And he lost the first set. And went break points down in his first service game of the second. And somehow dug himself out of a hole to win. Not the best ever performance from either of them but I think the best they both played while playing each other.

The 2000 Aussie Open semi was great... for four sets. Andre ultimately won on fitness and was the deserved winner that day. I'd pick that as the best big-stage performance from Andre against Pete and even then Pete almost snatched it in four. The fourth set tie-break was terrific.

Third, the 1999 Wimbledon final has to go down as one of the most amazing, devastating displays of attacking tennis ever. Shame it wasn't a great match.

Matt

 

[drakulie]

Definitely the 2001 US Open Quarters. Both were able to impose their strengths on the other. Both were playing at the very highest level. No breaks of serve. Agassi was unable to get an edge on Sampras' serve, and Sampras was unable to get the edge on the ground to break Agassi's serve. The only negative if their is one is that it did not go 5 sets.

 

[drakulie]

Third, the 1999 Wimbledon final has to go down as one of the most amazing, devastating displays of attacking tennis ever. Shame it wasn't a great match.Matt

Agree. It was scary how amazing Sampras played. Not even if Agassi was at his best, would he have had a shot.

 

[Andres]

2000 Australian Open SF Agassi Def Sampras

 

[superman1]

1995 definitely had one of the best rallies I've seen on set point in the 1st set. That point alone showed that when both players were at their absolute best, they were almost equally brilliant, but Sampras always had that extra edge. He always seemed to be able to get to every ball with time to spare.

 

[Turning Pro]

Sampras when he started and midway through his career only served and volleyed on his first serve. Later on in his career he served and volleyed on both his first and second serves. Wimbledon was the only tournament in which he served and volleyed throughout his career.

The best Agassi-Sampras match was the 01 US Open Quarters. It had zero breaks of serves. Unfortunately Sampras tanked against Hewitt in the final. After Sampras lost the first set in a tight tiebreak, i believe Sampras tanked afterwards.

lol.****ing joker.For what? His rest period and after party celebrations? Thought so.No wait.........

 

[basil J]

I was amazed at how Pete hit his 1hbh so much better in 95 than later on in his career. He played baseline ball, and played it well. Towards the end he seemed to chip and loop his 1HBH much more than in the match I watched today. (Aussie 95).

 

[War Safin!]

Either US Open 1995 or Wimbledon 1999 - both players were at their peak, or close to.

However, my own favorite is US Open 2001.