Sampras vs Hass last night at SAP...not good tennis

[evw]

Sampras vs Haas last night at SAP...not good tennis

I watched the Sampras VS Haas exhibition match last night at the SAP Open in San Jose, CA. It was tremendously horrendous! Tommy never even tried, he hit maybe two first serves the whole match, not one winner, and just layed up lame duck slice passing shots. He could have at least made it look like he was trying. 6-3, 6-2 Sampras

Sampras still has a great second serve and awesome volleys but is slow as molasses and his ground game is crap.

 

[the green god]

How is your ground game?

 

[jcstennis]

... but is slow as molasses and his ground game is crap.

umm, he 3 and 2'd T Haas! Come on!

i didn't see the match, sure Pete has lost a step... did he play like crap for 'Pete' G.O.A.T.?

 

[akapistolpete]

maybe Haas felt he was in a situation where if he tried and lost people would say he can't beat a 5 year retired player, so not trying got him off the hook. Maybe?

 

[!Tym]

Haas is also still injured isn't he? I think someone said he couldn't hit anything above 105 practically on his serve in Delray, and didn't even come close to hitting 120 even once. His shoulder's really messed up right now, he probably shouldn't even be playing but couldn't back out by that point.

 

[TennisLover17]

tommy already said in post match interview that he obviously wasn't trying, and that he came out there to get familiar with the SAP Open court, and to play a light match with pete

 

[Enlightened Coelacanth]

tommy already said in post match interview that he obviously wasn't trying, and that he came out there to get familiar with the SAP Open court, and to play a light match with pete

Then mission accomplished. I will wait for a less obviously biased account of the match than the o.p.

 

[jackcrawford]

I watched the Sampras VS Haas exhibition match last night at the SAP Open in San Jose, CA. It was tremendously horrendous! Tommy never even tried, he hit maybe two first serves the whole match, not one winner, and just layed up lame duck slice passing shots. He could have at least made it look like he was trying. 6-3, 6-2 Sampras

Sampras still has a great second serve and awesome volleys but is slow as molasses and his ground game is crap.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9803E7DB143DF935A35757C0A9649C8B63
As you can see here, by 2002 Pete couldn't even beat a clay courter on grass contrary to the Pete could still win Wimby fantasies - and Davis cup was very important to him. His grass game was shot by then, following it up with a 2nd round loss to George Bastl at the 2002 Wimbledon.
http://wtt.com/page.aspx?article_id=373
As you can see, Newport was much better off with Delgado playing singles. Pete wouldn't be playing WTT in front of soldout arenas filled with his biggest fans who've shelled out a hundred bucks to bring their kid along to see their hero in the flesh at shopping malls and tennis clubs if he weren't trying his best. Why play to humiliate yourself in public? He hasn't been forced to play team tennis. He plays because he wants to show off but he can't because the Warburgs of the world aren't hurt (unlike Haas) and they are trying (unlike Federer) and their game overwhelms him. He won the US Open 2002 on fumes after a year of really poor play - he was a great player in his day but he wouldn't even be a winner on the Challenger tour now.

 

[CGMemphis]

I love keyboard commando's who rail on the best of the best in sports as if what they say would change history. Just because Pete isnt the same player he was in 95 doesnt mean you can step out on the court and beat him in his struggling years now.

I watched Bastl play in college, and while he doesnt have the game to be in the top 50 on the ATP, he certainly has the game to take most of us for a ride.

Im no Pete apologist, just tired of keyboard jockeys.

 

[jackcrawford]

I love keyboard commando's who rail on the best of the best in sports as if what they say would change history. Just because Pete isnt the same player he was in 95 doesnt mean you can step out on the court and beat him in his struggling years now.

I watched Bastl play in college, and while he doesnt have the game to be in the top 50 on the ATP, he certainly has the game to take most of us for a ride.

Im no Pete apologist, just tired of keyboard jockeys.

Has anyone claimed a club player, even a 5.5 one could beat him:shock: A Challenger tour player is a 7.0 pro, just not a threat to win Wimbledon. Pete Fischer, who coached Sampras as a junior and revitalized Spadea's career, was a 2.5 player. One needn't be a tour pro to comment on tour pro's abilities or lack thereof. If you're tired of keyboard jockies, don't come here because WTA and ATP tour pros don't post here.http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3258702&name=tennis BTW, this blog says it all about Pete - Roddick desrves credit for telling it like it is.

 

[hollywood9826]

Then mission accomplished. I will wait for a less obviously biased account of the match than the o.p.

Thats exactly what the OP said. Haas was not trying and Pete looked slow. Maybe Pete felt the negative energy and it brought his game down a notch.

 

[aceroberts13]

Seems as tho Hass has come on to hard times. Its unfortunate for him as he used to be a promising talent. I know he probably glided through the exo a bit but I hope he can get some good results in the future. The guy is a class act.

 

[stormholloway]

Spadea's coach was a 2.5? I don't believe that. Was he in a wheelchair?

 

[jackcrawford]

Spadea's coach was a 2.5? I don't believe that. Was he in a wheelchair?

http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/1997/08/29/1997-08-29_pete_s_troubled_ex-coach_bec.html
Dr Pete Fischer is a shy, bookish, uncoordinated man who knows tennis inside and out. If you have ever seen him work with Spadea or Alexandra Stevenson you will see they need a hitting partner while he comments on their play, he cannot sustain a rally. Spadea discusses this in detail and gives his USTA rating in the 2002 Tennis magazine article on Vince's career resurrection, unfortunately they no longer archive features on their website before 2005. Spadea may discuss it in his book, I haven't read it.

 

[bluegrasser]

How is your ground game?

Ditto - maybe call Pete up and offer him a challenge...

 

[sals]

Haas is great when in form - but at the moment its not looking good
Pete is due to play Federer next monday
omg
Fed just lost back to back matches
perhaps we can see a third loss for the almighty current no 1

 

[jasoncho92]

Haas is great when in form - but at the moment its not looking good
Pete is due to play Federer next monday
omg
Fed just lost back to back matches
perhaps we can see a third loss for the almighty current no 1

It cant count as a loss if he doesnt try for **** like all the other players playing against Sampras for the money