The Hindu : Sampras advances to championship match

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 29, 2002

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Sampras advances to championship match

HOUSTON April 28. Pete Sampras, winless in 24 tournaments since taking his seventh Wimbledon title in 2000, beat second-seeded Andre Agassi 6-1, 7-5 on Saturday night to advance to the final of the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship.

Sampras will face third-seeded Andy Roddick, a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 winner over Argentina's Guillermo Coria.

Sampras is 19-14 life-time against Agassi, but it was only the second time in five meetings that Sampras beat Agassi on clay.

``Just playing him is unique,'' Sampras said. ``Whether we're playing a practice match on a side court or in the finals at Wimbledon, he raises my game to another level.''

The best game of the match was the 12th and final game of the match, after Sampras broke Agassi to take a 6-5 lead.

With Sampras serving for the match, Agassi fought off four match points before Sampras ended it with an ace.

``I thought he played very well and got off to a good start,'' Agassi said. ``When you fall behind early, it's sometimes difficult to catch up. I tried to get my teeth into it, but I never settled in.''

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