Sport - Tennis

Sampras leads a U.S. win

DUESSELDORF May 22. Pete Sampras edged Guillermo Canas 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) on Tuesday to finally win on European clay while leading the United States over Argentina 2-1 at the World Team Cup. In another match, Sweden beat France 2-1.

Sampras, who suffered opening round defeats in Rome and Hamburg, lost to Nicolas Escude of France on Sunday. Sampras has won 13 Grand Slam titles, but the French Open — the only major on clay — has eluded him.

Sampras failed to convert a break point at 4-3 in the third set, and then a big forehand down the line gave him a match point at 5-4, but he dumped a forehand into the net.

He was then forced to ace himself out of trouble as he faced a break point at 5-5.

To improve his game on clay, Sampras hired former clay court champion Jose Higueras as his coach. ``I've put in a lot of work over the past month or so, and whether working with Jose on clay is a benefit, we'll see,'' Sampras said. ``Jose does understand clay a little bit more and he can help me in certain areas.

In the other singles match, Andy Roddick defeated Jose Acasuso 6-3, 6-2 while Lucas Arnold and Gaston Etlis downed James Blake and Jared Palmer 7-5, 6-2 in the doubles.

Sweden, playing without injured Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson, beat France as Thomas Enqvist overcame Nicolas Escude 6-4, 6-4 and Jonas Bjorkman and Enqvist beat Arnaud Clement and Escude 6-3, 4-6, 10-3.

France had levelled the score when Clement outlasted Bjorkman 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.

The results:

U.S. bt Argentina 2-1 (Pete Sampras bt Guillermo Canas 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5); Andy Roddick bt Jose Acasuso 6-3, 6-2; Lucas Arnold & Gaston Etlis bt James Blake & Jared Palmer 7-5, 6-2).

Sweden bt France 2-1 (Thomas Enqvist bt Nicolas Escude 6-4, 6-4; Arnaud Clement bt Jonas Bjorkman 6-1, 4-6, 6-4; Bjorkman & Enqvist bt Clement & Escude 6-3, 4-6, 10-3). — AP

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