Back to familiar territory - Sampras to lead U.S. Davis Cup team against
Spain (on grass)
March 26, 2002
Maybe a return to grass will help Pete Sampras shake his two-year slump. U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe sure hopes so.
Sampras will play a professional match on grass in the United States for the first time next weekend when he leads the Americans against Spain in Houston.
Andy Roddick, Todd Martin and James Blake will complete the squad, McEnroe said Tuesday.
Sampras, who was upset Monday in the third round of the Nasdaq-100 Open by qualifier Fernando Gonzalez, hasn't won a tournament since claiming a record seventh Wimbledon title in 2000.
"I was certainly not real happy to see the way he played Monday," McEnroe said. "He just seemed flat to me. Sure I'm concerned, but more for how Pete does all year. I want to see him do well. Playing Davis Cup on grass, I don't think he'll have any trouble getting up for that."
Blake was only team member to reach the fourth round at Key Biscayne.
"We'd all like to go to Houston having played a little bit more," Sampras said. "It would have been nice for my confidence going in there playing a little bit better and having won a little bit more this week. But I'll have to get back to work and have a good week on grass."
It will be only the second Davis Cup match on grass in the United States since 1959, and the first since the Americans beat Spain in Newport, R.I., in the 1991 quarterfinals.
McEnroe chose the surface, which favors the big-serving Americans over the Spanish baseliners. Spain's team for the match April 5-7 will include Albert Martin, Alex Corretja, Juan Balcells and Tommy Robredo. Martin was picked Tueday to replace the injured Juan Carlos Ferrero.
McEnroe's brother John was the U.S. captain when Spain won the most recent meeting 5-0 in the 2000 semifinals. That was on clay in Santander, Spain.
"They did everything they could to make our life difficult, and we're going to try to do the same," Patrick McEnroe said.
Sampras and Roddick will likely play singles, although McEnroe said he'll wait until next week to decide. Sampras may also play doubles.
"Obviously I'll have some options in singles and doubles," he said. "I could put any of those guys together as a doubles team and feel pretty good about it."
McEnroe chose Martin over Jan-Michael Gambill, who nearly upset top-ranked Lleyton Hewitt at Key Biscayne on Monday.
"That was obviously my toughest choice, keeping Jan-Michael off the team," McEnroe said. "But I felt that Todd has got a lot more experience on grass."
Gambill complained earlier about a lack of communication leading up to the decision.
"Patrick obviously feels that there are better players than me to play this tie," Gambill said. "Whether I agree with him is irrelevant. He's the captain."
McEnroe chose Rob Ginepri and Jeff Morrison as practice squad members.
Pete Sampras, arguably the world's best grass-court player - here are some notes on his impressive history competing on grass:
This U.S. vs. Spain Davis Cup quarterfinal marks the first time that Pete Sampras will play a grass court tennis match outside of England in his 14-year professional tennis career. Prior to this upcoming grass court appearance at the Westside Tennis Club, Sampras has only played professional tennis at three venues - The All England Club in Wimbledon, Queen's Club in London and the Didsbury Club in Manchester, England.
The last time Sampras played a sanctioned grass court tennis match in the United States came on August 16, 1987. On that day, Sampras and partner Matt Lucena defeated John Falbo and David DiLucia, 7-6 (5), 5-7, 7-5, in the final of the 1987 USTA International Grass Court Championships at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. Also that day, Todd Martin won the singles title, defeating Falbo in the final. Sampras was defeated in the second round of singles by Sandon Stolle, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.
Sampras has won Wimbledon seven times, tying him with Willie Renshaw for the most men's singles titles ever at the All-England Club. Sampras won titles in 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1995, 1994 and 1993, while Renshaw won titles in 1889, 1886, 1885, 1884, 1883, 1882, 1881. However Renshaw won five of those titles by having to win only one match "the challenge round". Sampras owns a 39-2 record on Centre Court at Wimbledon.
The grass court pro tennis career for Pete Sampras is as follows: Wimbledon
13 appearances, 7 titles 62-6 record; Queen's Club 12 appearances, 2 titles
28-10 record; Manchester 2 appearances, 1 title 9-1 record;
OVERALL 27 tournaments 10 titles 99-17 record.
Sampras played his first professional grass court tournament at Queen's Club in England in June 1989. Sampras defeated Tom Nijssen of The Netherlands in his professional grass court first-round match. He defeated Kevin Curren in the second round before losing to his eventual coach Paul Annacone in the round of 16.
PETE SAMPRAS AT WIMBLEDON
1989: Lost to Todd Woodbridge in the first round
1990: Lost to Christo Van Rensburg in the first round
1991: Lost to Derrick Rostagno in the second round
1992: Lost to Goran Ivanisevic in the semifinals
1993: Defeated Jim Courier in the final
1994: Defeated Goran Ivanisevic in the final
1995: Defeated Boris Becker in the final
1996: Lost to Richard Krajicek in the quarterfinal
1997: Defeated Cedric Pioline in the final
1998: Defeated Goran Ivanisevic in the final
1999: Defeated Andre Agassi in the final
2000: Defeated Patrick Rafter in the final
2001: Lost to Roger Federer in R16
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