Sampras loses again on clay
Source: Reuters
May 7, 2002
Pete was one of the first-round casualties on a dismal day for the seeds
at the Rome Masters Series tournament on Tuesday.
Sampras, the holder of a record 13 grand slam singles titles, was beaten
6-4 6-7 6-3 by veteran Spaniard Felix Mantilla.
It was Mantilla's second victory over Sampras in five career matches. His
other win over the seven-time Wimbledon winner came in a 7-6 (8-6), 3-6,
6-3 victory at Indian Wells in 1999. Today's match was their first
meeting on clay.
The 1994 Rome champion, Sampras entered the event following an impressive
run to the U.S. Clay Court Championships final where he fell to Andy Roddick.
In an effort to reverse his recent futility at Roland Garros where he has
not surpassed the third round since 1996, Sampras hired two-time French
Open semifinalist Jose Higueras, who coached Jim Courier to the Roland Garros
titles in 1991 and 1992 as his new coach.
In the end, the 13-time Grand Slam champion succumbed to Mantilla's high-bouncing
topspin strokes as he failed to reach the second round at Rome for the second
straight year. Roland Garros remains the only major omission in Sampras'
stellar resume and at this point in his career, Sampras' ability to grind
out long matches on the slow, red clay is suspect.
Sampras, urged on by the crowd at the Foro Italico, recovered from losing
the first set to clinch the second-set tiebreak 7-3 but Mantilla's guile
and greater prowess on clay proved too much in the third set.
The Spaniard broke the Sampras serve when the 12th seed double faulted
at breakpoint down at 4-3 and went on to serve out the match to love.
"You can't take anything positive from losing," said Sampras.
I'm very disappointed I didn't win the match. I had a few chances, a few
opportunities that I didn't take advantage of. He's a very strong player,
he hits the ball very deep, very heavy and doesn't miss much. He played
a solid clay-court match like I thought he would."
Clay continues to be the American's Achilles heel. He has never won the
French Open and though he won the title in Rome in 1994, this was the second
year running he had failed to make it past the first round.
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TMS - Rome (Round 1)
Post-Match Interview
Pete Sampras loses to Felix Mantilla
6-4, 6-7, 6-3
May 7, 2002
THE MODERATOR: Questions for Pete, please.
Q. How disappointed are you?
PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I'm very disappointed I didn't win the match, you know.
I had a few chances, few opportunities that I didn't take advantage of.
And, you know, he's a very strong player, hits the ball very deep, very
heavy, and doesn't miss much. So I felt I had a few chances. And, you know,
I give him credit. He played a solid clay court match like I thought he
would.
Q. In the second set you came back and played very well.
PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah.
Q. What happened in the third? Was your serve letting you down?
PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I was playing fine in the third. My serve let me down
a little bit - the game that he broke me, I missed every first serve. And
you just can't afford to do that. It's tough to serve and volley on everything
and keep coming in.
You know, I felt like I had a chance at 15-30 at - I'm not sure what the
score was. I missed a few returns. It was kind of a very big game to lose.
4-3, things were going fine. And, you know, I was 0 for 7, 0 for 8 on first
serves. I can only get away with that for so long. When the pressure got
a little tougher, I, you know, threw in the double there on breakpoint and
that was it.
But the serve definitely let me down a little bit in the third.
Q. Why do you think that you cannot play on clay as well as you do on
other surfaces? Is it technical or mental or...?
PETE SAMPRAS: Well, it's not either one, technical or mental. A lot of
it out there is movement, you know, being able to hit shots when you slide.
Obviously, it slows down my serve a little bit and gives players more time,
and time is a very big part of this sport, you know.
But I feel like when I play well, I can play well on anything. I thought
I was on my way to winning today and building confidence through the week.
Didn't happen. I let it slip away. But I know I can play well out there.
Felt pretty good today, but not obviously well enough to win. It was, you
know, a tough opening round match to play Felix. He's a very strong player.
Q. How do you feel about Ivanisevic pulling out of Wimbledon?
PETE SAMPRAS: I was just told that a minute ago. Obviously, it's disappointing
for him and for the event, defending champion. It's always an honor to go
out two o'clock on the Monday. That's one of the few benefits you get for
winning the tournament, you know, when you play (smiling).
And I'm sure it's, you know -- he's disappointed. And, you know, the tournament
itself, they always love having that defending champion come out two o'clock.
Be interesting to see what they do this year.
But it's just a big blow to the tournament. It was a great story, what
happened last year, Goran finally doing it. Just, you know, I think he made
the right decision because I hear his shoulder is pretty bad, and you got
to take care of your health before anything.
Q. It was almost as if you were playing at home because all the crowd
was for you. Did you feel it, and did it encourage you at the end? Did you
feel the crowd?
PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, the crowd was great. It's always -- they're very much
into the match. They saw I was struggling a little bit in the first set
and definitely got behind me in the second. And I could feel the energy
out there. It helped me, you know, at certain moments. The tiebreaker, they
were very loud. Wish I could have given them a win, but didn't happen.
But it's always a very good crowd here, very knowledgeable of the game.
And it was too bad I didn't, you know, didn't win it.
Q. Is it encouraging, discouraging, a match like that? Do you take many
positives or negatives from it?
PETE SAMPRAS: Well, you can't -- you know, at this point where I'm at,
I can't get negative. I can't get down on myself, and look at the big picture.
But not, you know -- winning matches like this is what I need right now.
I need to go into the rest of the year - clay - having won a little bit
more. So I'm disappointed for that.
But I feel like I hit the ball pretty well and had some chances and served
pretty well at times. And, you know, it's never -- you can't take anything
positive from losing. My energy felt good. I felt like I was capable of
winning out there.
So, you know... Didn't happen, and just got to get ready for next week.
Q. Who is the favorite of the tournament?
PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I mean, just go down the seeds and those are your guys,
you know - Ferrero and Hewitt and Kuerten, you know. Just go down the seeds
and those are the guys that are going to be around.
Q. Will you go to Hamburg?
PETE SAMPRAS: Yes.
THE INTERPRETER: That was difficult (smiling).
PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, I can translate that (laughter).
Q. What are your main goals at the moment?
PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I mean, obviously my short-term goal here is to try
to do well next week and have a good week of World Team Cup and hopefully
peak at the French Open. And that's my immediate goal, you know.
Long-term goal is to, you know, try to win a major for the year. You know,
that's kind of where I'm at. I'm going to do whatever I can over the course
of the next four months to try to win one, and it would be a great moment.
Q. You haven't won a tournament for two years now. Why do you think this
happened? Is it technical, or are you less motivated?
PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I'm still very motivated. It's nothing technical. You
know, I think, you know, breaking the record a couple years ago, it took
a lot out of me. You know, week in, week out, it is tougher to find that
enthusiasm.
But, you know, last year could have been very different, you know. I could
have won a major, a few breaks went my way. At Wimbledon it was a tough
loss. Got to the final of the Open. So it's still there. It just takes,
you know, playing well - which I think I am - and it takes a few breaks
here and there - which I need to get.
You know, safe to say players are better today. It's tough to win week
in and week out. I know that those days are probably over. But I still feel
like I've got some majors left in me, and that's what I'm working for.
Q. If and when you do win the next major, do you think it will be more
special because it's something you've had to wait for and work hard for?
PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah. I mean, it's hard to top what happened in 2000. But
if the day comes where I could break through and win a major, it could be
my best achievement just because of having to work hard and get back up
there and having some adversity. If the day comes, it will be a great moment
- maybe my greatest. That's why I'm continuing to play. That's why I keep
working hard, is to try to have that opportunity and maybe break through
and win a Slam.
But you just appreciate it a lot more as you get older. The next one, if
it happens, I'm sure I'll, you know, cherish it more than anything maybe
I've ever done.
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