1992 U. S. Open and a very interesting interview with Pete Sampras

[don_budge]

Here is a series of 6 videos covering the 1992 U. S. Open. Stefan Edberg triumphs in the end over Pete Sampras in the finals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oak7CcbwE9g

Then there is this 4 part series of a 2007 Pete Sampras interview that I am in the process of viewing. I am only on video number one but it seems very promising. Early on in the interview Sampras sites his loss to Edberg at the 1992 Open as a big motivating factor in his career.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GnsBoiczGk

A really good interview...Graham Bensinger does a great job of getting out of Pete's way. A poignant look at Pete...inside the Gold Mine. He talks about tennis of course. But he speaks openly about his own personality and some of the events that have shaped his life. He even mentions...take cover geoffwilliams...Pete Fischer. He does so unashamedly. He talks about his coach Tim Gullickson with whom he shared a very close relationship only to have him die prematurely at the age of 44. It's just a very honest and revealing talk with this great, great American champion. He conclude it all much the same as Gardnar Mulloy does...he says, "Life's been good".

Here is his rival Andre Agassi being as annoying as he could possibly be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QSK9t6OrgU

[GeoffWilliams]

That pissed off Pete. With good reason. How would you like to be slandered in front of millions? There was a look on Pete's face I've never seen before: The, "If I had a gun, I'd be using it.", look.

Imagine all the carnage that would ensue if our thoughts all turned true.


In my wake there would be several thousand dead by now. Every cheater, every bad client, every punk who cut me off, every person who disrespected, slandered, libeled, abused, rejected, attacked, me, etc. You know those guys who ram their way into traffic, either forcing you to hit them or give way? I drive a big truck (19' long, 9' wide, 12' high), and run into them every other week. If you want to be a good player, delusion and fantasy come in handy. No one else believes you will ever be a good player, especially if you are not yet a good one.





You are alone in your delusions, but with them you have a slim chance, and without them: none. This site is custom made for the delusional.

[stotty]

Like the interview

As always Pete gives a very candid interview. He doesn't know any other way. There's no side to Pete.

The bit I liked most was the "I figured it out..." part. You learn to do something really well but then you have to figure out how to succeed amongst others. Federer figured it when he was 22. He had been just as good one year earlier but still hadn't figured for himself the final part of the puzzle. I guess some players with the potential to be great never figure it out, and so never become great or reach full potential. I guess some figure it out very late...Tommy Haas...Wawrinka...better late than never at all.

I too was taken by the way Sampras unashamedly credited Pete Fischer (and he was crediting him in my view) for the decision to switch to a one handed backhand. I liked the way coach and student looked at the bigger picture and those took two years of poor results on the chin before things eventually paid off. Relative to the era and Pete's style of play it was the right decision. Bill Tilden would have approved that decision with a great big rubber stamp.

I've said this before but the best thing about Sampras, Borg and Federer is they just get on with. No bouncing the ball a trillion times before serving, no mind games, no gamesmanship...just play.