From Andre Agassi to Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Serena Williams, several Legends
of the game have spoken on Pete Sampras, and today we'll be revealing all of their thoughts.
ANDRE AGASSI One game that every tennis fan always looked
forward to is the game between Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras.
It was always a battle!
We recently talked about what Pete said about Agassi, saying they have a pretty cool relationship.
Well, when Andre was asked about their relationship, he simply said it was " strictly platonic."
Andre Agassi was being comically unfazed while taking part in a conference call to promote
the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden.
He continued by offering a reasonable justification for his difficult friendship with the other
legendary tennis player of his generation.
Agassi claimed that he thought about Pete a lot during the three years it took to compose
his best-selling book, "Open."
"I realized I never really knew him," Andre said.
"Two different guys, with different styles, who see the world differently.
That was a bridge that was difficult to cross."
"As little as I knew him, I recognized him as the superior athlete and tennis player."
In another interview in 2019, Andre spoke on the importance of having a strong and great
rivalry in his career.
He revealed that a great rival was like a mirror.
He further explained, "You have to look at yourself, acknowledge where you fall short,
make adjustments, and nurture the areas where you overachieve."
"There were times my rivals brought out the best in me; there were times they brought
out the worst.
They probably helped me win things I would never have otherwise; they also cost me titles.
I don't know how you quantify what it would have been like without a rival like Pete Sampras."
"I would have won more.
But I think I would have been worse without him."
When it comes to Andre and Pete, here is what Roger Federer had to say when he was questioned
about the two rivals.
ROGER FEDERER In 2001, Federer reached the quarterfinals
at Wimbledon (REMEMBER WIMBLE-DIN NOT WIMBLE-TIN) and Roland Garros.
He made his first important moves at the All-England Club after a thrilling victory over Pete in
the fourth round (7-6, 5-7, 6-5, 6-7, 7-5).
At the US Open two months later, Roger advanced to the round of 16 and met another legend,
Andre Agassi.
The crowd's favorite back then, Andre, defeated young Roger handily in one hour and 23 minutes,
winning 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.
In Miami 2002, Andre and Roger set up another encounter, this time in the final, and Andre
won again in four sets to win the title after falling behind 4-2 in the fourth set.
After the game, when asked about Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, Federer responded that it
was impossible to compare the two players since they were so different.
"For me, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi are different players.
When I was young, Pete was my favorite, while Andre wasn't.
I don't know, it was more special at Wimbledon than here in Miami, even though I like this
place a lot.
Wimbledon has a bigger tradition, and I can't compare my match against Sampras there to
the one I played against Agassi here," Roger Federer said.
Another player from the big 3 who has spoken about Pete is Novak.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC The influence Pete has had on Novak is very
intense.
Now and then, Novak has made sure to mention Pete's name when it comes to people who had
inspired him to take up the sport as a young kid.
2021 was a terrific year for Novak, where he managed to win three out of four Grand
Slams.
He deservedly secured the year-end no.1 crown for a record-breaking seventh time in his
career.
In doing so, Novak eclipsed his idol Pete, who managed to achieve the feat six times
in his illustrious career.
After Novak's achievement, Pete dropped the ultimate praise on him by calling him the
greatest of all time.
In return, Novak admitted that being labeled as the greatest tennis player of all time
by Pete meant the world to him.
"This means the world to me, especially as it is coming from someone who is a role model.
He was the one when he played his first Wimbledon final, it was my first image of tennis."
"He made me dream to become a champion like him and hold the Wimbledon trophy and become
World No. 1," Novak further added.
"He is one of the best players of all time in our sport, and for something like that
to come out of his mouth is extremely satisfying for me to hear."
Novak also stated that he was around 5 years old the first time he saw Pete play at Wimbledon,
and that was what inspired him to ask for a racquet.
To know that he held the record after Pete was just incredible for him.
Pete imagined what a future showdown versus Novak would be like in the biography of him
that was penned by renowned sports journalist Steve Flink.
It is clear that these two athletes greatly respect and admire one another.
Even though the two never had the chance to compete against one another on the ATP tour,
it would have been an exciting match to watch.
Along with Novak, Nadal and Roger are widely considered as the three greatest male players
in history; however, tennis legend Sam Smith believes Pete Sampras, Rod Laver, and Bjorn
Borg are on par with the ‘Big Three.’
STAN SMITH The "Big Three" have dominated the most recent
era of men's tennis by taking home over 60 Major trophies while continuing to soar to
new heights even as they approached their thirties.
They have stopped a lot of players from different generations, and they keep becoming better.
But Smith believes Pete, as well as Laver and Borg, should be held in the same regard.
“I think there are six that are the best in history.
Sampras, Laver, Borg, and the Big 3,” Stan Smith said back in 2021 while speaking on
La Nacional.
“Fortunately, these three continue to play.
Tennis fans around the world had the opportunity to see three of the best at the same time.
It is a special era, which will end in a few years."
When Pete himself was asked whether he would have had an influence on the careers of Roger,
Nadal, and Novak, his reply was he felt that he was part of it.
Pete was the most successful tennis player in the world back in the day, with 14 major
titles, and today the "Big Three" are clearly in front of him.
Surely, they adopted his attitude for themselves.
Up next is a Legend who sort of had a crush on Pete growing up.
(speak excitedly)
SERENA WILLIAMS Serena once revealed that she rarely practiced
the swing that she modeled on Pete Sampras, one of the greatest servers of his generation.
"I used to want to serve just like Pete," Serena explained," But I think my motion changed.
It doesn't look anything like his.
But I definitely wanted to.
That was the intention.
I really loved Pete when I was younger."
"My dog's name is Jackie Violet Pete after Pete Sampras, so obviously, I'm a little bit
obsessed.
"I didn't realize I had the same stats.
Clearly, my career is not over, so I definitely want to do a few more."
Serena had acknowledged having a crush on Pete when she was younger, so her admission
that she was a little obsessed is unsurprising.
"I remember Pete Sampras playing in 1990; I was watching on television, and I remember
that was the first year he won a Grand Slam," Serena told the Hamptons back in 2011.
"He was really young, and they were talking about how good he was going to be.
He was wearing such short shorts; they were almost like bikinis.
I definitely thought Pete was very handsome, but around 1996 I thought he was really hot—but
I also think everybody is hot, so I don't know if that is saying much."
BORIS BECKER (Becker talks about Sampras)
As Becker neared the conclusion of his career, Pete made his appearance.
The same way McEnroe handed the torch to Becker, Becker was going to hand it off to Pete.
When Becker was asked what he saw in Pete and how he knew Pete was going to be the new
guy, he revealed that he always felt he could not be beaten on his best day and when Pete
came around, all that changed.
Becker also once discussed the GOAT Question.
He revealed that it was, without a doubt, Pete Sampras.
"People always ask me about the best players in history, and now they ask me even more,
maybe because I'm closer to one of them.
The best I played was Pete Sampras.
Without any doubt, he had the best service among the players I faced, and he was the
best of the best."
"Because of him, I stopped thinking about winning Wimbledon.
Apart from his weakness, the backhand, he was good enough with the rest of his shots,
and his movement on the court was so good that it was difficult to play on his backhand".
Becker also talked about comparisons with Federer.
"People ask me if Federer would have been able to beat Sampras.
They played against each other only once, and Federer won, but Sampras already had his
best moment."
He further stated, "You have to take into account that tennis begins with the only shot
that does not depend on your opponent, the serve, and I think Pete Sampras has the best
serve in history."
"I played him, and he was a genius, but I think Sampras was the best because I could
not touch the ball in the return games.
McEnroe did serve and volley well, while against Sampras, you cannot start a rally, and when
you made it, he was so agile that he put on his forehand side and dominated you or went
on the net and played volleys."
You've heard what the legends have had to say about Pete over the years.
What are your thoughts on the legend?
Comment below