A red, white and blue showdown

Thursday night under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Pete Sampras and Andy Roddick will square off in a highly anticipated U.S. Open quarterfinal match. CNNSI.com talked to Sports Illustrated senior writer Jon Wertheim to get his thoughts on this potential changing of the guard in American tennis.

CNNSI.com: Why are fans excited about this match?

Jon Wertheim: This is the present of American tennis vs. the future, and both players know it. They've played before, but this is a much different stage -- it's not Houston. Both are bright guys and know the significance, the symbolic value of the match, beyond simply reaching the U.S. Open semifinals. Really, you couldn't ask for a better quarterfinal.

Leaving aside who the opponent is, this is the biggest match of Roddick's career so far. He made the quarterfinals last year and came so close -- a bad call during a service game -- to reaching the semis. Since then his performance in Slams has tailed off a little. So he'll be a winner no matter the outcome; even if he loses love-love-love, he still made the quarterfinal of a Slam and got the buzz back.

Likewise for Sampras, who came to Flushing Meadows on the heels of a loss to Paul-Henri Mathieu in his first match on Long Island. Even if he loses decisively, he can be pleased just to have reached the quarterfinals.

So it's good for both of them and for American tennis.

CNNSI.com: Roddick said the other day that he would prefer to play Sampras because Sampras is his idol. How might the awe factor influence the match?

Wertheim: I think that's counteracted by the fact that Roddick's beaten Sampras before. Yes, Sampras is his idol, but Roddick knows him personally and is familiar with his game. Still, I don't think it's so much the opponent as it is the occasion; not often do you reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal with a player not in the top 20 looming as your semifinal foe.

CNNSI.com: Who has more to prove?

Wertheim: I think Roddick still needs to take the next step. Clearly, the guy has a lot of game, but you don't become a star or save American tennis -- not that he's trying to do that tonight -- just by getting to the quarterfinals. As for Sampras, given where his game was two weeks ago, just the fact that he's gotten to the quarterfinals -- beating the No. 3 player in the world, Tommy Haas, and Greg Rusedski, one of the hottest players on tour, along the way -- is great for him.

CNNSI.com: Both have had somewhat disappointing years. Have you noticed any changes that might explain their strong showings this fortnight?

Wertheim: Sampras has been a lot more consistent off the ground, he's serving much better, and he looks to be moving better, even compared to his play on Long Island. I think Roddick is just temperamental; now he's having fun, getting the crowd into it, and is more at ease than he was at Wimbledon, for example.

CNNSI.com: What kind of shape are they in physically?

Wertheim: Sampras has played an awful lot of tennis since Monday, and Roddick had treatment for a bruised foot. Roddick was hanging out waiting for the trainer when I saw him yesterday. When I asked, "How'd you do on that foot?" he said, "Adrenaline is an amazing thing." So I think this will be a great match, and the only disappointment will be if Roddick's foot or Sampras' fitness doesn't hold up. Either could emerge as a factor.

CNNSI.com: What about the players' styles? Both are known as big hitters.

Wertheim: It's an interesting contrast in styles, though both have a lot of power. The key is whether Roddick can mix things up and keep Pete guessing, and if he can consistently serve into Sampras' backhand. As we saw in Roddick's match against Juan Ignacio Chela, a player's backhand and forehand returns can be of completely different quality.

CNNSI.com: So who wins?

Wertheim: Tennis. Seriously, it's a win-win. If Sampras wins he'll show that he's back, that he's overcome whatever was bothering him earlier this summer, and it will stop this foolishness that he should retire. A victory would cement his legacy. If Roddick wins, it'll be his best Grand Slam showing, and he'll have an excellent chance to play in the U.S. Open final a week after turning 20.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Jon Wertheim is covering the U.S. Open for CNNSI.com. Check back each evening to read his daily reports, and click here to send a question to his Tennis Mailbag.

 

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