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Old pro, young gun Sampras, Hewitt cruise with straight-set semifinal wins
Updated: Saturday September 08, 2001 11:10 PM
NEW YORK (AP) -- Pete Sampras needs only one more win to complete his resurgence. Sampras bids for a 14th Grand Slam championship Sunday at the U.S. Open against 20-year-old Lleyton Hewitt, who is playing in the finals of a major tournament for the first time. Both advanced with straight-set victories Saturday. Sampras' win over defending champion Marat Safin was more difficult, complicated when his stomach began churning in the second set. He still won 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3. Earlier, Hewitt wiped out Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-1, 6-2, 6-1 in the most one-sided semifinal in U.S. Open men's history. Stung by whispers that his career was in decline after going 14 months without winning a title, Sampras came into the Open on a mission, determined to win it for the fifth time. His task was complicated by the draw which put him in the toughest quarter of the tournament. In a memorable week, he became the first player in Open history to beat three former champions in succession. There was a four-set win against Patrick Rafter followed by another four-setter, each decided in a tiebreak, against Andre Agassi. Then came Safin, who had beaten him in straight sets for the Open title a year ago. Sampras set out about the task.
"It was a tough draw, the toughest draw I've had in many years," he said. "This, I think, beats it all -- playing three champions, especially Pat and Andre, I think of as the two guys to beat, and Safin as the defending champion. I was forced into playing great players early, and maybe that's helped me out a little." Sampras raised his game a couple of levels against all three. He launched a stretch of 87 service games without being broken. He whistled aces all over the court. He looked like the Sampras of old. "Everything is clicking at the same time," he said. "I've just got to keep it going one more day." Against Safin, he made some big shots, one that caused him to kiss his racket in appreciation. It was a reversal of last year's flameout against the Russian in the Open final. "I was just efficient and played a clean match," Sampras said. "I played a good, solid, aggressive match, really stuck to my gameplan-type of match. It was a completely different type of situation from last year. "Last year was, I think, the first time that it's ever happened that I couldn't do anything. Against most, I feel like if I play well, I should come through. But he possesses a big game. I was a bit overwhelmed there." Safin knew he could not depend on repeating last year's match to succeed. "Last year in the final, I played too good," he said. "It doesn't matter if it was Pete or who. I don't know what happened that day. Nobody had a chance. I could play against God, and he wouldn't have a chance. I was too good, too good." This time, Safin lost the first set but had a chance to recover in the second. After trainer Doug Spreen gave Sampras something to soothe his stomach, the players battled shot for shot. Facing a service break, Sampras got a little lucky when chair umpire Wayne McKewen overruled an out call and awarded him an ace. He converted that by holding his service, extending his streak to 81 service games without being broken. The two rolled into the tiebreak set, familiar territory for Sampras after his classic match with Agassi. Safin stayed close, saving one set point but then hitting long on the second. Now, two sets ahead, Sampras went into overdrive. His big serve produced 20 aces, the final one on match point, and he extended his streak of service games without being broken to 87. Now it is on to Hewitt, in very much the same position as Safin was a year ago -- a kid thrust into the championship showdown against the most successful Grand Slam player in history. "Pete, the way he's playing at the moment, the way he played against Andre and Pat, he's going to be very tough to beat," Hewitt said. Sampras understands the similarities between Hewitt and Safin. "He's a young guy that is a great player who's going to contend for majors for many, many years," Sampras said of the young Australian. "He's got the quickness. He returns very well. He passes very well." And now he faces Sampras. "We had a tight match here last year in the semis," Sampras said. "He's got one more year of experience. It could be his year." Then again, it could be Sampras' year. He said all along that a win at the Open would make that so.
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