Emotional Pete Sampras Bids Final Farewell (1 Viewer)

[Peter Kline]

Pete and son wave goodbye during Ceremony at U.S. Tennis Open.

Article here.

 

[Karl_Luph]

Just heard about this on the radio, that's got to be tough to have to let go of the dream you've worked all your life to reach. When atheletes finally reach that point where the body can no longer do what the heart wants to I always think about the courage of a great man named Lou Gehrig ,who on one hot afternoon in Yankee stadium, stood bravely before a sold out crowd , knowing he was dieing of an incurable disease, and proclaimed that " yet today I feel like I'm the luckiest man on the face of the earth"

 

[Ted Lee]

When atheletes finally reach that point where the body can no longer do what the heart wants...

was there a medical reason for his retirement? the article didn't specifically mention why he retired.

 

[Patrick_S]

the article didn't specifically mention why he retired.

From what I read the main reason is a lack of desire.

Even though he is without a doubt one of the greatest tennis players who ever played all I can think of when I hear his name is, has there ever been another dominating player in any sport who has fallen from the top faster?

I know that five years ago if I told anyone that Agassi would still be playing today and Sampras would be done everyone would have thought that I was crazy.

It just goes to shows that desire is in the end even more important then physical skills.

 

[ThomasC]

"I'm not retiring because I'm married or I have a son. I'm retiring because I have nothing to prove to myself. I've always had challenges ahead of me, either staying No. 1 or winning majors," Sampras said. "My biggest challenge was last year -- the challenge of winning one more. Once I did that, I felt I really had climbed a tall mountain."

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/ten...ory?id=1603017

I forgot that he was officially retiring today, just moved back into college yesterday. He's one of only a few sports players of my lifetime that I really respect.

 

[Holadem]

Emotional Pete Sampras

Isn't that an oximoron?

--
H

 

[Peter Kline]

He decided to retire "on top" so to speak. He won his last tournament (2002 U.S. Open) and, as mentioned above, didn't have the burning desire to win anymore.

Pete patterned his on-court demeanor after his idols Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall. Those 50's-60's tennis stars played the game and not the crowd. There's certainly room for both, but the crowd-players generally don't have all the records. One last thing. He's probably the only player to barf on center court at the U.S. Open and still win the match!

 

[Patrick Sun]

Pete was a class act, although a bit on the bland side personality-wise. When he was "on" (for the large portion of his career), he was virtually unbeatable and simply dominated on the hard/grass courts.

 

[Lew Crippen]

When he was "on" (for the large portion of his career), he was virtually unbeatable

Exactly Patrick. I read a quote from Andre Agassi duri8ng an Australian Open a few years ago that said pretty much the same thing: “Pete is the only person I can’t beat when they are at their best when I also have my ‘A’ game”.

 

[LDfan]

The problem with Sampras is that he's worn out. His last couple of years he was really struggling.
He reached his peak at a very young age whereas Agassi didn't peak til later on and has managed to stay in top physical shape.

jeff

 

[Danny Tse]

Patrick_S said

Even though he is without a doubt one of the greatest tennis players who ever played all I can think of when I hear his name is, has there ever been another dominating player in any sport who has fallen from the top faster?

How about Michael Chang? He was on the verge of becoming #1 in the world if he was to defeat Pete at the US Open several years back, but he's also retiring after this year's US Open.

Despite Michael Chang's relatively rapid fall from the top, his many inspiring victories, especially the one at the 1989 French Open finals, will ensure him as one of the best ever.

 

[Jack Shappa]

Michael Chang? One of the best ever? Not even close. I always pulled for him because he was scrappy and worked hard, but he just didn't have enough juice to keep up with even the top players of his own era, let alone "all time".

- Cryo

 

[Patrick_S]

How about Michael Chang?

Chang was never on the same dominating level as Sampras or even Agassi.