Pete Sampras celebrating his 52nd birthday on Saturday (August 12) prompted John Isner to fondly recall the American’s awe-inspiring performance in the 1995 US Open final.
Sampras had a successful tennis career that lasted from 1988 to 2002. The tennis legend pocketed 14 Grand Slam singles titles and showcased numerous breathtaking performances around the globe. One such instance came at his summit clash against his arch-nemesis Andre Agassi in the 1995 US Open.
In the hardcourt final, the former World No. 1 survived a heavy-hitting contest to defeat defending champion Andre Agassi, 6–4, 6–3, 4–6, 7–5 to claim his third Flushing Meadows crown.
John Isner took delight in recalling one of Pete Pistol’s top moments in the US Open final. In a tweet, the 38-year-old mentioned Sampras being an asset to the sport during his prime days in the ATP Tour.
“Pete was so money,” wrote John Isner.
John Isner is a former World No. 8 who holds the record for hitting the fastest tennis serve on the tour. The American is the proud holder of another record, namely – playing the longest match in tennis history which lasted 11 hours and five minutes at the 2010 Wimbledon Championships.
The 38-year-old has 16 ATP tour-level titles to his name and recently suffered defeat at the hands of Stefanos Tsitsipas in the round of 16 of the 2023 Los Cabos Open.
Barbra Streisand would yell out throughout the match: When Pete Sampras recalled amusing story from Wimbledon QF against Andre Agassi
Pete Sampras claimed that Andre Agassi’s ex-girlfriend Barbra Streisand would yell when the duo clashed in the quarterfinal of the 1993 Wimbledon Championships.
Making an appearance on the “Late Show with David Letterman”, Sampras narrated a funny story. He stated that American singer Barbra Streisand would often scream supportive messages for her Agassi from the player’s stand.
“I’ll tell you a funny story,” Sampras said. “When I was playing Agassi, it was actually in the quarters. My girlfriend and my coach were sitting in the front row and Barbra Streisand, and throughout the match, Barbra would yell out. She was like, ‘Come on Andre, come on honey.’ Imagine five sets of that. Fortunately, I won.”
Pete Sampras edged Andre Agassi 6-2, 6-2, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, to secure an SF spot in the grasscourt Major. Later, he overcame challenges from Boris Becker and Jim Courier to lift the first of his seven Wimbledon crowns.
