Friday, August 11, 2000
Henman shocks Sampras
First victory in six tries over No. 2 seed
By Michael Perry
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Tim Henman pulled off his biggest victory.
(Jeff Swinger photo)
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MASON — A kid at the ESPN Zone in New York was asking Tim Henman on a live TV broadcast Thursday night to cite the best moment of his tennis career. “It was about 180 seconds ago maybe,” Henman said.
That was roughly when Henman closed out his upset of No.2 seed Pete Sampras 6-3, 6-4 at the Tennis Masters Series Cincinnati at the ATP Tennis Center.
Henman, the No.15 seed, had played Sampras six times previously since 1994 and lost every time. He had won just three of 18 sets.
“It was satisfying,” he said after the victory. “It's been a long time coming. I felt like I've had some opportunities against him. I knew that I was getting closer.”
Pete Sampras ponders his fate.
(AP photo)
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Sampras, the defending champion, looked a little sluggish. During one changeover, an ATP Tour trainer brought him some Aleve (“There's always pain somewhere; I think today it was in the head,” Sampras said).
But he refused to make any excuses. In an upbeat postmatch news conference, Sampras did nothing but praise Henman.
“He outplayed me in just about every area,” Sampras said. “It doesn't happen very often ... He was playing great. He got on a roll. I didn't play poorly, (but) I wasn't at my best. The way Tim was playing, I had to be at my best.”
Henman's serve was bro ken on the first game of the match. After that, he played superb, confident tennis.
Drawing on his previous defeats, he decided to step in on Sampras' second serve, try to hit the ball a little sooner and not allow Sampras to get as close to the net.
It seemed to work as he hit one well-placed passing shot after another by a charging Sampras. Sampras did not change his strategy, saying, “I've gotta stick to my guns.”
“I was hoping he'd cool off a little bit in the second (set),” Sampras said.
He didn't.
“I knew the match was right there for the taking,” Henman said.
Henman faces unseeded Fabrice Santoro today on Center Court.
The top three seeds are gone from the tournament, and only four seeds overall are among the eight players left in the field: Henman, No.4 Gustavo Kuerten, No.7 Thomas Enqvist and No.13 Franco Squillari.
“It's so important that I come back strong tomorrow,” Henman said. “It's good beating Pete, but it's no good coming back and wasting an opportunity.”
Sampras' serve never became the weapon it typically is. He said he couldn't find a rhythm. Henman took advan tage of that.
The two have practiced together often. Henman, 25, said he wins his fair share but that Sampras is pretty laid-back and those sets “are not too much to go by.”
But Sampras has seen plenty.
“Out of all the young guys, he's got the most complete game,” Sampras said.
Sampras, who turns 29 Saturday, is a three-time champion in Cincinnati and has the second-most victories (36) here among active players.
He said he won't play again until the U.S. Open, which begins Aug.28.
Sampras has won 16 of his last 19 matches, losing only to Lleyton Hewitt in the final at Queen's Club, to Marat Safin last week in Toronto and now to Henman. Against Safin, Sampras blew three match points.
“I certainly have got some time to improve,” he said. “It's disappointing not to go to New York with a victory. When you win a tournament like this, you go into New York with a certain aura about yourself.”
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