NEW YORK — His journey from zero to 13 was nothing compared to the march from 13 to 14. Almost yearly, Pete Sampras marked off majors, sometimes winning two in the same season.
But the man who was as reliable as a machine started to stall after his record-setting 13th Grand Slam championship at Wimbledon in 2000. And as his tournament title drought hit 33, his viability on the circuit was questioned by many, including his peers, who circled his aura like vultures.
So much of Sampras' career has traded on a rare ability to astound, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise that he had it in him to do it one more time.
He flicked his magic racket again Sunday, maybe for the last time, recording a most improbable result, winning the U.S. Open at age 31 to capture his 14th Grand Slam singles title.
That the result came against his greatest rival, Andre Agassi, put the championship in a special stratosphere. The 17th-seeded Sampras served the way he did in his prime for two sets, then held on with gritty determination, defeating No. 6 Agassi, 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, in 2 hours 54 minutes, hitting 33 aces.
Flashes of light dotted Arthur Ashe Stadium as Sampras tossed the ball in the air to serve on his first match point, at 5-4, 40-0. Agassi saved it with a forehand passing shot, and the cameras were poised again, lights flashing to capture the winning image.
And Sampras supplied it, hitting a winning backhand volley, ending his 26-month run without a title. He thrust his arms in the air and shared a warm embrace with Agassi at the net, and later made the long climb into the stands to hug his wife, actress Bridgette Wilson. It was somewhat reminiscent of his journey up the stairs at Wimbledon when he found his parents after the record-setting moment.
So similar, and so different.
"This one might take the cake," Sampras said. "I never thought anything would surpass what happened at Wimbledon a couple of years ago. But the way I've been going this year, to kind of come through this and play the way I did today, it was awesome."
But were the cameras capturing the image of Sampras for the last time? His close friend Paul Annacone, who reunited with Sampras this summer as his coach, spoke positively about the future.
Then Sampras came into the interview room. After he was done talking, the question was: Will he stay or will he go?
