A fast court, plenty of fast serves and a straight-sets win. It was all vintage Pete Sampras.
The seven-time Wimbledon champion played in England on Wednesday for the first time since 2002, beating John McEnroe 6-3, 6-4 in a seniors' match at the Royal Albert Hall.
"To be retired six years and still play in front of good crowds is an honor," the 37-year-old Sampras said. "It was a fun night of tennis."
On the court, Sampras dominated.
Wearing a dark blue shirt and white shorts instead of the usual all-white attire he used to don at the All England Club in his heyday. Sampras served 19 aces, including three in the final game.
"That serve is just scary," said the 49-year-old McEnroe, who wasted four break points in the opening game of the match. "It's not often you get a chance to break a serve like that."
In true McEnroe fashion, however, the seven-time grand slam champion wasn't happy with all the calls.
"At 30-40 (in the first game), that serve, to me it was clearly out," McEnroe said.
In the final game of the first set, McEnroe thought another of Sampras' serves was out, but his opponent was all too happy to show him where it landed. The record 14-time grand slam champion walked toward the net with a tennis ball held over his head, mimicking the trajectory of the previous shot. He approached the net, then hopped over it, continued walking toward the center service line and placed it down, right on the line.
"The ball was clearly in," Sampras later said.
McEnroe played well, too, impressing the much younger Sampras with his fitness and his serving ability.
"I had a hard time sort of picking up his serve," Sampras said. "To be 49 and be able to serve and volley and be effective, and have the hands and the movement.
(Agencies via Shanghai Daily December 5, 2008)
