Is this the greatest US Open match ever? | Pete Sampras vs Andre Agassi | US Open 2001 Quarterfinal
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 มี.ค. 2020
- Hall-of-famers Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi had one of tennis' all-time great rivalries. The legendary Americans played 34 times in their careers, with Sampras leading their overall head-to-head matchups, 20-14.
Sampras and Agassi played one of the US Open's-and tennis'-greatest matches ever in the 2001 quarterfinals under the lights in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The match featured no breaks of serve, with Sampras edging Agassi, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5).
Sampras was 30; Agassi was 31. Both players were supposed to be past their primes, but both turned back the clocks with masterful tennis in what was a riveting match for sports fans worldwide. Every set of the three-hour, 32-minute nail-biter was settled in a tiebreak.
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I love that :
No blabla, no cry, no comedy, no tears, no circus
Just 100% pure Tennis !
And what a Masterful Tennis !
Bravo Pete and Andre !
👏👏👏👍👍
Andre >
No GRUNTS!
Watching this in 2023. Just as impressive now, in this technically advanced age of tennis, as it was then. What I love most about these players - apart from their awesome skill - is how quickly they each get on with their serve. No ball bouncing or lengthy rituals. Quite refreshing.
I find this match very boring and thanksgod the best tennis players are now from Europe. This is absolutely muscular and rude. Federer, how good you existed and ended this up once and forever..
While I agree, I will say the game has changed. If the average rally was 10 shots in this match, now its 20.
@@daniele8716 meh tennis is boring AF nowadays
Yes, agassi always did a few frenetic bounces, and Sampras was doing ONE. LOL. Contrast that with Djokovic commonly doing 20, and sometimes up to 30 including pre-serve bounces.
@@Papiup18 It's always fun to make up stats in your head, but yours are ridiculous and false. In reality, average length of points has gone up but this is generally thought to be due to slower balls and a preponderance of baseline play. In fact, if we compare this to say....this to say the 2023 US open final we would find that indeed the points are shorter: 1-3 points/4-6/7-9/10+ agassi/sampras: 72%
21% 3% 4% vs 47% 18% 10% 24%, however if we just look at another QF with two baseliners in 2001, like for example Kafelnikov/Hewitt then we see nearly identical numbers 50% 26% 10% 14%. The shorter points are here are almost entirely due to Sampras' aggression. Something which Paul Annacone emphasized to Sampras at the end of his career, demanding he come to net more, be more aggressive, and capitalize on his superior athleticism and all-court game to shorten points and intimidate the other players. During the mid 90's Sampras had stopped coming to net as much and frequently just slugged it out (successfully) with the baseliners.
The other thing that made this so great, no one was shouting at the top of their lungs when they hit the ball. Some expulsion of air, but no loud grunting.
I saw this live on TV, and was on the edge of my seat the whole time. No breaks of serve! There are a lot of special rivalries in tennis, but a serve and volleyer against a guy who visits the net twice in a match is the most contrasting match up you can see. These two guys really made that night for the people watching it. This is what makes you fall in love with tennis.
Also remember watching it live... I couldn't believe the quality then, I still can't today!
Real men.No wasting time,no whining,no fucking around,just pure top class tennis.Huge respect
Pete Sampras serve is the most beautiful, elegant and powerfull shot in the history of tennis. his serve alone made me a fan of this sport.
It is now a Trademark the Pete Sampras as we know it in 2023
His Hair style is and was a strange situation in his life and Character.
Pete might have the most beautiful wife in tennis history too lol. In her prime?
Yummy.
Naw. I’d go with Becker’s serve instead.
His game was so predictable . Serve - volley (jumping smash ) - end of point . I stop to watch tennis because of that 5-6 years .
Pete disguises in his elegant shots SO MUCH POWER. Simply the art of sheer beauty.
Pete was the one guy who could overpower Agassi from the baseline. Agassi might have won 75% of their baseline points, but Sampras saved his best groundstrokes for games when Agassi was serving at 4-5.
@@10jsamuels that was just a silly ignorant thing to say. Now many players could overpower Agassi from the baseline. Childhood rival Courier could do it, as Agassi freely admitted when manhandled at the 89 French with Agassi quipping that Courier was the hardest hitter and strongest person while trying to assuage his loss by saying he was a more nuanced player. Courier couldn't return as well, or play it extremely early with as much confidence (even though he too was trained to do that by Nick Bollettierri), but before his arm issues he certainly could match or overpower Agassi at times. Ivan Lendl manhandled Agassi in every meeting until 92 when Agassi got his first win (still a tight match) when Lendl was just back from a break due the bad back that would end up sidelining him a year or so later, and Agassi was fresh off winning Wimbledon. Lendl had a combination of power AND consistency that would just wear Andre down. He didnt' take the ball early like Agassi but that didn't matter. Mark Philipppoussis clearly had far more power than Andre, but as Andre himself said, his key against Flipper was to use his consistency to win. Not even trying to match Mark's power, but playing at 80%, hitting hard, but with consistency and let Mark make the winners/errors. Marat Savin was also more than an equal in power and they had many rugged battles. Actually Brad Gilbert had said himself that there were many players who could hit a forehand (the bigger shot) as hard or harder than Andre, but he did say the combination of power/accuracy from forehand and backhand gave Andre the better total package. THere's countless other times I saw players overpower Agassi....an example would an in the zone Kuerten steamrolling Agassi - and others in the same tourney. Ion Tiriac and Becker once talked bout how Mancini hit the ball harder than Agassi. There are even journeymen players who hit the ball as hard or harder - in the 2000's, 90's and even in the 80's. A.... Duncan Lawson could hit it harder - but they didn't have the other attributes. ( I believe somebody even posted a match between them online)
It is true that Pete had more power in his forehand than Agassi - something Brad Gilbert also said, and that while Sampras wouldn't beat Agassi consistently off the ground, he could hang with anybody including Andre and strike at key times - that much is true.
Forget about Sampras power on his serve he’s placement is on a different level then anyone today
Sampras best serve in history, also 2nd serve
It’s amazing how they don’t waste any time between serves. Absolutely pleasure to watch this kind of tennis. One serve from Nadal equals 4 serves from Sampras or Agassi
I love Federer-Roddick matches too. Quick servers and no grunting (until Roddick gets tired, at least). 😅
and one point of nadal is very cool to see and this points are like 3 seconds
That's why Sam end up with 13 ground slam and Nadal ve 21 plus still counting
@@titronich7538 The courts are so much slower nowadays which favor clay court specialists like Nadal. He probably wouldn't win that many grand slams if he played in the '90s.
@@CoralSea Nadal is a clay court specialist , you have a brain cell? Australian Open court are slow court lol If Sampras met Federer and Djokovic in finals same %age of time as Nadal did he wouldn't even have 8 slams in total. Sampras is the one who was complete loser at clay.
Nobody asked Sampras to hang up racquet by 30, he couldn't carry on due to lack of hunger and obviously some other issues too. Hunger is part of being great player, even if you assume there were no physical issues involved.
Almost 20 years later and the quality of this tennis is so high.
So low now
@@LINTUSOORYA no it isn't lol
@@LINTUSOORYA Exactly! No defense or resistance what so ever. They would get destroyed going up against today's players. Sorry to insult people's nostalgia, just keeping it real.
@@haissem8 sorry, I said the opposite. Today's players will get destroyed in a proper court, unlike the dead courts they play now.
@@LINTUSOORYA "proper court" my ass,those courts were way to fast it wasnt even about skill back then,now you have real competition
This is the highest quality of tennis we'll ever see. I miss Andre and miss his style. Such great tennis.
For those tennis players watching this notice how close Agassi stands to the baseline and constantly moves forward inside the baseline to hit angles and cut off this opponent’s reaction time. Also notice how Sampras the great serve and volley player has a complete game with awesome ground strokes. I was coaching and teaching during this era and I always used these players as examples of how to play. This still holds true today.
Glad to hear this.
Pete’s game was awesome but I wouldn’t say he had an awesome backhand. It was good enough obviously but he ran around it a lot.
No greater joy for a tennis player if you can serve and volley AND outmatch your opponent from the back court.
How great did AA play though? Dismissive with his returns and passing shots, like swatting flies.
Of the matches Sampras played there was only one better, an ATP finals defeat of Becker.
Agassi basically half volleyed all the massive serves of that era lol. To be able to do that, with guys coming in all the time, to me, I still say hes the greatest returner ever. His returns had to be lower than the tape before the server got to the net to knock off an easy volley. Basically, if he wasnt hitting an outright return winner, if you let Agassi's returns bounce, they would land within the front half of the service box. Djokovic or whomever today, not having serve and volleyers, had the luxury of putting their returns into the ENTIRE court. Its such a huge difference of difficulty.
In Andres era, he didnt have that luxury. Most of the top ten were serve and volleyers.
@@chocolatetownforever7537 One might think Agassi's return looks fancy.But if you deeply understand tennis, Djokovic is the best returner ever and it's not even close.
I was at this match. 4th or so row, as far as I remember it was on the same side as the camera. I knew while it was happening it was an absolute insane match and it turned out to be one I will never ever forget. Absolute pleasure watching this one.
You are lucky)
Ouff I'm so fucking jealous of past You. God almighty. I feel like Sampras is the only player that actually could have beaten today's players at his best. I don't feel like that by actually anyone else. Perhaps Roddick if he could have been better at training on his consistency and learning when his own peak intensity could have given him a bigger edge in the game real time.
I see you
@@Hassanmf Agassi could have. Watch the 2005 US Open Final.
@@donbraugh185 Yes. “911” was on the Tuesday following the Sunday Men’s Final.
Crazy how Pete never played with any other racquet in his career than this one. He's basically playing with an ancient racquet at this point in 2001.
Yes. Eberg had long since moved on, I had moved on.... but for many years that damn Pro Staff was THE SHIT. I went back to try to use it a few years on and I found I was lame-o with it. Did you know it was designed for Jimmy Connors? He played it in '84 USO but he went back to his damn T2000 before going to Estusa, Prince MonoStick. We had a 2 and 3000 in the 80's and damn was that fucker hard to hit with.
@@josevigil4619 Interesting. I would like to read or hear that. Edberg has long since upgraded, true. IDK why Jimbo didn't like it. It was kinda designed with him in mind!
Yup he’s said that he wishes that he tried the new polyester strings before retiring, also said he was too stubborn to try a different racket as well.
Funny to see him playing with a Babolat now.
Federer was still playing with the same Pro Staff 6.0 85 up til some time in 2002 when he went up to the 90 inch ProStaff he used til 2014
@@lofirecordclub Yep. Rog started winning slams after he changed racquets, although interestingly he beat PETE at Wimbers with the Prostaff in '01
i watched a lot of tennis when Pete was on the tour and, for my money, this is the greatest match of all time. two class acts - legends even. there's nothing better.
Oh ja,das ATP Finale Sampras-Becker war noch besser!
Thanks for uploading this! Historic match. Sampras and Agassi with no service breaks! Unbelievable.
I remember watching this match on live TV. It was epic! It is still epic today!
Sampras' serve is just so brilliant ,so marvelous.
At the time it was the best service in the game against the best return of service. Epic
Not against Nadal nor no-vax 🤣🤣🤣
Roger has better serves
@@guntodd true, but roger wasnt that big yet in 2001 and he wasnt as famous
Sampras had the best serve
Imagine if there were no tiebreakers. They'd probably still be playing.
For sure 🤣
Like for 2 days, 11hrs ? Never could happen..
I know, hehe. The funny and ironic thing is this match was not in keeping with their rivalry at all, a real outlier. Their last match at the 02 US final was more typical, that match had six breaks of serve and tons of break points for both players. They went after each other at all times and there tended to be lots of breas and not many tie breaks in their 34 meetings.
Forgot to mention that famous Nike advert from 1996 the based on the US Open set point. The point that never ended th-cam.com/video/hguERLujME0/w-d-xo.html
Yes ithere is no tie breaker they arw still playing ubtil today
I love Sampras' ground strokes and his movement.
The most artistic tennis player ever, the best all court player
@@valsammajoseph421 Roger is more artistic than Pete. Pete is the best fast court player of all time thought and that is a very nice title to have
@@sh33pyyy I would say both players more or less hit the same shots, and very similar players throughout both of their careers. I prefer Sampras' game and movement to Federer's. I like Sampras' net game more, especially those half volley winners into the corners, or stop volleys, both very artistic if we can use that word. Also, having seen both players live more than once in London, and in Paris Bercy indoors, I can also say Pete hits the ball harder. Maybe that's one area you might see as Federer being more artistic? Federer like McEnroe and Agassi tries to take he ball earlier at times to redirect the pace of his opponent although not as often as Agassi and McEnroe. Federer has been involved in a lot of five set battles in his career, he fights to the end, win or lose.
@@sh33pyyy He he is not. What on earth do you base that on??
@@camdelahuerta700 Sampras best fast court player easily. Rafa best clay slow court player. Novak best medium hard court player ever. Federer best at beating Andy Roddick player ever.
The moove of Sampras with his racket just before to serve is so class !
The peak of American tennis.
Well, best serve of all time against best returns of all time.
Wait, Donald Young wasn’t the peak?
@@springfield03sniper unfortunately he was. In his era. Ohhhh doesn't that hurt.
I think the peak of American tennis was a few years before this. Early to mid 90s, you still had Courier and Chang up there, as well as guys like Wheaton and Mac hanging around.
By the time this match happened, most of the other guys were retired.
*mens* tennis
By far the greatest match ever no histrionics fist pumping no premadonours an absolute honour and respect for the game the greatest example of how sports should be played for any aspiring athlete
I can't imagine watching this in real-time live. What a match. I'm not exactly a Sampras fan but the fact that he goes balls out on a 2nd serve is just bad ass
I grew to like Pete. I know what you mean though. It just seemed like he had an unfair advantage because of that fucking serve but he was still badass all around. His "weaknesses...." were not truly measurable in fact.
It was the first match I ever saw. No wonder I got hooked.
@bob loblaw Yeah as someone who grew up watching 'Dre and PETE as a kid and now looking back as an adult, I love their matchups because it was like a boxing match. Each guy knew exactly what the other guy could do, and also what his weaknesses were and win or lose really depended on who could leverage their strengths into the other guy's weakness. Above all, it was really a mental match more than a physical one because of how close they were in ability. Was Andre gonna get in Pete's head by hitting great returns forcing PETE to volley up and wear him down until he started missing his first serve, or was PETE going to wear Andre out by winning the big points in the first set, then serve-blitzing him for the rest of the match. Way more tense and entertaining than today's matches imo.
Pistol Pete was special, then again so was Andre. Lost a little respect for Andre after his antics at a charity event with PS, RF & RN.
@@martinclarke2893 Was there something negative there? I've only seen highlights and it looked like a good time had by all.
Dear God, I miss these two playing tennis!! Please don't take it down!!
Both these guys were great shot makers. Wow. You can def see how Federer imitates Sampras' play. He takes so much time away from the opponent and shortens the points. Great 1 hander too. But I always loved Aggasi. He was so quick. Great match.
I think Federer imitates Agassi more. Federer's serve is very similar to Agassi's. It just a more artistic version of it. Federer's baseline game is the same as Agassi. Take the ball on the rise and dictate the points from baseline. You could say that Federer idolize both of them taking a bit here and there strategically. But, Federer changed the game with his forehand. Every ATP player uses a form of it. His footwork is very unique. Kyrgios said that every player tries to copy that. Also, Federer invented other shots, i.e. the squash shot, service return drop shots, baseline half-volleys, etc. The list is quite long. It's just amazing how he revolutionized the game.
@@twinwankel I agree with what you're saying about Federer taking a page from Agassi's book at the baseline. However, you give him undue credit. He did not invent squash shots (been around since tennis existed), or baseline half volleys (Agassi was the first guy who really excelled at that). The much lauded SABR was/is a timeless return tactic that aggressive players have used for decades. As far as his forehand goes, he does have one of the best ever, but the first true ATP forehands originated in the 90's with the likes of Muster, Courier, Berasategui, and others. Federer just made it look better and did it better. The same goes for the rest of his game...it's not that he invented shots, he's just a great shot maker with a lot of creativity who actually uses all these shots in the game...doesn't just bash balls from the baseline...which is why crowds have always loved him. He's creative and he looks good doing it.
@@Skiiiiiifreeeeeee Talking about taking the ball on the rise and half volleying from the baseline. After the 1995 US Open final, Sampras changed tactics against Agassi from the baseline. He decided to play further near the baseline to fight fire with fire. In 1995 he was getting pushed back and bullied (other than the famous set point where he took it too him). Most of their meetings after 1995, Sampras was taking the ball considerably earlier.
Here's a perfect example 48:25
Sampras had a big advantage that Federer never had.... faster courts ( hard courts and grass were completely different back then , those surfaces required shots that almost expired in today's tennis).. federer was the last tennis player who continued to play those shots after the surfaces' slowdown that started after 2001, getting great results altough the conditions were against him.
I'm talking about serve and volley , net game play in general ( half volleys) , slice backand, ability of hitting winners from every angle of the court , 1-2 punch, playing inside the court ecc ... i think they were similar in terms of aggressive play and will to command points from the first shot... two great champions and definitely my two favourite tennis players !!!
No lingering. Killer strokes only. Just Amazing.
Hard to comprehend that just less than a week later after this match, the world changed on 9/11….. I am such a diehard fan of tennis, being a former college player and now coach, I remember thinking thankfully these guys were already out of NY when it all happened!! Going from an amazing high to a devastating low was so surreal!!!
The crowd I always rooting for Andre! A very human and likeable guy, shows heart big time!
The quality of play these match is still incredible after nearly two decades🎾😊
Yes. It sure is. Also the Federer/Blake stuff too.
Sampras serving 128mph, still smoking FAST
This is fast court tennis.
It’s always tough comparing tennis across the eras. The speed of the game, the quality of the equipment (racquet sweet spot), power of the players. I’ve discussed with fellow friends who are tennis fans and we all seem to agree: while the level of talent hasn’t declined over the years, the adaptability of the players has certainly increased. We were spoiled with Andre and Sampras, then Roger, Rafa and Novak. All are huge legends of the game. I still enjoy watching Connors/McEnroe matches…across any era really. Each has its own special place in history
@@gbfan4lifebg Nice post.
Definitely the greatest tennis match ever played,I have been watching tennis for the past 33 years.
better than mcenroe borg 1980 wimbelton?
@@debbieburns3848You got a great point.
Me too watching for last 35 yrs.Best match,I have ever seen.
‘80 WimbMcEnroe - Borg or ‘08 Wimbl Federer -Nadal or ‘19 Djokovic -Federer… tennis in its best!!!
I rarely watch a whole tennis match but I watched this and one of the best sporting matches I ever watched. 2 all time greats. Zero service games broken. 4 tiebreakers. Very competitive intense match.
Always great to hear from a narcissistic dullard who doesn’t watch tennis. It’s one of the best he saw folks! 😂😂
I hadn't intended to watch the whole match but found myself unable to pull away. Talk about edge of your seat.
@@datacipher well you might as well be referring to almost all the youtube commenters. It's a very low IQ crowd, and yes -they say asinine things.
Has there ever been a more fluid service motion than Pete's? I'm not saying it's the "best" (although it might be), but it's so graceful, so smooth.
Federer came close, but he is the only one.
Will never forget this match. It was brilliant tennis all round.
I am grateful because now I can watch these old classical tennis-matches. Thanks you-tube!
Well, four hours in real-time, and not one break of serve by either player!!! Those 25+ aces by Sampras were just phenomenal!!! The Best Server (Sampras), against the Best Returner (Agassi)!!! Popcorn Love!!!
This was my first favorite match of all time. Absolutely incredible! Almost no mistakes on either side.
Technically there were no major mistakes exept the ones on the tie breaks
@user-gu4tv4hp6sWhy did you post that stupid comment?
For me this one will always be the best tennis rivalry of all times.
Completely different styles in and outside the court.
The best serve of all times against the best returner of all times.
Extremely high tension between these two absolutely legends.
Agassi will always be my biggest sports idol.
Nah djokovic is way better.
His actual return isn't better. Djokovic's returns allow him to get into the point, which he them turns around with his baseline game. Agassi's returns were attacking shots on faster courts favouring servers more. Agassi all the way on that shot.
My favorite match of all time. Thanks for the upload!
A great match between two of the greats.
Same here. Been looking for this match in a good quality for a very, like very long time.
It started before 6 am here and I remember getting up early, specifically for this match. Couldn't finish watching it though. Had to go to school.
Sampras strung his racquet so tightly that it was basically like hitting with a piece of wood. It's wild how much power he was able to generate with it.
and basically he had to string it up that much to keep his shots in...imagine how wild he'd be smoking the ball with the Agassi racket!!!
Just a note of caution when comparing the 80s/90s and early 00s tension to todays players: They played with natural gut which was a completely different animal to play with than todays mono strings. But yes 70lbs was hard even back then, but would be totally unplayable with todays strings and racquets.
@@deepazure It is also worth noting that Sampras was a complete outlier in 2001. No one else other than Phllippoussis was playing with specs like that. His fellow pros thought he was crazy to play with those specs.
@@BurnsTennis Thomas Muster played at 70lbs, but then again.. he is for sure also an outlier in every possible way, haha
Don’t forget borg had his wooden Donney strung @ 80 pounds
Pete Sampras serve and volley game will never be replicated
Have you heard of Roger Federer?
True
@@ramirocastellanosbarron187 he cant serve and volley like Pete... Pete was coming in everytime!! dont get me wrong fed has great volleys... but Pete was a "true serve and volleyer"
Patric Rafter
@@Robert-de5xg Patrick Rafter... yes he is equal to Pete! Pete's ground strokes were better though
The best match ever with the 1980 Wimbledon final between Borg and McEnroe. Matches of legend !
This match is the best sports event I have ever seen. It stuck in my mind as if this the real tennis and two of the best legends are playing with no racket bashing or any ill mannered manner. No waste of time in between serves and real classs hown on the tennis court. Miss you Agaasi and Sampras.
Yes, these two had a great rivalry. They had different playing styles, which made things more interesting.
watch Tiafoe nowadays and its a clown show
Sampras vs Agassi was always showtime.
Spot on! The battle of titans
@@Oblomovization Doesn't hold candles to Djokovic Nadal rivalry though.
- Pete, why do you risk so much on your 2nd serves?
- There is a 2nd serve?
I might be wrong, but I believe that Agassiz had one of the best "return of serves", and a 2nd serve had to be top-notch against him.
@@ronwatts5827 You're right but he used to do it against anybody
He play like shit evry game in carer,servis-voley game like pussy
@@SuperNino111 I take it you are Andre's fan
@@theUnabomber1 no,am djokovic fan but this is shit what he play
Such a great match. There is no one in today's game that can offer a match of this level of excitement.
Alcaraz*
One of the greatest matches ever
I forgot how great those guys were. Tennis is not better these days, it's just different with more players of very high caliber. I miss the days of Agassi and Sampras. This is a 1/4 final with the excitement of a final. Love it.
today is more slow no serve and volley matches that last 4 5 hours...
@@gomriria2197 More players of very high level???? There has never been so few high level players as there is now. That no one have been able to overthrow Djokovic, Nadal and Federer, is the proof of that.
@@asterixx6878 no one could overthrow those 3 cause they’re the 3 best of all time by a margin
@@joetaylor3974 So? They're in their late 30s and still can't be toppled. I don't care how good they are, the newer generations just aren't good enough.
@@joetaylor3974 The fact that they have more grand slams doesn't mean they are better by a margin. Pete's 14 feels like 20 or more, just because he had so many good opponents. Actually I put Sampras over Djokovic any day.
One of the most memorable and epic match I watched live in My childhood.. Same year I have witnessed another epic between ivanisevic and pat rafter in Wimbledon.. Sweet memories.. ❤️❤️
That's when a sport was a sport
And groovin' was groovin'
Sampras! The OG GOAT 🐐
Pete is total class and talent.
Thank you TH-cam, thank you tennis gods, thank you tennis fans commenting here, thank you technologies coming together to improve our understanding of the game, and thanks for the memories.
Wow! These guys are really great to watch. They inspire me to get out there and hit some balls against the backboard. I really love the way both of them play, and I would like to be able to incorporate something from each. I also admire Borg, McEnroe, Connors and Lendl, and from today's world, Federer, and too many to name or keep up with. And so many great tips from TH-cam channels by tennis teaching pros.
Very many thanks USTA for these classic uploads.
This was at that time the best match i had seen. Still today my all time fav
This was an incredible rivalry. The match that I will always remember is the 1999 Wimbledon final. Sampras was incredible 6-3 6-4 7-5. Agassi was an all time great.
Yeah, when Pete played well on grass, Agassi, unfortunately had very little chance.
@@Tetelestai17 I remember Agassi had 3 break points at 0/40 3-3 in the first set and Sampras simply served at an amazing level after that.
funny you mention that match, because for me it's on equal par with this match as the two best matches I've ever watched live (via TV). Two heavyweights just giving no ground. And in the US Open match, I remember how aggressive Sampras was with his 1 handed topspin backhand, a shot I didn't really associate with his game. But Sampras always seemed to rise to the occasion, especially against Agassi. And I was a Courier fan thru and thru
That 99 final totally sucked. Boring 3 set match. I expected so much more from these two legends.
Sampras 'service... Jesus Christ!!!
that return from Agassi at 1:54:50...wow
Ya some of his returns are just absolutely insane.
And who say that Novak is better returner than Andre.Muahahaha
@@user-kx2yo7ve9w Every tennis expert says that. Lol
@@brunofernandez2906which experts..ITS very hard to compare...those time we're extrem difficult for return players as Most of the top20 we're attackers with big Servers giving you very little time and Options compared to today werde you can Just Return Long in the middle of the court to start the Rally..Agassi returned Net Monsters Like Sampras, Becker, Rafter, Federer, Edberg, Ivanisevic just to Name a few. Novak ist absolutely great all around package, but the sharpness of Agassi Returns is unmatched...
You always know Sampras and Agassi were two of the greats all-time...BUT you forget just how great they were as time goes on....until highlight reel.
Thank you whoever for posting this whole riveting quarterfinals US Open 2001. And a big 'thank you' to everyone who gave the comments on what to look out for in yhe way each played. And a final 'thank you' for the shee4 enthusiasm expressed for the game. What can I add? That Sampras was the most handsome ever!
I was there, in the photo pit. I've seen a lot of tennis from that spot, this match was absolutely the best I witnessed. The concentration of these athletes was a thing to behold. It was Ali-Frazier of tennis, two champions toe to toe, punching non-stop, not giving an inch.
Amazing how big the difference is with today's players. They just get up and serve; no taking their time...
In terms of sheer quality, this may be the greatest match ever played. Bravo USTA, it's about time you started recognizing the sports history.
Thanks for the love! Please upload all the finals you have available.
Sampras would get exposed so hard against Rafa and Novak
Pekillas ? It depends on equipment for me. I think Sampras certainly would lose in today’s poly string spin heavy brutally physical era. But with all gut strings and flexible frames on a faster surface? I’m liking Pete’s chances. He and Andre are the two greatest pure tennis players IMO. They struck a cleaner ball than anybody else and didn’t have the equipment advantages.
@@anemicroyalty8764 Not sure why previous champions in any sport can't adapt. To turn the theory around, to grow up and use the strings you mentioned, you actually had to acquire much more technical skill to master those strings and stiffer racquets. Once you have the technical skills it is much easier to use more modern equipment. By the way, try buying those Babolat gut strings in the shop, they are ridiculously expensive even now. I think most people throw around talking about premium gut strings as if it is something you can buy in the 99p store.
@@pekillas2593 No one hits through the line of the ball any longer. Tennis has just become more physical, not more technical. I think Rafa would have struggled in the 90s with the game he has, standing six feet behind the baseline. Roger is a more instinctive player and would have adjusted to that pace better.
"Sampras has never lost a night match at the US Open, the only man to have that record" - actually he shares that record with me
Pete and Andre got so different styles to play, that makes it so enjoyable to watch.
Watching this with the Nadal-Djokovic RG 2022 QF in the back ;)
Wow they are not taking this lightly, serious heat between these two!!
I love Agassi's face after the game is over.
Pete : How are you ?
Andre : Yeah i'm fine. I'm going to go bowling there.
Pete : Good idea.
Mind of steel and so good player. Like Sampras, one of the 10 greatest in the history of tennis.
I was at this match with my mom on a high school trip. At sixteen years old, I'd grown up watching these guys, and that night was magical. I've never been to a place that felt more electric. In my mind, it's probably not the greatest match ever played (a couple of the Wimbledon finals since then have been LEGENDARY,) but I think it's definitely the greatest four-set match of all time. One of the most fortunate and amazing things I've ever experienced in my life.
Thank you for sharing this man, as an Italian born in the 90s I envy you so much
Aparte del estilazo que tenía Sampras, fue prácticamente imbatible durante una década.
I’ve always been a fan Andre and Pete in the 90s but in 2000-03, I had the opportunity of working the US OPEN each of those years for Nike and working both the Nike hospitality suite and the Nike booth across from the Arthur Ashe stadium. What I remember most besides watching this gorgeous night match in the Nike box Suite, is a very uncommon request that came from Andre that day but not unusual, was that he wanted all the care tags from his size large polos to be cut off because they irritated him during play. So that was about 50 polos we had for him to cut tags off during the tournament but he would only use 10. He wore 9.5’s in his customized mid cut Zoom court Implosions because Andre never liked playing in low cut sneakers but we would have 30 pairs ready for him. With just that experience I became an even bigger tennis fan ever since. I surely miss seeing these guys on the court playing each other.
Whenever these lads playing, its by default Greatest Ever !!
It’s one of my sporting regrets is that I never had the opportunity to watch Sampras play in person. 3 things that for me that still make him the greatest player-
1. I never noticed him take a second ball and keep it in his pocket. He selected ONLY ONE and his MAIN intention was to send that ball across like a rocket. That tells a lot about his mental strength.
2. He is the ONLY player till date, whom I have seen consistently blast away aces on the SECOND SERVE. That tells you a lot about his mental conditioning.
3. I’ve never seen him throw a tantrum or break a racquet or heard of any bad conduct, off court. That tells you a lot about the respect he had for the game.
I would have to agree: this IS the best match of all time.
This was one rivalry that will live forever.
10:45 - 10:53 -- There is no one in today's game who could hit this shot. Amazing!
That halfvolley was AMAZING
Fed Could. Nick might. I've seen Carlos hit similar. But your point is well-taken Sir!
Yes they could, but I hear what you're saying, I've said it before and I'll repeat it again, shot for shot Pete Sampras is the best tennis player who ever lived and I'm including the big 3
@@demolitor2359 I definitely put him even with them. Definitely.
Alcaraz does pretty frequently
flawless video. THANK YOU!
Watching these two play against each other was the best match up in Men's tennis!
the best service ever against the best return ever. I loved this fast tennis
Wonderful stuff. Please, keep the uploads coming.
Sampras always had this calm, understated swagger about him. Like when he serves or before getting ready to receive. Almost like he didn't care. Still my all time favourite.
Don't ride it too hard or it might break 🤢
@@Marco-717sounds like you’re worried you won’t get a chance to put it in your mouth.
“You said something good about someone and I don’t agree with you so I’m going to be nasty for no reason.”
@@travissmith2092 sounds like you get into arguments with your bf all the time. Cry to the cops
@@Marco-717 ahahaha bro cope harder. You’re the guy who’s every insult is gay this and gay that. Kinda suspect and I’m sure your friends think so too
@@travissmith2092 says the dude who hasn't had a gf in 10 years hahaha turbovirgin. I bet you'd date a tranny because it's the cool thing to do with you zoomers
Great match!!!! its even better watching now. Both men are my fave.
Sampras the GOAT
Great tennis. What a different country we were...imagine that about a week later the USA allowed an attack on NYC and Washington DC. Never forget 9-11. May my tennis friends that perished that day rest in peace.
Thanks for posting this, it helped me with my insomnia
Out of all the champions from the past, Sampras' game would give the big 3 a run for their money. No one had or has a second serve like him.
@Gowri Shankar U.V He wouldn't need to. Novak wouldn't be able to do much against Pete's attacking game.
@Kevin Weng It would be a good matchup, no doubt. But Djokovic has never played against that kind of matchup. It would certainly depend on the court speed.
@Kevin Weng Hewitt beat Sampras when Sampras was actually past his prime and by the time the Big 3 cane along, Hewitt was past his prime. So its all conjecture really.
@Gowri Shankar U.V he cant match Agassi groundstrokes either, but his all around game made him better than Agassi, just like I believe it would propel him over any player that's ever played
@Gowri Shankar U.V everybody has their players they struggle against, everyone.....Sampras struggled with Hewitt and Krajicek and a few others....Federer obviously struggles with Nadal and Novak....and Novak has losing records against Karlovic and Kyrios
people say federer's got a classic game .. but it can't get better than this, really ..
Really? :) Im a Djoker fan but sheesh, no one plays like Federer. How is it even a comparison? Perhaps I may direct you to the Federer videos from 2004-2006 and you can check back in here? Federer and Djokovic are like the next gen versions of Sampras and Agassi seen here, respectively.
Sampras was great yes but not in Federer’s league
With the differences in playing surfaces, medicine, etc., it's tough to really compare players from recent eras. I think Sampras and the trio we've been treated to for more than the past decade would have likely flourished in either's era. Those courts in the 80s and 90s, definitely has more distinct properties than they do now, though. A lot of these guys could rack up hard- and grass-court wins, but it was usually up to some weirdo to come in and win the French - and often nothing on anything but clay - then disappear after a few tours.
I think Federer has the best of both these guys plus the fact that he’s been so good for such a long time. He places his shots like Connors, he dances around the court like Borg….I wouldn’t call his game classic but man is he good.
@@natrixxvision6997 I would agree that he's got the largest bag of tricks. It's like an aging pitcher. If he relies on a huge fastball, he's got maybe a decade in him. If he learned how to actually pitch during that time, he can pitch for 15-20 years.
Then there's Nolan Ryan, who kind of learned to pitch, but who benefited his entire career from a big fastball and the fact that he wasn't always that great at placing it. 🤣
Pete played amazing. Bravo❣️
The golden era of American tennis! Those two guys must have a statue at Smithsonian!
Amazing game!!! I would love to see these 2 guys playing in this level against Federer, Nadal and Djokovic in their best level. For me the best 5 tennis players in the last 30 years.
You really went out of a limb picking those five.
It seems to me that the matches of these times are much more interesting.
so true....
Yes, different balls and faster courts equalled faster tennis in general which was more interesting
And the audience don't have smartphones to distract them.
Balls were faster
@@Escorpio123PS Maybe. Mine seem to have only gotten lower since the 90s. 🤣
The quality of tennis is still excellent more than twenty years later. Such awesome players. Legends
I love how Sampras told Agassi, "That was the best one we've ever played."
Their battles made me love tennis. You cant beat Pete without breaking him.
I played a rounded beam ProStaff and loved it. The weight factor and follow through as a classic one handed backhand made sense and felt right
I like how Agassi is fired up the second he walks on to the court! He is a true competitor from start to finish and does not back off. What an absolutely passionate, focused, iron willed, fiery, energetic, and immensely talented player. It's like watching a boxer on court. He will not be intimidated. All matches between these two, go straight to the tie breaks. Brilliant match! Thanks for upload.
Tennis has evolved like any other sport in the world. Yes the players got stronger and overall more athletic which made the sport faster than in the era of Agassi and Sampras but the class of the game was never the same after both retired. I was always a big Sampras fan and remember to say: I think Sampras will win the US Open in 2001 ( I was 13 at the time). No one believed me, because Sampras hadn't played a tournament before the Open in 2001. Well....he did it. Truly amazing. A shame he retired after that win but then again maybe the best he could do.
He lost the final against Hewitt that year.
2002...
I still remember watching this live in 2001, I routed for Agassi as always and thought he made a few bad shots in the 3rd set tie break and then a few unforced errors in the 4th set tiebreak which really cost him the match. Regardless this is probably my favorite US open match of all time!
These two at their peak were awesome
this is #2 on my list. during rainouts... they replay the best match ever.
'91 Qtr finals... *Jimmy Connors vs Aaron Krickstein*
Now we're talking. What an electric atmosphere. My all time favorite too.
I was at this match. Incredible tennis from both champions!
I am so jealous of you!