Watched this match from my sophomore dorm room at Indiana University. 31 years ago. The voices of Tony Trabert and Pat Summerall are still so comforting. Pete made it look easy.
I know right, I'm a little older but remember watching these guys play in the 90s. The guys I really watched when I was your age were McEnroe, Connors, Borg, etc... That was a golden era of tennis especially for American players!
Sampras played like he knew the match was his as soon as he stepped on the court. You don’t often see a physically dominant men’s player at this level.
Back in 1990 Pete Sampras was announcing his arrival as the Gotha of the Tennis game. But only Soothsayers knew how big he would become in Years to come.
Remember watching this live. The moment the camera focused on Arthur Ashe shaking his head, just confirmed to everyone watching what we knew: we were witnessing the emergence of a great player in Pete Sampras. The quality of his play at this tournament has not diminished with time.
I am lucky to be born in 80, so i can watch Sampras at his peak and then new legends at their peaks and keep watching the next gen, now i can die peacefully after this much of history in tennis.
Listening to the commentary you really start to feel the environment of this match. Since turning pro, Andre had always been “the chosen one”. Pete was just a promising kid with a big serve. In this match, you can see just how impressed the tennis world was when Pete popped ace after ace and never even smiled or frowned. Beginning of a new era in tennis
One of the craziest tennis play's I've ever seen. Sampras was a whole mastermind at 19. He was showing almost all perfect plays reading his opponent(A former #1 Singles in the WORLD) flawless. The real definition of brains and brawn. Just Epic!!!
Pete had sent home Muster, Lendl & McEnroe before this match. He’s the David who defeated several Goliath’s on the way. This was 19 year old boy defeating legends of the game then.
The day after Sampras dominated the last two sets against Muster, my wife asked me who I thought would win the Open. I told her that this young guy I didn’t know looked great beating Muster, and that if he was really that good I didn’t think anyone could beat him. Hey, getting one out of a thousand right ain’t too shabby!
Sampras certainly pushed the game to the next level- he was a cut above McEnroe, Connors, and Lendl. No one (including Pete) ever thought that his record haul of grand slams would be so swiftly and decisively overtaken by Federer, Nadal, and Novak. You can never predict the future.
Watched this whole US Open to see the great Pete Sampras in the making and then followed each match he played until his retirement. A great champion and gentleman, Sampras should have never cared if others found him boring or whatever. His tennis and comportment were of the highest standard.
@@Rauliki_U_u For that particular era perhaps, even tho he never managed to win much on clay. Today he'd stand no chace with that style, tennis is evolving.
This court is soooo fast. Sampras was near flawless. Two years earlier just before the ‘88 Open Pete was beating Top 40 players and I could tell he was going places but he skyrocketed after that. People today forget how dominant Pete’s serve and volley game was. And his forehand. And, mentally, he was a rock.
I think I mentioned this elsewhere but how interesting Tony Trabert described this court at the start of the match as "medium slow". I don't think the court was that fast as Sampras stayed back on his 2nd serve quite a lot.
@@jakeasinjake3347 Yes perhaps. But interestingly, watch Jimmy Arias v Michael Chang on the same court from 1990 2nd round and the court looks a lot slower. Mainly because Arias brushes up the ball and puts so much topspin, hitting off the backfoot and the ball jumping all over the place. In that match the same court looked medium slow. Very interesting indeed.
@@jakeasinjake3347 Having said that, I think you're right. In today's terms that court would be called medium fast. Back then much more variations in game styles.
I watched this live, didn't know Pete was a legend in the making. I was an Agassi fan, and thought Pete was a showoff with his jumping in the air, and slamming the ball thing. LOL! Turns out, this is one of the most quiet and humble champion ever. At all their peaks, including Federer, Nadal and Joker... I'll still take Pete Sampras because none of them can serve like Pete. If he's on, you're not returning the ball. Agassi is one of the greatest returners in history, and he just toyed with him.
Pete definitely would have competed with them for sure but the game changed and courts are slower. That serve and volley style died out. Look what Hewitt did to him in the 2001 US open final and imagine what Rafa would have done.
Once Sampras beat Lendl in the quarterfinals, I knew he would win it. Lendl was still a great player in 1990 and the US Open hardcourt was his best surface. Sampras kept him from getting to his 9th consecutive US Open final.
Nice, thank you and looking forward to it! Speaking of USO 1990 hopefully the Sampras vs. Lendl (in high quality) full match is also in consideration too!
Thee thing is the USTA channel has so many options for great matches, its incredible, we have to give them time to get through them, they are doing a great job.
Back in the 90’s, like loads of Agassi’s fans, I had his whole outfit. The “only” problem for instance is that the t-shirt (made in Bangladesh or China) was as badly cut and thin for its price as his Nike’s earnings were big 😋
Damn Sampras is an incredible talent. He's got every shot in the book, best serve, one of the best volleys, top notch baseliner, he's fast and his poise is on point. No glaring weaknesses in his game.
His backhand was his weakest shot - even though it was pretty good. Very solid, powerful baseliner. Should've done better at the French Open - though he did get a semi and a few quarters....
@@zeddeka : and Andre Agassi not only used a wig but also illegal drugs to enhance his athletic physical performance, doping he said that in his autobiography!! look his eyes, he's clearly high on drugs
I fell in love with tennis around this time. Both legends. I'm bias but humanity peaked in the 90's. Sports, music, movies. Pre internet. Great era for so many things.
HIs groundstrokes, too. Pete had so much weight of shot ! I liked how his topspin backhand was so heavy and consistently reached the baseline pinning André wayyy back (for him, at least).
I remember watching Sampras, in 87' in Los Angeles. His dad sitting court side. Be was about 16 years old. I didn't know his name at that time. I was just watching him crack huge serves. He was good enough at 16 to compete on the tour.
7:56 What a way to finish the second set! In the name of the GOAT, Pete Sampras! That second volley is looking pure, the first volley; that’s tough to go after a backhand. Stab volley, that is.
Amazing tennis by Sampras.. his forehand was phenomenal in this match and so was his backhand. He toyed with the poor Agassi as if Agassi's game was no threat to his.
And the champ was born...Pistol Pete greatest player to watch. Without this two guys tennis never will be the same. I know there are Roger Raffa and Nole great players but the era of Pete and Andre was for me gold age of tennis. I miss them.
It wasn't the golden age at all. Sampras started to get big as of 1993. That was the time when players like Lendl, McEnroe, Becker, Edberg, Wilander, etc had either already retired or were on the decline.
@@luperamos7307 Sampras started to dominate in 93. But this win was the start of his rise. Lendl, mac, and wilander were definitely past their primes in 93, but Becker and Edberg should’ve been in the middle of their primes (mid to late 20s). Some would argue this young crop of American players were the reason why Becker and edberg didn’t win more. Chang broke thru the scene first by winning the French in 89. Even though he never won again, he was a consistent top 5 player for a decade. Courier was next winning a bunch of titles in between, but once Sampras got rolling in 93, he was hands down the most dominant. This was the golden age of sports for many. US mens tennis was arguably the best it’s ever been, Jordan’s bulls, and the niners dominated the NFL. Lol
@@dustierbottoms Edberg really didn't have the results anymore as of 93 and went downhill as of 94. The results show that. Becker still hung around, but he was always a little on the heavy side. He got rid of coaches bc he felt that they had too much say and I feel that he didn't have the right work ethic anymore. A big reason was also that bigger servers like Sampras and Ivanisevic came along as racket technology and surfaces basically ensured that the big servers would dominate. That is also why I didn't like the 90s.
Greatest player I've ever seen. Pistol Pete was the complete package. Those half-volleys, time and again! When I compare him, at 19 yrs old (just), to today's- 2020- crop of young players, he's in a different league.
And his also in a different league compared to all the current greats. Federer , Nadal or Novak fanboys wont like this , but I lived through that 90s era and am a fan of today’s tennis , but no one comes even close to what Pete was . It’s one thing to win and dominate but it’s another to win and dominate the way he did . His the real goat and if a 93/4 Pete or a 96 Pete ever stepped on the court today the big 3 would all shit themselves cos they know too .
@@stealthcat100 But Federer is more of a complete all court player than Sampras ever was. Sampras was a Serve and volley greatest ever, but thats about it.
@@Bhavik630 Sampras had a more powerful penetrating forehand which is why he beat the best baseliners ever like Agassi , Becker etc . Better serve , better volley , more athletic . Only shot Federer had that was maybe better than Sampras was the backhand . No one could hurt Pete in any area and as time goes on history will show that Sampras was the most feared . Federer unfortunately can’t even put away his rivals , both Djokovic & Nadal have a better head to head against him. His the darling of tennis and dominated heavily at a time when tennis had no major champions but if you want to break it all down , sorry . Pete is Pete, record will always show who he dominated and how he dominated and that he was truly untouchable at his peak against what are considered one of the strongest eras on the fastest courts ever . Federer’s success will be overshadowed by the two other guys who beat him . Unfortunately
I hit with Sampras two years earlier before the US Open and I noticed how clean a ball he hit but I had NO IDEA he was going to be the all-time greatest tennis player ever. Nice guy.
@@madonnacicone4944 lol he never won the french. he was a giant, historic, great player. but you can't be the Greatest of All Time and totally skip ever winning one of the majors, on an entire surface of the game of tennis, sorry.
The top players nowadays are far better at the dipping passing shot. Pete was hitting many of these volleys from relatively high up. He also bunted the ball back deep relatively softly often as he knew he could rely on his volley to often win the point. Nowadays he would get passed or at least a much more difficult to hit dipping ball. Often from closer to his feet than above the net.
This was Sampras basically announcing his arrival at the top of the game. Agassi was always the showman, but here Sampras dominance of the stage in clinical brilliance made Agassi look very ordinary.
I remember at the time telling my tennis buddies, that I had just witnessed a guy playing tennis the way we all dreamed of playing. Pete, really had it all.
I remember this match. Agassi was favorite and everybody was like, "Who is this kid?" Sampras became the first great allcourt player in a long time. The players were either great from the baseline (Lendl, Wilander, Chang), or great at the net (McEnroe, Edberg, Becker). Sampras could go toe to toe with the best serve and volleyers, and could crush the best baseliners from the back court. Great serve, volley, and groundstrokes. One of the best "clutch" servers in the business. Only on clay he was vulnerable, in great part because of thalassemia that affected his stamina. He was the greatest until Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic came along.
Sampras had all the traits of a champion. Confident, calm, arrogant and with the deadly skills to back it up. He was definitely a very special specimen, was an incredibly strong guy and if the clock was turned and he trained with today's modern techniques he'd be right up there with the Big 3s.
Would have loved to see Djokovics return vs Sampras serve. Sampras' words: “I think Novak in a lot of ways would probably give me the most problems because he has by far the best return of all time. I always said Andre Agassi’s return was the best and his return was great. But you could get it by him. With Novak, I would have a hard time getting my serve by him because he is just a better athlete than Andre. Novak would give me a hard time because he hits such a good, deep ball and returns so well. I would have to work hard to hold serve against Novak. “It would be interesting to see the length of his return. I have never seen anything like that. It is aggressive and he has that stretch on his forehand and his athletic ability. I would try to get in on his second serve and try to do something with that, but his flexibility, stretch and reach are unlike anything I have ever seen.”
In Pete's heyday the courts and balls were way faster. Plus Pete's second serve was the best ever. Djokovic would find it much more of a challenge plus there's Pete's tremendous net game.
@@outatime16 Djokovic entire game has matured mostly in the slower plexi era. Those 90s surfaces would not give him the luxury of baseline encampment. Wimbledon was also much quicker. Pete's incredible beatdown on Agassi in 99 gives us an idea of what Djokovic would've faced.
@@Fontsman And also the fact that Djokovic wouldn't be able to just get away with getting the return back in play. It works in today's game because guys don't come in. But back then, when facing a serve and volleyer who was coming in, if a returner just blocks the serve back or floats the return, it's an easy put away volley. That's why Agassi knew he had to be offensive with his returns and go for a target to make the S&V player volley up. That's how he won Wimbledon in 92 and why he had such a good record against S&V opponents.
No steroids. No screaming come on to bother others. No blaming the chair umpire. No threatening lines people. No skin bleaching. Just pure class. Thank you, gentlemen! ❤
@@juanestebankruhsanmguel1960 he was on the truly fastest of courts, unbeatable. You know you're good when they slow the game down because you made the game boring.
One of those matches where the loser just has to concede that their opponent is just in the zone the entire match. Nobody could have beaten Pete on this day.
Pete Sampras,,,king of understated humility. He's all business, no unnecessary flash, its bam, bam bam,, game , set and match. Ruthless. Efficient. Merciless. Shame he couldn't conquer clay like his disciples, Federer, Nadal And Djokovic, but he led the way for them. I think the year before this , Andre had said he felt bad for Pete as he thought he'd never make it as a pro,,,,how did that work out for you Andre ? Never underestimate anyone....
I think had he ever had success in winning on clay he'd still be up there. He came close in 96 at the French beating 2 past champions in Courier and Bruguera. But Kafelnikov absolutely killed him in the Semis. After that he never got out of the 2nd round.
The way Sampras plays - he has a way of forcing the issue, pushing opponents into disadvantaged position. Never seen the triple 20ers do this so aggressively.
I think that is also to do with the court speed. Courts were much faster during Sampras' time and so it was easier to force the issue and take the game to the opponents. Nowadays, more often than not, players have to engage in a lot of rallies, their preference notwithstanding.
because it is almost useless these days. any kid can return any serve today, with the increase in ball size and slowing of surfaces. there is simply no incentive in developing the serve.
Agassi was an amazing player! I saw him a few times back then. Thank you, USTA! Those were wonderful years, indeed. I'm glad Andre found his forever love in Steffi, as I did with my husband, probably been married as long🎾😊❤! I'm a tenns fan from way back. I remember meeting Rod Laver when I was only 10, at a tennis event, and I was hooked. It's a Great Sport!
Beyond everything I see two fair, polite and respectful players, the opposite of what we see today on the fields! players who also rejoice over their opponent's mistakes, forgetting that tennis is also refinement!
I am just in awe of how flawless Sampras' volleys were. He got to everything near him at the net and pretty much buried them all. Agassi was unable to get anything past him. And Sampras was so good at digging out those tough volleys at his feet. And not only was he getting to those shots, they were winners. I only wish my volleys were half as good as Sampras' were this day. I'd be a star.
I was at this match. It was 19 year old Pete’s coming out party, having upset top dog Lendl in the semis. This is where we found out why he’s the best big server of all time. Andre never really had a chance. It was the first GS Final for both. I also happened to see Agassi’s last GS Final, when he lost to Federer in four.
His hand eye coordination was second to none. His ability to constantly take the ball on the rise was his weapon. It enabled him to play 1-2 steps closer, cut off the angles and run a LOT less. Most importantly, it took time away from his opponent to make good returns. You were always one second closer to being on the defensive. That’s huge.
Agassi didn't have big serves or volleying skills, but he had lots of determination playing from the baseline.... But Sampras was a guy with alround skills.... Bullet like serves, accuracy and perfect volleys. Borg, McEnroe, Becker, Edberg, Sampras were the best ones.
Not only that, he added lead tape to make it even heavier and strung his rackets around 70lbs. Imagine him playing with a modern racket with poly strings?
@@worawatsr9803 He didn't change until a few years after he retired. To be fair, the Pro Staff 85 has the best feel of any racket I've ever used. Tiny sweet spot and heavy, but great racket nonetheless.
@@blake7871 He actually plays with a Babolat now. When he changed he couldn't believe how much easier the new rackets were. He said it was like cheating. Even Roger Federer realized that he was working much harder than he thought with his old stick. It did cost him just a bit of scapel like accuracy though.
Sampras is probably an underrated volleyer in relation to the likes of Edberg, Mac, Rafter, etc... not saying his volleys are necessarily in that class, but they're pretty good.
Dude Sampras was one of the best volleyers of all time, that was his bread and butter, serve and volley, rally offensively from baseline to get into the net and finish, that’s why he changed his bh as a junior from 2 hands to one so he could be a great volleyer, and he was, probs sky the best!!!!!
I heard Edberg did the same. I think part of the reason Sampras doesn't get the kind of credit a guy like Rafter or Mac, is because his serve was so dominant, it took a guy like Agassi to return well enough to actually make him hit his best volleys
No doubt. That's why I don't have a problem with people saying he's the best tennis player ever. He was a top five volleyer, maybe the best ever server, and maybe the best ever running forehand. He was incredible.
On the same court they played this match on I favour Sampras against both of them as he will overpower them. Breaking Pete on this is so hard, which means he has carte blanche to fire away at your serve until he cracks it. Federer is the best bet against him on this surface. Court type has such a big influence when it comes to these great players. Sampras would be torn apart by all 3 on slow surfaces.
Watched this match from my sophomore dorm room at Indiana University. 31 years ago. The voices of Tony Trabert and Pat Summerall are still so comforting. Pete made it look easy.
Yeah tennis had great commentators back then.
I thought that too why are they so comforting tho
I know right, I'm a little older but remember watching these guys play in the 90s. The guys I really watched when I was your age were McEnroe, Connors, Borg, etc... That was a golden era of tennis especially for American players!
Pete looked like he was in the zone for this match. Incredible poise for a teenager. Definitely a sign of things to come.
OK
He was in the zone most of the time when he played Agassi in the final of a GS. It cost Agassi a few titles.
Sampras played like he knew the match was his as soon as he stepped on the court. You don’t often see a physically dominant men’s player at this level.
No shit
Back in 1990 Pete Sampras was announcing his arrival as the Gotha of the Tennis game.
But only Soothsayers knew how big he would become in Years to come.
Remember watching this live. The moment the camera focused on Arthur Ashe shaking his head, just confirmed to everyone watching what we knew: we were witnessing the emergence of a great player in Pete Sampras. The quality of his play at this tournament has not diminished with time.
It was a final between 19 year old and 20 year old.amazing talents and highly competitive era.
I am lucky to be born in 80, so i can watch Sampras at his peak and then new legends at their peaks and keep watching the next gen, now i can die peacefully after this much of history in tennis.
Listening to the commentary you really start to feel the environment of this match. Since turning pro, Andre had always been “the chosen one”. Pete was just a promising kid with a big serve. In this match, you can see just how impressed the tennis world was when Pete popped ace after ace and never even smiled or frowned. Beginning of a new era in tennis
Never made a grunt silient agassin👈 haha
@@ALSILVERU2 Hehe 😀
Classic and simply the best.Two legends, with the best crowd ever
Agassi after the final ‘’ I wanted to take him back to Vegas with me, everything he touched turned to gold ‘’
Agassi always pushed pete to play his best tennis.
One of the craziest tennis play's I've ever seen. Sampras was a whole mastermind at 19. He was showing almost all perfect plays reading his opponent(A former #1 Singles in the WORLD) flawless. The real definition of brains and brawn. Just Epic!!!
Pete had sent home Muster, Lendl & McEnroe before this match. He’s the David who defeated several Goliath’s on the way. This was 19 year old boy defeating legends of the game then.
Muster in 1990 was any good?
@@matiascostanzo9893 Muster on anything but clay was ever any good? LOL
@@grantgoffin4774 i mean, you don't get to no. 3 in the world by being a one trick pony.
The day after Sampras dominated the last two sets against Muster, my wife asked me who I thought would win the Open. I told her that this young guy I didn’t know looked great beating Muster, and that if he was really that good I didn’t think anyone could beat him. Hey, getting one out of a thousand right ain’t too shabby!
@@oldfrend But 95% of his titles were clay, so Mustard was def a one-surface pony.
Sampras certainly pushed the game to the next level- he was a cut above McEnroe, Connors, and Lendl. No one (including Pete) ever thought that his record haul of grand slams would be so swiftly and decisively overtaken by Federer, Nadal, and Novak. You can never predict the future.
Epic
1:10 out of this world
HOWWW
Pete's the greatest half volleyer ever.
I saw Sampras serve at Roland-Garros and it stayed with me for 20 years. His arm was a cannon!
Watched this whole US Open to see the great Pete Sampras in the making and then followed each match he played until his retirement. A great champion and gentleman, Sampras should have never cared if others found him boring or whatever. His tennis and comportment were of the highest standard.
Totally agree. Perfection is not boring.
I have heard he was arrogant but that could just be another’s opinion
why is pete "boring"? pete has one of the most beautiful and lethal game of all time to me. djokovic is the definition of boring and perfection imho.
I always remember watching Sampras and hoping he would get knocked out early as he was always in the final. A great champion and a nice guy too
@@jakehuang3545 correct.
Pete’s serve and volley is the reason why he’s still king even today! Love you Pete 💕🎾
true his tennis was technically perfect even today nobody beats him
@@Rauliki_U_u can’t serve and volley with the slower courts and poly strings. Pete’s backhand would get exposed.
@@Rauliki_U_u For that particular era perhaps, even tho he never managed to win much on clay. Today he'd stand no chace with that style, tennis is evolving.
He would be nobody now
Pete loose to Roger
This court is soooo fast. Sampras was near flawless. Two years earlier just before the ‘88 Open Pete was beating Top 40 players and I could tell he was going places but he skyrocketed after that. People today forget how dominant Pete’s serve and volley game was. And his forehand. And, mentally, he was a rock.
I think I mentioned this elsewhere but how interesting Tony Trabert described this court at the start of the match as "medium slow". I don't think the court was that fast as Sampras stayed back on his 2nd serve quite a lot.
@@BurnsTennishe only began rushing the net on his second serve later in his career.
@@BurnsTennisthe court looks very fast compared to what it is now, but it could be the hard flat shots of Sampras.
@@jakeasinjake3347 Yes perhaps. But interestingly, watch Jimmy Arias v Michael Chang on the same court from 1990 2nd round and the court looks a lot slower. Mainly because Arias brushes up the ball and puts so much topspin, hitting off the backfoot and the ball jumping all over the place. In that match the same court looked medium slow. Very interesting indeed.
@@jakeasinjake3347 Having said that, I think you're right. In today's terms that court would be called medium fast. Back then much more variations in game styles.
I watched this live, didn't know Pete was a legend in the making. I was an Agassi fan, and thought Pete was a showoff with his jumping in the air, and slamming the ball thing. LOL! Turns out, this is one of the most quiet and humble champion ever. At all their peaks, including Federer, Nadal and Joker... I'll still take Pete Sampras because none of them can serve like Pete. If he's on, you're not returning the ball. Agassi is one of the greatest returners in history, and he just toyed with him.
Pete definitely would have competed with them for sure but the game changed and courts are slower. That serve and volley style died out. Look what Hewitt did to him in the 2001 US open final and imagine what Rafa would have done.
On that time Jim courier also peak
Those days never come back...long live pete sampras
Once Sampras beat Lendl in the quarterfinals, I knew he would win it. Lendl was still a great player in 1990 and the US Open hardcourt was his best surface. Sampras kept him from getting to his 9th consecutive US Open final.
I like Peter since he is so humble.
7:56 Sampras changed the game forever.
The second volley was incredible.
@@carlosenriquebardalezgomez2590 really cute indeed
The game of tennis?
This hard court is super fast, making volley a lethal weapon.
Champion was born! I will never forget watching it live. What talent. A complete player.
Thank you for posting this tennis classic. A baseliner versus a serve and volleyer. Two of the bests in their era. 👋🏼😷🌹
One is lazy and boring while the other is just average and a cheater.
Two of the best players ever
Sampras played brilliant groundstrokes here,he had all the package.
@@clarkkent8428 who's lazy and who's cheater? :)
In all eras.
The swag of Agassi was something else and you can't find players like him nowadays.
He didn't have much swag after that beat down did he?
@@ericw3229 he won Wimbledon 2 years after this 😂
@@CrimpKeeper Only because Pete lost to Goran in the semis.
@@boke75 😂
Nice, thank you and looking forward to it! Speaking of USO 1990 hopefully the Sampras vs. Lendl (in high quality) full match is also in consideration too!
Thee thing is the USTA channel has so many options for great matches, its incredible, we have to give them time to get through them, they are doing a great job.
Perfect tennis from Sampras. What a pleasure for the eyes. Wish i was older to see him play live.
I wish Nike would bring back the old Agassi attire. Love the neon retro look!!!
You're in luck, they're releasing an updated version of the one agassi is wearing in this video this year!
ANDROMEDA I have the shorts still , and the shoes , but purple ones. Brand new in box
You got it!!!!
@@spirg i need a christmas gift,send them shoes to me 😜
Back in the 90’s, like loads of Agassi’s fans, I had his whole outfit. The “only” problem for instance is that the t-shirt (made in Bangladesh or China) was as badly cut and thin for its price as his Nike’s earnings were big 😋
Damn Sampras is an incredible talent. He's got every shot in the book, best serve, one of the best volleys, top notch baseliner, he's fast and his poise is on point. No glaring weaknesses in his game.
A great tennis player.next to federer.
His backhand was his weakest shot - even though it was pretty good. Very solid, powerful baseliner. Should've done better at the French Open - though he did get a semi and a few quarters....
@@boke75 yes it is his weakest shot, says a lot about how good he is.
@@boke75 he had very good backhand as well. Have bot watched his clay matches to see whaf faults he did. He could play baseliner though.
His fitness is also poor compare with Big 3
Agassi hair and retro 90’s clothes so cool 😎
The clothes weren't retro then. His hair was also a wig, as he discussed in his autobiography.
At the time, Agassi was touted as the "heir apparent"
@@FLYBOY-eh5th More like hairpiece apparent.
@@zeddeka : and Andre Agassi not only used a wig but also illegal drugs to enhance his athletic physical performance, doping
he said that in his autobiography!! look his eyes, he's clearly high on drugs
@@zeddeka Actually, his hair here was real. He discusses that in his autobiography.
I fell in love with tennis around this time. Both legends. I'm bias but humanity peaked in the 90's. Sports, music, movies. Pre internet. Great era for so many things.
What made Pete special was that he was serve volley player, but could go toe to toe on baseline against baseliners!
Totally agree. Master of both.
Becker could did the same, but Sampras was better mover so it help a lot, especially against Agassi and Chang
Exactly that's what made him better than the likes of Ivanesevic, Rafter and Kraijecek
The sound of the Sampras serve is insane
Legend has it he was a genetic clone, made from steroids. True fact 😬
HIs groundstrokes, too. Pete had so much weight of shot ! I liked how his topspin backhand was so heavy and consistently reached the baseline pinning André wayyy back (for him, at least).
I remember watching Sampras, in 87' in Los Angeles. His dad sitting court side. Be was about 16 years old. I didn't know his name at that time. I was just watching him crack huge serves. He was good enough at 16 to compete on the tour.
Thanks a lot for this. Would love to see Agassi Vs. Becker that year and in 1995 :)
7:56 What a way to finish the second set! In the name of the GOAT, Pete Sampras! That second volley is looking pure, the first volley; that’s tough to go after a backhand. Stab volley, that is.
Amazing tennis by Sampras.. his forehand was phenomenal in this match and so was his backhand. He toyed with the poor Agassi as if Agassi's game was no threat to his.
Tony Trabert was an incredible announcer. He understood the game and explained how remarkable the players were.
Great quality but you kind of need to see the score before each point for context . . .
And the champ was born...Pistol Pete greatest player to watch. Without this two guys tennis never will be the same. I know there are Roger Raffa and Nole great players but the era of Pete and Andre was for me gold age of tennis. I miss them.
Completely agree I want Pete to come back to the extero much 🙁
They were s talented but There is no doubt that the gold âge of tennis is the one of the big three
It wasn't the golden age at all. Sampras started to get big as of 1993. That was the time when players like Lendl, McEnroe, Becker, Edberg, Wilander, etc had either already retired or were on the decline.
@@luperamos7307 Sampras started to dominate in 93. But this win was the start of his rise. Lendl, mac, and wilander were definitely past their primes in 93, but Becker and Edberg should’ve been in the middle of their primes (mid to late 20s). Some would argue this young crop of American players were the reason why Becker and edberg didn’t win more. Chang broke thru the scene first by winning the French in 89. Even though he never won again, he was a consistent top 5 player for a decade. Courier was next winning a bunch of titles in between, but once Sampras got rolling in 93, he was hands down the most dominant. This was the golden age of sports for many. US mens tennis was arguably the best it’s ever been, Jordan’s bulls, and the niners dominated the NFL. Lol
@@dustierbottoms Edberg really didn't have the results anymore as of 93 and went downhill as of 94. The results show that. Becker still hung around, but he was always a little on the heavy side. He got rid of coaches bc he felt that they had too much say and I feel that he didn't have the right work ethic anymore. A big reason was also that bigger servers like Sampras and Ivanisevic came along as racket technology and surfaces basically ensured that the big servers would dominate. That is also why I didn't like the 90s.
Two legends, that beauty had Sampras in his shots and in the net was deadly the best in history for me
Love watching sampras’s inside out forehand and his lethal backhand. Don’t mention the ace lol that’s the cherry on top
His running forehand was his killer shot !
Sampras is very composed for 19 years old teen,playing here as he has already won couple of Slams.
This was the first slam he won
The chirupping, clicking sounds of the press' cameras at key moments even cut through commentary and the crowd's reaction.. Wow! Nostalgic!
O estilo do Agassi, maravilhoso, mais anos 90 impossivel
Greatest player I've ever seen. Pistol Pete was the complete package. Those half-volleys, time and again! When I compare him, at 19 yrs old (just), to today's- 2020- crop of young players, he's in a different league.
And his also in a different league compared to all the current greats. Federer , Nadal or Novak fanboys wont like this , but I lived through that 90s era and am a fan of today’s tennis , but no one comes even close to what Pete was . It’s one thing to win and dominate but it’s another to win and dominate the way he did . His the real goat and if a 93/4 Pete or a 96 Pete ever stepped on the court today the big 3 would all shit themselves cos they know too .
@@stealthcat100 Federer beat him the only time they met on grass. Also Sampras was no good on clay.
@@Bhavik630
He was quiet good in clay , 4th best actually in the 90s . At French open couldn’t do it but had a good record on clay overall
@@stealthcat100 But Federer is more of a complete all court player than Sampras ever was. Sampras was a Serve and volley greatest ever, but thats about it.
@@Bhavik630
Sampras had a more powerful penetrating forehand which is why he beat the best baseliners ever like Agassi , Becker etc . Better serve , better volley , more athletic . Only shot Federer had that was maybe better than Sampras was the backhand . No one could hurt Pete in any area and as time goes on history will show that Sampras was the most feared . Federer unfortunately can’t even put away his rivals , both Djokovic & Nadal have a better head to head against him. His the darling of tennis and dominated heavily at a time when tennis had no major champions but if you want to break it all down , sorry . Pete is Pete, record will always show who he dominated and how he dominated and that he was truly untouchable at his peak against what are considered one of the strongest eras on the fastest courts ever . Federer’s success will be overshadowed by the two other guys who beat him . Unfortunately
I hit with Sampras two years earlier before the US Open and I noticed how clean a ball he hit but I had NO IDEA he was going to be the all-time greatest tennis player ever. Nice guy.
you had no idea because he wasn't going to be. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Agee with you Steve , Sampras is the greatest tennis player of all time.
@@madonnacicone4944 lol he never won the french. he was a giant, historic, great player. but you can't be the Greatest of All Time and totally skip ever winning one of the majors, on an entire surface of the game of tennis, sorry.
@@DanielBoonelight So what?
@@madonnacicone4944 i'm sure you can read my stated point. you need it repeated? good gracious. need a kleenex too?
Pete's hands at the net are so good! You rarely see it that good now a days if ever. And to think he ONLY got 14 slams
The top players nowadays are far better at the dipping passing shot. Pete was hitting many of these volleys from relatively high up. He also bunted the ball back deep relatively softly often as he knew he could rely on his volley to often win the point. Nowadays he would get passed or at least a much more difficult to hit dipping ball. Often from closer to his feet than above the net.
@@Bravo4013 The surfaces are slower nowadays and that's why they can get to the ball for those passing shots.
The last, all US, men's US Open final was back in 2002 and it was also between Sampras and Agassi.
We still have the Willams sisters, for now.
1:12 that was one of the best half volleys i have ever seen.
agreed
9:50 this shot is also very difficult
@@thebigmonstaandy6644 not like the first one not even close
@@djordjenikolic9059 yes.but it was olso diffucult shot
Holy shit. Looks like a magic trick
Great stuff, Sampras was so good at the net. Sad to see Ash though.
Just incredible to watch, enjoyed every point!
This was Sampras basically announcing his arrival at the top of the game. Agassi was always the showman, but here Sampras dominance of the stage in clinical brilliance made Agassi look very ordinary.
I remember at the time telling my tennis buddies, that I had just witnessed a guy playing tennis the way we all dreamed of playing. Pete, really had it all.
Meu Deus. Isso nao Era Um Jogo Era Um Classico.
I remember this match. Agassi was favorite and everybody was like, "Who is this kid?"
Sampras became the first great allcourt player in a long time. The players were either great from the baseline (Lendl, Wilander, Chang), or great at the net (McEnroe, Edberg, Becker).
Sampras could go toe to toe with the best serve and volleyers, and could crush the best baseliners from the back court. Great serve, volley, and groundstrokes. One of the best "clutch" servers in the business.
Only on clay he was vulnerable, in great part because of thalassemia that affected his stamina.
He was the greatest until Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic came along.
Boris Becker had a pretty good ground game and packed a punch off both sides ,
Correction : He WAS/IS the best “clutch” server in the history of tennis. Only player to have a first serve for a second serve !
Yeah....
Sampras had all the traits of a champion. Confident, calm, arrogant and with the deadly skills to back it up. He was definitely a very special specimen, was an incredibly strong guy and if the clock was turned and he trained with today's modern techniques he'd be right up there with the Big 3s.
Probably better than the big 3
Venció a Federer al 80% de este partido
Would have loved to see Djokovics return vs Sampras serve. Sampras' words:
“I think Novak in a lot of ways would probably give me the most problems because he has by far the best return of all time. I always said Andre Agassi’s return was the best and his return was great. But you could get it by him. With Novak, I would have a hard time getting my serve by him because he is just a better athlete than Andre. Novak would give me a hard time because he hits such a good, deep ball and returns so well. I would have to work hard to hold serve against Novak.
“It would be interesting to see the length of his return. I have never seen anything like that. It is aggressive and he has that stretch on his forehand and his athletic ability. I would try to get in on his second serve and try to do something with that, but his flexibility, stretch and reach are unlike anything I have ever seen.”
In Pete's heyday the courts and balls were way faster. Plus Pete's second serve was the best ever. Djokovic would find it much more of a challenge plus there's Pete's tremendous net game.
Pete is being diplomatic. Djokovic hasn't faced an elite serve and volley player like Sampras so his return game looks good against baseliners.
@@outatime16 games and eras are different. Slower balls and court normalized, it would be a good match up
@@outatime16 Djokovic entire game has matured mostly in the slower plexi era. Those 90s surfaces would not give him the luxury of baseline encampment. Wimbledon was also much quicker. Pete's incredible beatdown on Agassi in 99 gives us an idea of what Djokovic would've faced.
@@Fontsman And also the fact that Djokovic wouldn't be able to just get away with getting the return back in play. It works in today's game because guys don't come in. But back then, when facing a serve and volleyer who was coming in, if a returner just blocks the serve back or floats the return, it's an easy put away volley. That's why Agassi knew he had to be offensive with his returns and go for a target to make the S&V player volley up. That's how he won Wimbledon in 92 and why he had such a good record against S&V opponents.
Pete Sampras, Best Serve and Volley player.. It's hard to see a player like that right now...
No steroids. No screaming come on to bother others. No blaming the chair umpire. No threatening lines people. No skin bleaching. Just pure class. Thank you, gentlemen! ❤
No annoying grunting, no yelling or ridiculous fist pumps after every winner, no false show of "love" at the match's conclusion. Just pure tennis.
Spot on, man
Bored tennis 🥱
Grunting yes, fist pumps..have you ever player an individual sport? False love show is actually class, în win or lose gotta act properly
not annoying Nadal, this guy is the dead of tennis....
@@Murakami666🤡
QUE MOSTROS DE JUGADORES QUE FUERON ÉSTOS DOS. ERA UN ESPECTACULO VERLOS CADA VES QUE SE ENFRENTABAN ! ! !
More full complete unedited matches please
15 minutes! Fastest mens final of all time!
@@kucingmeowcanteq7994 no they even ain't ready to serve one time
This Sampras is goat level, essentially unplayable.
he wasnt unplayable on clay
@@juanestebankruhsanmguel1960 he was on the truly fastest of courts, unbeatable. You know you're good when they slow the game down because you made the game boring.
Agassi put him in his place many times. But Pete always seem to learn.
That Agassi look was something else
Best carbon fibre racket , non polyester strings player of all time.
Add sub-90 square inch to that too.
That polo t-shirt (Sampras)... I had the same 😅
20 and 19! When have we seen that since? I didn't realize they were so young when this rivalry began.
One of those matches where the loser just has to concede that their opponent is just in the zone the entire match. Nobody could have beaten Pete on this day.
Digitize the score on screen for the oldies please. Thank you.
Sampras was a sharp shooter and his volley tecnique was superb, nobody can replace him until now, he is the G.O.A.T.
Pete Sampras,,,king of understated humility. He's all business, no unnecessary flash, its bam, bam bam,, game , set and match. Ruthless. Efficient. Merciless. Shame he couldn't conquer clay like his disciples, Federer, Nadal And Djokovic, but he led the way for them. I think the year before this , Andre had said he felt bad for Pete as he thought he'd never make it as a pro,,,,how did that work out for you Andre ? Never underestimate anyone....
Pistol Pete greatest serve ever
Pete Sampras has great serving!
It's a shame Pete is getting lost in the GOAT convo because he and his game were another level.
I think had he ever had success in winning on clay he'd still be up there. He came close in 96 at the French beating 2 past champions in Courier and Bruguera. But Kafelnikov absolutely killed him in the Semis. After that he never got out of the 2nd round.
Those volleys are so crisp and explosive. Those off forehands are incredible. Andre must have thought he'd been run over by a truck!
true. not like players these days with slashers and spins all around the place. Agassi just ended with 2 3 volley max then move on. Very efficient
I love Pete Sampras. He is my most favorite male player of all time.
The way Sampras plays - he has a way of forcing the issue, pushing opponents into disadvantaged position. Never seen the triple 20ers do this so aggressively.
I think that is also to do with the court speed. Courts were much faster during Sampras' time and so it was easier to force the issue and take the game to the opponents. Nowadays, more often than not, players have to engage in a lot of rallies, their preference notwithstanding.
Wawrinka when he's go-goating
Sampras at the net is just from different world
dont forget Edberg
@@fiwoci43 ofcourse
Remember that match. I was a huge Agassi fan but Pete was simply unstoppable here. A new tennis era had just begun.
a 90s match where i can see the ball and players' faces. this is cool.
We lived through that awful era of VHS video tapes! Why couldn't they have invented DVD recorders in the 1990s? 😢
Nadal's father at 11:14 ???
Boleteri
@@samlittle94 Who's that?
Pete had huge ground strokes and pinpoint volleys.....crazy he was only 19!
Great highlights. More great if we can see the scoreboard
With all the worldwide coaches, internet instruction and advancement in equipment nobody has been able to replicate the Sampras serve in 30 years.
Federer? It was based on Pete's and is even better
True, the service of Sampras is still studied today in tennis schools the execution is technically perfect
@@Rauliki_U_u Which is why the USA has no top players. Stop emulating strategies that don't work anymore
@@MttSuddarth 90%. Still Peter’s is better. Dead courts are one reason.
because it is almost useless these days. any kid can return any serve today, with the increase in ball size and slowing of surfaces. there is simply no incentive in developing the serve.
Agassi was an amazing player!
I saw him a few times back then.
Thank you, USTA!
Those were wonderful years, indeed. I'm glad Andre found his forever love in Steffi, as I did with my husband, probably been married as long🎾😊❤!
I'm a tenns fan from way back. I remember meeting Rod Laver when I was only 10, at a tennis event, and I was hooked. It's a Great Sport!
Beyond everything I see two fair, polite and respectful players, the opposite of what we see today on the fields! players who also rejoice over their opponent's mistakes, forgetting that tennis is also refinement!
These are my Dad's generation matches. I belong to Federer generation🙏🏻 Quality wise both generations are best👌🏻❤
Pete's serve was smooth as silk
if exact, the execution was harmonious and technically perfect very beautiful
I am just in awe of how flawless Sampras' volleys were. He got to everything near him at the net and pretty much buried them all. Agassi was unable to get anything past him.
And Sampras was so good at digging out those tough volleys at his feet. And not only was he getting to those shots, they were winners. I only wish my volleys were half as good as Sampras' were this day. I'd be a star.
Sampras was wickedly good.
I wish announcers were like this today. Real experts who can explain things like this guy.
I always see RF as the modern time PS. Both have scary precision
Check out Poncho Gonzalez. He has passed on but he was Andrea's father in law. One of the best players EVER
HAD scary precision.
If the two very precise, only that Sampras had the most beautiful execution
I was at this match. It was 19 year old Pete’s coming out party, having upset top dog Lendl in the semis. This is where we found out why he’s the best big server of all time. Andre never really had a chance. It was the first GS Final for both. I also happened to see Agassi’s last GS Final, when he lost to Federer in four.
His hand eye coordination was second to none. His ability to constantly take the ball on the rise was his weapon. It enabled him to play 1-2 steps closer, cut off the angles and run a LOT less. Most importantly, it took time away from his opponent to make good returns. You were always one second closer to being on the defensive. That’s huge.
It wasn’t Agassi’s first Grand Slam final. He lost to Gomez at Roland Garros earlier thar year.
@@scowlerman correct
Una de las mejores rivalidades de la historia
Agassi at least won a Career Grand Slam.
Agassi didn't have big serves or volleying skills, but he had lots of determination playing from the baseline....
But Sampras was a guy with alround skills.... Bullet like serves, accuracy and perfect volleys.
Borg, McEnroe, Becker, Edberg, Sampras were the best ones.
They sure are foot-faulting at the far end! 😅🤣😂 #cameratricks!
Pete played with one of the heaviest rackets.....he wielded it like a club...so much power on serve and groundstrokes !
Not only that, he added lead tape to make it even heavier and strung his rackets around 70lbs. Imagine him playing with a modern racket with poly strings?
And he never changed it until the end of his career.
@@worawatsr9803 He didn't change until a few years after he retired. To be fair, the Pro Staff 85 has the best feel of any racket I've ever used. Tiny sweet spot and heavy, but great racket nonetheless.
@@blake7871 He actually plays with a Babolat now. When he changed he couldn't believe how much easier the new rackets were. He said it was like cheating.
Even Roger Federer realized that he was working much harder than he thought with his old stick. It did cost him just a bit of scapel like accuracy though.
I remember staying up a part of the night back home (in France) to watch this, and being amazed how big Sampras was hitting.
Sampras is probably an underrated volleyer in relation to the likes of Edberg, Mac, Rafter, etc... not saying his volleys are necessarily in that class, but they're pretty good.
I was thinking the same, his first volleys after serve here are insane!
Dude Sampras was one of the best volleyers of all time, that was his bread and butter, serve and volley, rally offensively from baseline to get into the net and finish, that’s why he changed his bh as a junior from 2 hands to one so he could be a great volleyer, and he was, probs sky the best!!!!!
I heard Edberg did the same.
I think part of the reason Sampras doesn't get the kind of credit a guy like Rafter or Mac, is because his serve was so dominant, it took a guy like Agassi to return well enough to actually make him hit his best volleys
No doubt. That's why I don't have a problem with people saying he's the best tennis player ever. He was a top five volleyer, maybe the best ever server, and maybe the best ever running forehand. He was incredible.
@@blake7871 his backhand was his weakest stroke..... and believe me... it was no slouch
Full match please nice video quality
Would love to see how this version of Sampras could match up to nowadays counterpunchers like djokovic or nadal on a 90's hardcourt.
On the same court they played this match on I favour Sampras against both of them as he will overpower them. Breaking Pete on this is so hard, which means he has carte blanche to fire away at your serve until he cracks it. Federer is the best bet against him on this surface. Court type has such a big influence when it comes to these great players. Sampras would be torn apart by all 3 on slow surfaces.
The closest I can picture is tsonga 2008 Aussie open. When he went ham on nadal