Sampras gets hardcourt season off to winning start
Steve Keating
Pete Sampras, after mediocre campaigns on clay and grass, made a positive start to the North American hardcourt season on Tuesday by beating Wayne Ferreira 7-6 (8-6) 5-7 6-4 in the first round of the $2.95 million Canada Tennis Masters.
Looking to end a title drought that goes back more than two years and a total of 30 tournaments, the 30-year-old American showed against Ferreira glimpses of the form and dogged determination that carried him to a record 13 grand slam crowns.
In action for the first time since his second-round defeat at Wimbledon, Sampras battled the 45th-ranked South African for two hours and 14 minutes and pumped his fist in delight as the partisan crowd roared its approval when he blasted a service winner to seal victory.
"I thought we both played pretty well, that was a high level of tennis," said Sampras. "I felt like I was on my game and served and volleyed quite well.
"It's great for my confidence. Mentally I hung in there, competed well and that's my goal. Be aggressive and take the offensive, that's my game."
BOOMING SERVE
Despite the fact Sampras had his booming serve on target, pounding 23 aces past Ferreira, and his serve and volley game was in top gear, the 13th seed could not gain control of the match until the third set.
A tense opening set failed to produce a single break of serve but Sampras took the initiative in the tie-break, surging 5-2 ahead.
Ferreira hit back to lead 6-5 before a determined Sampras rallied to take the next three points, clinching the set with a stinging cross-court forehand that brought the crowd to its feet.
But the South African levelled the match at one set all after breaking serve at 6-5 in the second.
After fighting for 12 minutes to hold serve at the start of the third set, Sampras took control by breaking Ferreira to go 2-1 up.
Leading 5-4 and 40-0, the American had a couple of tense moments as he tried to close out the match, questioning two calls as Ferreira narrowed the deficit to 40-30 before blasting a service winner.
"It was very tight," said Sampras. "After losing the second set some frustration set in but I regrouped and got through it.
"If I can keep serving the way I did tonight it will take some of the pressure off. Tonight I served myself out of a couple of jams."
