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Pete Sampras Says Goodbye

Aired August 25, 2003 - 15:41   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: This year's U.S. Open will also be one for the record books not for a tennis debut, but for a grand exit. Pete Sampras' love match with pro-tennis the game is coming to a close.
Our Larry Smith is at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadow (sic) with the end of an era -- Larry.

LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: And that it is, Kyra. What a special night it will be tonight, a 25-minute ceremony including a tribute to Pete Sampras and all those great records and great years.

It was here where he won his first-ever Grand Slam title in 1990 and he won his last a year ago, both times beating his longtime rival and very good friend, Andre Agassi. But Pete Sampras, 32 years old, has waited almost a year since then to officially hang them up. In fact, he's still ranked 35th in the world since he has waited all this time to retire.

Sampras, though, did things no other male tennis player did. The 14 Grand Slam championships. He tied a record with seven championships at Wimbledon on the grass courts there in London. And also six years he ended the year ranked No. 1. Now that in itself is a record, but keep in mind Sampras did it in consecutive years from 1993 to 1998, and it is that mark that many tennis experts believe is even greater than the 14 Grand Slam titles that he won.

Pete Sampras' life certainly is much different now than it was before. He and his wife have a 9-month-old son, Christian, and certainly that's a big reason why he hasn't played since we saw him win that 14th Grand Slam title and fifth U.S. Open championship a year ago here in Flushing Meadows -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Larry, thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired August 25, 2003 - 15:41   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: This year's U.S. Open will also be one for the record books not for a tennis debut, but for a grand exit. Pete Sampras' love match with pro-tennis the game is coming to a close.
Our Larry Smith is at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadow (sic) with the end of an era -- Larry.

LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: And that it is, Kyra. What a special night it will be tonight, a 25-minute ceremony including a tribute to Pete Sampras and all those great records and great years.

It was here where he won his first-ever Grand Slam title in 1990 and he won his last a year ago, both times beating his longtime rival and very good friend, Andre Agassi. But Pete Sampras, 32 years old, has waited almost a year since then to officially hang them up. In fact, he's still ranked 35th in the world since he has waited all this time to retire.

Sampras, though, did things no other male tennis player did. The 14 Grand Slam championships. He tied a record with seven championships at Wimbledon on the grass courts there in London. And also six years he ended the year ranked No. 1. Now that in itself is a record, but keep in mind Sampras did it in consecutive years from 1993 to 1998, and it is that mark that many tennis experts believe is even greater than the 14 Grand Slam titles that he won.

Pete Sampras' life certainly is much different now than it was before. He and his wife have a 9-month-old son, Christian, and certainly that's a big reason why he hasn't played since we saw him win that 14th Grand Slam title and fifth U.S. Open championship a year ago here in Flushing Meadows -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Larry, thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com