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CNN Live Sunday
A Discussion Of Pete Sampras' Legacy
Aired August 24, 2003 - 18:48 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.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: As Michael just reported Pete Sampras is set to announce his retirement tomorrow. During his 15-year career Sampras won a 14 grand slam titles. He was also ranked number one for six years in a row. Now at 32, Sampras is hanging up his racket.
Joining us now from New York to discuss his legacy is Jon Wertheim, a senior writer with "Sports Illustrated." Mr. Wertheim, this wasn't a surprise. Pete Sampras has been kind of signaling this for the last year or so.
JON WERTHEIM, "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED": Right, he hasn't played a competitive match since he won the U.S. Open dramatically last year, so this wasn't stunning but, at the same time, it's nice that he's going to come to New York and he's really going to get the send off he deserves.
KOPPEL: And why has he decided? He's still a young guy. Why did he decide to throw in the racket?
WERTHEIM: Well, we'll get the official word tomorrow but, you know, 32 in the dog years of tennis isn't young and he's married. He has a son and I think after he won last year, he has this sort of lull and then he had this amazing comeback, won the U.S. Open, really sort of authored a great final chapter and I think he just wants to leave it at that and that's great.
KOPPEL: You heard in Michael Okwu's report there that the other great player, Andre Agassi, is 33 and he just had a kid. Is it - I guess it's really about the fire in the belly.
WERTHEIM: Yes, absolutely. You know Pete Sampras was number one for six years in a row, which is really just an amazing underrated record. With Agassi, he's been around for a good long while but he's had a couple of years where his focus slipped and I think maybe on the back end he's caught up and that's why Andre still has something left in the tank at this stage.
KOPPEL: Do you think that when sports historians look back on Pete Sampras' career they might say that he stayed in a little too long?
WERTHEIM: Well, people would have said that, you know, a year ago, 18 months ago, but when he won the U.S. Open last year and sort of disproved all the critics, showed he could still, you know, come with the goods, I think that pretty much ended that debate right there. KOPPEL: Yes, that's a good point. What do you think the fact that Pete Sampras won't be there, the Williams sisters are out with injuries will do for this year's U.S. Open? Are we going to see some new blood?
WERTHEIM: Yes, I think this all might be a disguised blessing. I mean as your reporter said this field is wide open and a lot of names are missing but, you know, if an Andy Roddick or a Kim Clijsters sees the occasion, I think it's great tennis will anoint a new star.
KOPPEL: Well, speaking of new stars what about the old stars, the Michael Changs and Couriers (ph), do you see Pete Sampras hanging up his racket as perhaps the end of an era or maybe not so soon since Andre Agassi is still out there?
WERTHEIM: Right, I think when Andre goes that will be the end of the era but, fortunately, you've got guys like Andy Roddick who are sort of ready to carry the baton.
KOPPEL: So, how do you think we should and will remember Pete Sampras? It sounds so morbid to say that. He's 32 years old and he's going off I'm sure to have a great life after this.
WERTHEIM: Yes, exactly. No, I mean you can really make an awfully credible case this is the best player ever to compete in tennis. I mean the 14 grand slams and the consistency, this is somebody who won 14 grand slams but only was a runner up four times.
So, when he got to the final and the match really mattered he was terrific and, you know, I think sort of the numbers speak for themselves. This is not somebody who was particularly glamorous or glitzy but just between the lines, the tennis on itself, I think he might well be the best ever.
KOPPEL: And a lot of fun to watch. Jon Wertheim, thank you so much for coming in tonight.
WERTHEIM: Thanks a lot.
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 24, 2003 - 18:48 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: As Michael just reported Pete Sampras is set to announce his retirement tomorrow. During his 15-year career Sampras won a 14 grand slam titles. He was also ranked number one for six years in a row. Now at 32, Sampras is hanging up his racket.
Joining us now from New York to discuss his legacy is Jon Wertheim, a senior writer with "Sports Illustrated." Mr. Wertheim, this wasn't a surprise. Pete Sampras has been kind of signaling this for the last year or so.
JON WERTHEIM, "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED": Right, he hasn't played a competitive match since he won the U.S. Open dramatically last year, so this wasn't stunning but, at the same time, it's nice that he's going to come to New York and he's really going to get the send off he deserves.
KOPPEL: And why has he decided? He's still a young guy. Why did he decide to throw in the racket?
WERTHEIM: Well, we'll get the official word tomorrow but, you know, 32 in the dog years of tennis isn't young and he's married. He has a son and I think after he won last year, he has this sort of lull and then he had this amazing comeback, won the U.S. Open, really sort of authored a great final chapter and I think he just wants to leave it at that and that's great.
KOPPEL: You heard in Michael Okwu's report there that the other great player, Andre Agassi, is 33 and he just had a kid. Is it - I guess it's really about the fire in the belly.
WERTHEIM: Yes, absolutely. You know Pete Sampras was number one for six years in a row, which is really just an amazing underrated record. With Agassi, he's been around for a good long while but he's had a couple of years where his focus slipped and I think maybe on the back end he's caught up and that's why Andre still has something left in the tank at this stage.
KOPPEL: Do you think that when sports historians look back on Pete Sampras' career they might say that he stayed in a little too long?
WERTHEIM: Well, people would have said that, you know, a year ago, 18 months ago, but when he won the U.S. Open last year and sort of disproved all the critics, showed he could still, you know, come with the goods, I think that pretty much ended that debate right there. KOPPEL: Yes, that's a good point. What do you think the fact that Pete Sampras won't be there, the Williams sisters are out with injuries will do for this year's U.S. Open? Are we going to see some new blood?
WERTHEIM: Yes, I think this all might be a disguised blessing. I mean as your reporter said this field is wide open and a lot of names are missing but, you know, if an Andy Roddick or a Kim Clijsters sees the occasion, I think it's great tennis will anoint a new star.
KOPPEL: Well, speaking of new stars what about the old stars, the Michael Changs and Couriers (ph), do you see Pete Sampras hanging up his racket as perhaps the end of an era or maybe not so soon since Andre Agassi is still out there?
WERTHEIM: Right, I think when Andre goes that will be the end of the era but, fortunately, you've got guys like Andy Roddick who are sort of ready to carry the baton.
KOPPEL: So, how do you think we should and will remember Pete Sampras? It sounds so morbid to say that. He's 32 years old and he's going off I'm sure to have a great life after this.
WERTHEIM: Yes, exactly. No, I mean you can really make an awfully credible case this is the best player ever to compete in tennis. I mean the 14 grand slams and the consistency, this is somebody who won 14 grand slams but only was a runner up four times.
So, when he got to the final and the match really mattered he was terrific and, you know, I think sort of the numbers speak for themselves. This is not somebody who was particularly glamorous or glitzy but just between the lines, the tennis on itself, I think he might well be the best ever.
KOPPEL: And a lot of fun to watch. Jon Wertheim, thank you so much for coming in tonight.
WERTHEIM: Thanks a lot.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
