By Dylan Butler
After a career that featured a remarkable 14 Grand Slam titles, including five US Open titles, Pete Sampras was finally shaken at Arthur Ashe Stadium Monday night.
Sampras, 32, officially announced his retirement from the sport he dominated for more than a decade in front of a raucous, packed house who brought the man they call ‘Pistol Pete’ to tears.
“Saying goodbye isn’t easy, but I know in my heart it’s time,” an emotional Sampras said. “It couldn’t happen at a better place than here in New York, where everything happened for me at 19 and it ended for me last year.”
The first of Sampras’ 14 Grand Slam titles, the most of any player ever, came in 1990 when at 19 he became the youngest US Open men’s champion by beating Andre Agassi in straight sets.
Twelve years later Sampras won his last title, again beating Agassi at last year’s Open.
“I can confidently say, beyond a shadow of any doubt, Pete is the best I ever played,” Agassi said in a taped message that played on video boards above Arthur Ashe Stadium. “There is no question that I ever played anyone better.”
Sampras was joined at center court by his wife, actress Bridgette, 9-month-old son, Christian, and former champions Boris Becker, Jim Courier and Douglaston native John McEnroe.
“I tried to serve like you,” McEnroe said, “I couldn’t do that. I tried to hit a big forehand like you. I couldn’t do that. I also tried to act like Pete. Needless to say, I failed at that.”
Fans gave Sampras a prolonged standing ovation, and some provided heartfelt tributes with posters that read, “Pete, thanks for the memories” and “Pete, No. 1 forever.”
Visibly moved by the tribute, Sampras was given a plaque featuring a picture of him hitting his trademarked overhand smash with a superimposed Superman’s cap that read: “In a career that spanned three decades, Pete Sampras rewrote the record books for the men’s game and redefined the word ‘champion.’”
While Sampras called it quits Monday night, a new crop of American tennis players hit the courts, including one men’s player who took the cake for most interesting fan base.
Mardy Fish’s newly formed fan club, six shirtless men wearing rubber fish hats with each painting one letter of G-O-F-I-S-H on their chests, called themselves the “Fish Freaks.”
Fish, who defeated Sweden’s Joachim Johansson, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, appreciated the rowdiness of his new fans, who screamed throughout the match.
“They were great,” said Fish, the 24th-seed. “It’s cool to get recognition for your tennis. I don’t think that has all to do with my tennis. I think it has a lot to do with my last name.”
In 1978, the US Open moved from the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills to the National Tennis Center in Flushing.
The gates opened on Aug. 29 and Bjorn Borg and Bob Hewitt played the first match, with Borg winning the best-of-three first-round match, 6-0, 6-2.
A day later the National Tennis Center hosted its first full day of tennis with Arthur Ashe playing the first of many memorable matches on the grounds, staving off three match points in the second set tie-break to defeat Ross Case, 4-6, 7-6, 6-1.
Afterward, Ashe called the new facility “the greatest thing since sliced bread.”
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by email at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
