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| September 5, 2002 | Thursday | Jamadi-us-Saani26,1423 |
Sampras answers taunts with victory
NEW YORK, Sept 4: Pete Sampras answered taunts he was washed up and over the hill Tuesday by riding a wave of New York night-time energy past third seed Tommy Haas and into the US Open quarter-finals.
The American winner of a record 13 grand slam titles served with venom and unravelled his hunched shoulders into a series of stupendous forehands to see off the German 7-5 6-4 6-7 7-5 on a crackling Arthur Ashe stadium court.
Sampras’s third round victim Greg Rusedski had said on Monday night that the 17th seed was no longer a great player and that he was slower and less fit than when he broke the record for majors at Wimbledon 2000.
But on Tuesday, the 31-year-old gave world number three Haas the runaround with some dynamic tennis from the top drawer to win his 200th grand slam match.
And the smile on his face as he sat courtside after his three-hour-five-minute victory outshone the brilliant floodlights which illuminated his performance.
His reward for such digging is a last eight clash with compatriot Andy Roddick who earlier saw off Juan Ignacio Chela 5-7 6-4 6-4 6-4 in some style.
The 11th seed pulled off some of the shots of the tournament so far, whipping the boisterous Louis Armstrong stadium court crowd into a frenzy before joining them at various flashpoints for frenzied ‘high-fives’ and back-slapping after points.
Roddick has won both previous matches against Sampras — four times a champion here and runner-up the last two years — but is not fancying his chances against his boyhood hero.
“It is a dream to play Pete Sampras here at the Open,” the 20-year-old said.
“I have beaten him twice, but this is Pete’s house... this is the U.S. Open.”
On a day when the much-missed summer finally returned to the US Open, top-seeded woman Serena Williams sparkled on her way to the semi-finals, but her sister and defending champion Venus struggled in bright sunlight to squeeze into the quarters.
Winner here in 2000 and 2001, second seed Venus did barely enough to beat Chanda Rubin 6-2 4-6 7-5 while Serena, champion in 1999, mangled Daniela Hantuchova 6-2 6-2 to keep the pair on track for another grand slam final showdown.
Fourth seed Lindsay Davenport overcame a scrappy start to beat Russia’s Elena Bovina 3-6 6-0 6-2.
While Venus, Serena and Davenport advanced, the lights went out on another former champion, ninth seed Martina Hingis.
Having reached at least the semi-finals for the last six years, the 1997 champion was felled 6-4 6-2 by Monica Seles.
Twice former winner Seles will clash with Venus for a spot in the semis of the hardcourt grand slam.
In the men’s draw, Dutchman Sjeng Schalken battled past former world number one Gustavo Kuerten 6-3 7-6 6-7 7-6 to reach his second successive grand slam quarter-final.
Schalken will face Fernando Gonzalez next after the Chilean beat France’s Arnaud Clement 6-4 6-2 6-3 with a solid display.
RESULTS
Men (fourth round):
17-Pete Sampras (U.S.) beat 3-Tommy Haas (Germany) 7-5 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 7-5; 11-Andy Roddick (U.S.) beat 26-Juan Ignacio Chela (Argentina) 5-7 6-4 6-4 6-4; 28-Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) beat Arnaud Clement (France) 6-4 6-2 6-3; 24-Sjeng Schalken (Netherlands) beat Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil) 6-3 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-4)
WOMEN (quarterfinals):
4-Lindsay Davenport (U.S.) beat Elena Bovina (Russia) 3-6 6-0 6-2.
Fourth round:
6-Monica Seles (U.S.) beat 9-Martina Hingis (Switzerland) 6-4 6-2; 2-Venus Williams (U.S.) beat 14-Chanda Rubin (U.S.) 6-2 4-6 7-5.
—Reuters
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