# Tonight: Agassi or Sampras? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 8, 2002, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-agassi-or-sampras/127553 "2002-09-08T16:28:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-agassi-or-sampras/127553/1 "2002-09-08T16:28:04Z")
Well, Agassi is the favorite for sure. I’m hoping for a classic like last year’s match. I guess I want Sampras to win so people will get off his back about him needing to retire. **I predict Agassi will win in four sets, however.** I’m really glad these guys are the ones going at it. I’m happy with whoever wins. ---
**Author:** ![CyberPundit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CyberPundit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberPundit)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-agassi-or-sampras/127553/2 "2002-09-08T17:22:10Z")
Hmm. I will go the other way in four. I think Sampras will be hungrier for the title after losing the last couple of finals and his recent flops and I think Agassi’s semi-final was more tiring than Sampras’s. Plus I have the vague impression that Sampras has the edge against Agassi when it comes to head-to-head in big grand slam games. ( I could be wrong about that) BTW what time is the game? ---
**Author:** ![bristlesage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@bristlesage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bristlesage)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-agassi-or-sampras/127553/3 "2002-09-08T17:36:47Z")
**CyberPundit** , if you haven’t found out yet, the match is at 4 PM Easter. It’s live in each time zone, though. By virtue of my location, I must root for Agassi. I’m picking him in four hard-fought sets. I’m also guessing we’re not going to see a whole lot of big shots or unforced errors. Conservative, good tennis. Really looking forward to the match. Hope it’s better than last night’s women’s final. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-agassi-or-sampras/127553/4 "2002-09-08T18:05:00Z")
I’m going with Sampras in 4. He’s got the emotional edge in the U.S. Open. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-agassi-or-sampras/127553/5 "2002-09-08T19:36:56Z")
Good points, all. Agassi has never beaten Sampras at the U.S. Open(they’ve played there 3 times- 2 finals and last year’s quarter final). I still think Agassi is going to win. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-agassi-or-sampras/127553/6 "2002-09-08T21:42:40Z")
Right now, Sampras is kicking butt. I’ve said before that Sampras is the greatest of all time(separate thread) and when he plays like this, he proves it. It’s: Andre: 3 2 Peter: 6 5 ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-agassi-or-sampras/127553/7 "2002-09-09T03:29:15Z")
Good effort from Andre. Too bad he’s kind of Ted Simmons to Pete’s Johnny Bench. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-agassi-or-sampras/127553/8 "2002-09-09T04:04:39Z")
I wonder if Pete will retire on a high note or keep going? ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-agassi-or-sampras/127553/9 "2002-09-09T04:06:30Z")
Good effort by Andre. Too bad he’s sort of Ted Simmons to Pete’s Johnny Bench. ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-agassi-or-sampras/127553/10 "2002-09-09T04:36:42Z")
So…who won??? I had to leave for work in the middle of the second set. Surely it’s over by now. ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-agassi-or-sampras/127553/11 "2002-09-09T04:42:14Z")
Sampras, I’m guessing? Anybody got a final score? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-agassi-or-sampras/127553/12 "2002-09-09T06:34:05Z")
Sampras won in 4 sets. ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-agassi-or-sampras/127553/13 "2002-09-09T18:29:46Z")
Andre was starting to come around in the 3rd set, and I thought he might pull it off. Pete shows again why he’s champion material. Did anybody catch the “At the net” statistics they flashed on the screen in the fourth set? Sampras: 85/100 Agassi: **9/11** Weird… ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-agassi-or-sampras/127553/14 "2002-09-09T19:24:15Z")
**Horseflesh** , what exactly are you saying is weird about the “at the net” statistics? For me, this stat illustrates what is wrong with men’s tennis today. Sampras clearly demonstrated the benefit of a good net game, and has for over a decade, yet today’s newer players steadfastly refuse to recognize this. They treat the area between the service line and the net like a mine field, quickly retreating to the baseline whenever they find themselves anywhere near it. The result? Boring tennis. ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonight-agassi-or-sampras/127553/15 "2002-09-09T20:49:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by notcynical \* > \*\ ***Horseflesh** , what exactly are you saying is weird about the “at the net” statistics? > > For me, this stat illustrates what is wrong with men’s tennis today. Sampras clearly demonstrated the benefit of a good net game, and has for over a decade, yet today’s newer players steadfastly refuse to recognize this. They treat the area between the service line and the net like a mine field, quickly retreating to the baseline whenever they find themselves anywhere near it. The result? Boring tennis. \*\* Er, I agree with your assessment of playing the net. I was just commenting on the fact of the impending anniversary of last years tragedy in NYC and that this particular statistic (or date, depends on how you look at it) came up on the screen just days away from the anniversary. Ironic how the president of the USTA commented on why he was secretly thankful that both mens finalists were Americans in wanting to show the New Yorkers in attendance his and the USTA’s patriotism and support. All in all I didn’t think the game was very exciting for a Finals match between two long standing rivals. I don’t keep up with tennis too much but I noticed that Agassi was seeded 6th(?) and Sampras 17th (or were those their world rankings?). Either way, I don’t feel that Agassi showed in this game why he’s seeded (or ranked, either way) that high, especially above Sampras. I guess everybody has off days. I was still rooting for him though. I think from certain camera angles his shaved head makes him look like E.T.