Editing Pete Sampras (section)

==Rivalries==

===Sampras vs. Agassi===
{{Main|Agassi–Sampras rivalry}}
The rivalry has been called the greatest of the generation of players competing in the 1990s, as they were the most successful players of that decade, and had a contrasting playing style, with Sampras and [[Andre Agassi|Agassi]] being considered respectively the greatest [[serve (tennis)|server]] and the greatest serve returner of their eras. Sampras won 20 of the 34 matches he played against Agassi.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.atptour.com/en/players/atp-head-2-head/andre-agassi-vs-pete-sampras/A092/S402 |title=Sampras-Agassi Head-to-Head Matches |newspaper=Atp Tour |publisher=Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) |access-date=April 13, 2021 |archive-date=April 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413102528/https://www.atptour.com/en/players/atp-head-2-head/andre-agassi-vs-pete-sampras/A092/S402 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[1990 U.S. Open (tennis)|1990 US Open]] was their first meeting in a Grand Slam tournament final. Agassi was favored because he was ranked No. 4, compared to the No. 12 ranking of Sampras and because Agassi had defeated Sampras in their only previously completed match. However, Agassi lost the final to Sampras in straight sets.

Their next meeting in a Grand Slam was at the [[1992 French Open]], where they met in the quarterfinals. Although Sampras was higher ranked, Agassi prevailed in straight sets. Their next Grand Slam meeting was at the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 1993, where Agassi was the defending champion and Sampras was the newly minted No. 1. Sampras prevailed in five sets, and went on to win his first Wimbledon championship.

With both Sampras and Agassi participating, the [[USA Davis Cup team|U.S.]] won the Davis Cup in 1995. Notable Sampras–Agassi matches of 1995 included the finals of the [[1995 Australian Open|Australian Open]], the [[Indian Wells Masters|Newsweek Champions Cup]], the [[Lipton International Players Championships]], the [[Canada Masters|Canadian Open]], and the [[1995 US Open (tennis)|US Open]], with Sampras winning the Newsweek Champions Cup and the US Open.

The next time Sampras and Agassi met in a Grand Slam final was at Wimbledon in 1999, where Sampras won in straight sets. For both, it was considered a career rejuvenation, as Sampras had suffered a string of disappointments in the last year while Agassi was regaining his status as a top-ranked player after winning the French Open. Sampras forfeited the No. 1 ranking to Agassi when injury forced Sampras to withdraw from that year's US Open, which Agassi went on to win. They faced each other twice in the season-ending [[Tennis Masters Cup|ATP Tour World Championships]], with Sampras losing the round-robin match, but winning the final.

They played each other only once in 2000. The top-ranked Agassi defeated No. 3 Sampras in the semifinals of the [[2000 Australian Open|Australian Open]] in five sets.

In arguably their most memorable match, Sampras defeated Agassi in the [[2001 U.S. Open (tennis)|2001 US Open]] quarterfinals 6–7, 7–6, 7–6, 7–6. There were no breaks of serve during the entire match. Reruns of the match are frequently featured on television, especially during US Open rain delays.

The final of the [[2002 U.S. Open (tennis)|2002 US Open]] was their first meeting in a US Open final since 1995. The match was also notable because they had defeated several up-and-coming players en route to the final. Sampras had defeated No. 3 [[Tommy Haas]] in the fourth round and future No. 1 [[Andy Roddick]] in the quarterfinals, while Agassi had defeated No. 1 and defending champion [[Lleyton Hewitt]] in the semifinals. Sampras defeated Agassi in four sets. This was the final [[ATP tour]] singles match of Sampras's career.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Muir |first=Allan |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/2002/us_open/news/2002/09/07/agassi_hewitt/ |title=Agassi advances to Open final with 4-set win over Hewitt |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=August 3, 2014 |archive-date=November 1, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021101220644/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/2002/us_open/news/2002/09/07/agassi_hewitt/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In August 2010, Sampras played an exhibition game with Agassi at the indoor arena [[Coliseo Cubierto El Campin]] in [[Bogotá]], Colombia.

===Sampras vs. Rafter===
Sampras won 12 of the 16 matches he played against [[Patrick Rafter]], including eight of their first nine, and their final four meetings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atpworldtour.com/Players/Head-To-Head.aspx?pId=S402&oId=R255 |title=Sampras-Rafter Career Head-To-Head |publisher=Atpworldtour.com |access-date=July 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120707000743/http://www.atpworldtour.com/Players/Head-To-Head.aspx?pId=S402&oId=R255 |archive-date=July 7, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

In 1997, Rafter won the [[1997 U.S. Open (tennis)|US Open]], a tournament that many expected Sampras to win, having won in 1995 and 1996. The win catapulted Rafter to the year-end no. 2 rankings behind Sampras. Seven-time Grand Slam champion [[John McEnroe]] believed Rafter to be a "one-slam wonder", since it was only his second career ATP title.<ref>{{cite news |last=Holden |first=Kit |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis-rafter-learns-the-mind-game-1174580.html |title=Tennis: Rafter learns the mind game |work=The Independent |date=August 28, 1998 |access-date=July 9, 2012 |location=London |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106203019/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis-rafter-learns-the-mind-game-1174580.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Up to that point, Sampras was 5–1 against Rafter, and defeated Rafter three times in fall 1997 to solidify his No. 1 ATP ranking.<ref name="bleacherreport.com">{{Cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/319283-history-repeats-what-sampras-rafter-can-teach-us-about-nadal-soderling|title=History Repeats: What Sampras-Rafter Can Teach Us About Nadal-Soderling|first=Rob|last=York|website=Bleacher Report|access-date=October 8, 2020|archive-date=October 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009173858/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/319283-history-repeats-what-sampras-rafter-can-teach-us-about-nadal-soderling|url-status=live}}</ref> "We're not the best of mates," Rafter said of Sampras after 1997 Davis Cup semifinals, "I wouldn't go out for a beer with him, put it that way. I don't know what the story is. There's a bit of feeling."<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite news|author1=Lisa Dillman|title=There's a Little Tension in Sampras, Rafter Rackets|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jul-09-sp-50252-story.html|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=July 9, 2000|access-date=February 20, 2020|archive-date=March 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321022238/http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jul/09/sports/sp-50252|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1998, Rafter came back from a set down to defeat Sampras in the [[Cincinnati Masters]] final, a title that Sampras needed to win in order get the maximum ranking points to stay No. 1 ahead of [[Marcelo Ríos]]. During that match, Rafter's serve was called out, but the umpire overruled the call to give Rafter the ace and the Cincinnati title. Sampras was displeased, and stood at the baseline for several seconds, making the victorious Rafter wait at the net, and then refused to shake the umpire's hand.<ref name="bleacherreport.com"/> Sampras, at the time winner of 11 Grand Slams, when asked about the difference between himself and Rafter, said "Ten grand slams", that a controversial line-call cost him the match, and that a player had to come back and win another Grand Slam title in order to be considered great.<ref name="Los Angeles Times">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-sep-14-sp-22706-story.html |title=Rafter Grandly Slams U.S. Open Criticism |publisher=Articles.latimes.com |date=September 14, 1998 |access-date=July 9, 2012 |first=Lisa |last=Dillman |archive-date=July 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715045826/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/sep/14/sports/sp-22706 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Muir |first=Allan |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/1998/usopen/news/1998/09/10/usopen/ |title=Breaking news, real-time scores and daily analysis from Sports Illustrated – SI.com |publisher=Sportsillustrated.cnn.com |access-date=August 3, 2014 |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029211414/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/1998/usopen/news/1998/09/10/usopen/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Rafter went on to win the [[Canada Masters]] as well, earning the third seed at the [[1998 U.S. Open (tennis)|1998 US Open]].

The two met in the semifinals of the [[1998 U.S. Open (tennis)|1998 US Open]], where Sampras was slowed in the third set by a leg injury and called for a trainer, and Rafter broke Sampras twice in the deciding fifth set.<ref name="bleacherreport.com"/>  Sampras's loss denied him the chance to match two records—Jimmy Connors' mark of five U.S. Open titles and Roy Emerson's record of 12 Grand Slam singles titles. Sampras cited a leg injury as the reason Rafter won, an attitude that upset the Australian: "He really does say some funny things at the wrong time", said Rafter, "We are out there busting our guts and he doesn't show a lot of respect at the end of the day. He tries to play down the reason why he lost, giving no respect to the other player, and that is what really upsets me about him and the reason I try to piss him off as much as I can."<ref name="ReferenceA" /> Following Rafter's successful defense of his 1997 U.S. Open title by defeating [[Mark Philippoussis]] in the 1998 final, when asked about Sampras' earlier comments about having to win another Grand Slam in order to be considered great, Rafter replied: "Maybe you can ask him that question, if he thinks that now. For me, I won another Slam, and it hasn't sunk in yet. It's very, very exciting for me, especially to repeat it".<ref name="Los Angeles Times" /> For his part, Sampras said about Rafter, "When I see him holding the US Open trophy, it pisses me off."<ref>{{cite news |last=Holden |first=Kit |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/sampras-slight-raises-stakes-for-pattrick-741808.html |title=Sampras slight raises stakes for 'Pat-trick' |work=The Independent |date=August 28, 1999 |access-date=July 9, 2012 |location=London |archive-date=November 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103183939/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/sampras-slight-raises-stakes-for-pattrick-741808.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Rafter responded by calling Sampras a "cry baby" and saying that it would be better for tennis if someone besides the American were No. 1.<ref name="bleacherreport.com"/> Some{{who|date=October 2020}} had suggested at the time that the Sampras-Rafter feud was inflamed by the media since Sampras' traditional rival Andre Agassi was still in the midst of a comeback from injury.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

Sampras, whose struggles from 1998 continued over to early 1999, lost a third consecutive time against Rafter at the World Team Cup, in straight sets, just before the French Open. By the summer of 1999 having rebuilt his confidence, en route to compiling a 24-match winning streak of four titles including Wimbledon, Sampras prevailed against Rafter in the [[Cincinnati Masters]] final, a rematch of the previous year's final, and the two were friendly in the trophy ceremony.<ref name="bleacherreport.com"/> Later that summer, Sampras withdrew from the U.S. Open due to an injured back, while Rafter retired in the first round as a result of a torn rotator cuff.<ref name="ReferenceA" />

The next Sampras-Rafter match was the 2000 Wimbledon final, after Rafter overcame Agassi in the semifinals, a four-set final which included a 26-minute rain delay. Both players had flown in their parents for the Wimbledon final, the first time in years they would see their sons play.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Sampras lost the first-set tiebreaker, and trailed in the second-set tiebreaker 1-4 before taking 5 consecutive points to win that set, then won the third and fourth sets for the Championship, with just 10 minutes of daylight left. That victory gave Sampras his 13th Grand Slam title, breaking the record of 12 by [[Roy Emerson]] for the most Grand Slam titles. After the match ended, Sampras called Rafter "all class, on and off the court", while Rafter said he was lucky to overcome early season injuries to make the final.<ref name="bleacherreport.com"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/2000/wimbledon/news/2000/07/09/men_final_ap/ |title=Lucky No. 13 |access-date=2021-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018032232/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/2000/wimbledon/news/2000/07/09/men_final_ap/ |archive-date=October 18, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=2000 Wimbledon final: Pete Sampras defeats Pat Rafter|url=http://tennis-buzz.com/2000-wimbledon-final-pete-sampras-defeats-pat-rafter/|publisher=Tennis Buzz|date=July 4, 2010|access-date=June 15, 2016|archive-date=May 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160518071424/http://tennis-buzz.com/2000-wimbledon-final-pete-sampras-defeats-pat-rafter/|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

Sampras and Rafter met in the fourth round of the 2001 US Open, with Sampras winning.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/2001/us_open/news/2001/09/03/usopen_monday_ap/ |title=Who is this guy? |date=September 4, 2001 |access-date=2021-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018032234/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/2001/us_open/news/2001/09/03/usopen_monday_ap/ |archive-date=October 18, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>