For years the Williams Sisters have been saying nice things about Sampras. Has he ever uttered a word of thanks or acknowledgement for them? I have never heard him say anything about Venus or Serena. He's a great champion, but he is an azz.
I've never really liked Pete. He's always come off as very pompus and full of himself. He can't stand the fact that Roger might take over his record of majors won prob less than a decade since he got the record himself, so he tries to belittle it by saying that Roger doesn't have the competition that he did. Pete, he beat you when he was 19 on your best and favorite court, so stfu!!! And competition, HA!!!! I really don't remember too much of his later on through the years. Andre was in and out the game all the time. Boris was at the end. Rafter was just a mediocore player all-around. Chang was a one-slam wonder. McEnroe and Connors were retired. Lendel was at the end. Edberg was finishing up his career. Courier was burnt out after only 2-3 years. So really, his competition wasn't much different. And when people look back on Rog, they won't say he was all serve.
Onto the Williams sisters. That comment he made about Venus was a while ago. Back then, Venus had even worse mechanics on the serve and sometimes it really didn't look like she never where it was going. But, there was no need to say that when Venus could make the same comment about Pete's backhand. Anyways, no he really hasn't said anything nice about and much less anything nice about anyone other than maybe Laver and little compliments about Roger and Andre. No-one else really.
I've never really liked Pete. He's always come off as very pompus and full of himself. He can't stand the fact that Roger might take over his record of majors won prob less than a decade since he got the record himself, so he tries to belittle it by saying that Roger doesn't have the competition that he did. Pete, he beat you when he was 19on your best and favorite court, so stfu!!!
Onto the Williams sisters. That comment he made about Venus was a while ago. Back then, Venus had even worse mechanics on the serve and sometimes it really didn't look like she never where it was going. But, there was no need to say that when Venus could make the same comment about Pete's backhand. Anyways, no he really hasn't said anything nice about and much less anything nice about anyone other than maybe Laver and little compliments about Roger and Andre. No-one else really.
I bet the Sampras family would have something to say if Serena decided not to play in their tournament at the Home Depot Center in Carson.
I am surprised Richard has not called Sampras out. :lol:
Pete acts like women's tennis isn't worth his thoughts. I remember when they asked him about Venus pulling out of Indian Wells and then he rolled his eyes when asked about the incident.
This is what Sampras said about Serena after winning the Aussie Open in January:
On Serena Williams reclaiming the No. 1 ranking: "I don't know the ladies game that well, or Serena that well. What I have heard and seen, got herself back in shape, moving a little better. I think it's not a matter of her talent, it's just a matter of her heart, to really focus on tennis. I know she gets involved in a lot of extracurricular activities. To be a top-ranked player, as Jim will tell you, you really need to be pretty focused on it. It's tough to have your cake and eat it. I think she will gain confidence from Australia. I'm sure the sport is fun for her again when you win a major. She can sustain it as long as she wants to. Depends on her heart. If she wants to be the best player in the world, she can certainly do that. It's just working hard and focusing. "
i'm a big Pete fan but yes, he has been an ass where the sisters are concerned. but then, its a much shorter list if yah look at it from the opposite perspective ... more like, who hasn't?
I can't stand Pete Sampras. He is one of the most boring, self-centered and egotistical player to ever play the game of tennis. I am so looking forward to Roger dismantling Pete's grand slam record. I bet Pete is happy that Roger hasn't won The French Open yet since that is also the only grand slam missing from Pete's mantle or resume. But mark this down today, I predict that Roger Federer will finally win that French Open next year.
I love Sampras but I seem to recall that there have been some dubious comments he's made about Williams sisters.
Though it's been years now since he made them that I can't remember them.
I do remember thinking at the time I read them though that it was a shame because Venus particularly frequently made out in the early days of her career that she idolised him.
I have all the more respect for Venus and Serena that they stand by their opinion of Pete Sampras while he has treated them more than ridiculous. Venus and Serena really have really great personalities.
Well there's a reason even before the sisters that I've never been into Pete.
Andre was my favorite. Didn't matter how many slams that Pete had. Hopefully one day they will see the Pete for who he is.
Not a Borg fan but even he didn't want Pete to match his record. He even called Fed to thank him. He doesn't mind Federer because he's actually a good guy.
Sampras was an amazing player. Just youtube anything with him involved, and he was pretty much one of the most fluid, spectacular sportsmen in his day. He wasn't overexcitable like morons like Hewitt, but he still fistpumped and said "c'mons," kind of similar to most players ja? And he was WAY more than just serve, he was dazzling at net and had without doubt the best smashes anyone's ever had, not to mention he had a killer forehand too. The backhand went off in the latter half of his career, but it's still better than your backhand. And it's not fluff to say he could still beat anyone in the top 100 in a best-of-three match aside from the top two on a consistent basis. He may have been indifferent or even dismissive to the sisters, and that's not right, but it's just like with Navratilova: they've both accomplished so much they can pretty much say whatever they want and I'll still respect them for it since they've done a hell of a lot for the sport instead of us armchair critics.
It does speak tons on Venus and Serena's character how much they still like him, but it's for the reason I said. His quality of play overrides any minor insult Pete dished on the sisters. It's possible to love someone's game and not be fond of their personality.
Pete's a big jerk and he never respected his fellow top players (unless they were American)... I always hated the way Serena and Venus idolized him... Roger and Rafa are the classiest 1 and 2 we have had on the men's side for a long time...
No, I definitely understand Pete should be kinder to them, but has he spoken ill of them since the early part of this decade? I can't say until just this thread that I've heard of apparently such awful things he's said of them. And even then, what I have heard, him rejecting the offer to dance with Venus, etc, it doesn't sound like...THAT bad. Although asking if Serena's hair is real or not is kind of fucked up.
That's interesting. In 2000, Pete injured himself in the 2nd rd against Kucera and was diagnosed with shin splints. He took pain killers and had an injection and didn't practice for the rest of the tournament. He virtually won the event with one leg because by the final he was limping quite badly against Rafter though he lifted his game real well in the 3rd and 4th sets. He was limping after the match was over which was 9pm and went to the dinner not properly dressed as the match finsihed so late.
I'm speculating but maybe if he did refuse to dance maybe it's because he was injured and I remember from the photos he wasn't suitably dressed for that particular dinner.
Sampras was a fan of Steffi Graf. That's well documented.
Wimbledon tradition is that the Women's Champion and the Men's Champion share a dance at the post-tournament ball.
If he did refuse to dance with Venus he is an azz and a jerk and he prolly has two left feet. :lol:
It's not a personal critic, it's just that Sampras doesn't like women tennis, he's always admited it. He doesn't find it interesting, so I don't remember to hear him to make good comments about any tennis woman ...
It's not because the sisters Williams are (were) fans of him that he has to be fan of them... it doesn't mean he doesn't like them.
Don't be paranoiac.
It's amazing how people can defend someone so easily who is so rude yet jump at the chance to say how rude the sister's are. He should thanks the William's for keeping his name relevant. He is one of he best of all time and Agassi still got more attention. Pete was never able to take his court success and transfer it to the general public like, Agassi, the Williams and Maria. The Williams show how classy they are by paying respect to him even though he can't respond. What a loser. If the Williams are supposed to be more than great tennis players by having class and humility then we should expect the same of him.