Tennis Capsules: Sampras loses exhibition to Verdasco
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Pete Sampras showed off that old brilliant serve. The rest of the retired star's game is lacking a bit these days.
Sampras hit nine aces and hung tough against a top player 12 years his junior in the second set of his 6-3, 7-6 (2) loss to Spain's Fernando Verdasco in a 57-minute exhibition match Monday night at the SAP Open.
"It was a pretty rough night," Sampras said. "I never really felt I could get into his service games. Playing defense is harder for me today. That's something I used to do a pretty good job at. It's harder to move."
Sampras received a rousing standing ovation once it was over. He waved and hit three balls into the crowd before telling everybody he "felt a little old" out there.
It was first exhibition match for the 14-time Grand Slam champion since he beat longtime American rival Andre Agassi 3-6, 6-3, 10-8, decided on a match tiebreak at Macau in late October.
The 38-year-old Sampras, who retired in 2003 after a 15-year career, acknowledges he's no longer his sure, sharp self — and it's tougher to cover the court. His left calf caused him trouble in the first set.
He plays about a half-dozen exhibition events a year. He's using a bigger racket these days to try to keep up with the hard-hitting youngsters on tour now.
Like the overpowering Verdasco. The lefty moved up a spot to No. 11 in this week's ATP rankings.
Sampras had plenty of supporters in the crowd of 5,948. "We love you, Pete!" read one sign.
"Go Pete!" fans yelled.
Sampras nailed back-to-back aces clocked and 127 and 129 mph in the first game of the second set and a big first serve that Verdasco couldn't return to capture that game. Sampras' impressive scoop volley for a winner four games later drew a thumbs-up from Verdasco across the net.
Yet the very next game, Sampras sent a forehand long and shook his head and looked at his racket. When the chair umpire called another forehand by Sampras long on the next point and then corrected it, Sampras held his arms in the air and twirled his racket.
"I felt a little old," Sampras said. "I tried. At times it wasn't all that competitive."
Sampras also acknowledged he'd spoken on the phone with Agassi regarding comments in Agassi's autobiography, "Open."
Sampras had said last month he was surprised and disappointed by Agassi's "shots" at Sampras in the book and would like to meet "man to man" to discuss it.
"He talked and I listened. It was positive, it was fine, it was cordial," Sampras said. "Listen, it's not a big deal. I still like the guy."
Sampras joked around with Verdasco during a tournament VIP kickoff banquet about an hour before they began. The Bryan brothers, twins and doubles partners Bob and Mike, also held a jam session on the stage at HP Pavilion. The Bryans are coming off their fourth Australian Open doubles title.
"Just show some respect," Sampras said to Verdasco with a grin. "I'm going to have to get to the net as much as I can — none of those long baseline exchanges. I think I can hold my own serving and volleying. Tonight I have no choice but to come in 'til the cows come home. If he returns well and passes well, it could be a quick night."
Verdasco, who is seeded No. 2 in this tournament and making his Bay Area debut, kept Sampras off balance with his big groundstrokes and booming serve.
"He's tough. He's the real deal. He could win a major," Sampras said.
Top-seeded and seventh-ranked Andy Roddick opens play here Wednesday night, and so does Verdasco.
"The match helped me for sure," said Verdasco, who had just arrived in Northern California earlier Monday.
Sampras played an exhibition at San Jose for the third straight year. He won this event in 1996 and '97, and said if those two victories were added to his Grand Slam titles he would be tied with Roger Federer's 16 championships.
He has become an avid poker player — not to mention talented golfer — with his buddies in Southern California and they go in at $30,000 during their weekly games.
"I'm down for the year so I had to come up here and break even," Sampras said.
Sampras said he's interested in working for the USTA with young tennis players in the Los Angeles area, but wants to be compensated.
"I'm available for services," he said.
In earlier first-round matches, Taylor Dent defeated fellow American Alex Bogomolov Jr. 6-4, 7-6 (2); Finland's Jarkko Nieminen outlasted Lars Poerschke of Germany 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan beat American Ryan Harrison 6-2, 7-5; Israel's Dudi Sela beat Santiago Giraldo of Colombia 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4); and Leonardo Mayer of Argentina held off Latvia's Ernests Gulbis 7-5, 6-4.
Soderling, Robredo advance at Rotterdam
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — Robin Soderling has won his first match of the year, beating Florent Serra 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the first round of the ABN Amro indoor tournament.
Tommy Robredo also advanced to the second round with a 7-6 (4), 6-4 victory over Dutch player Robin Haase.
Top-seeded Novak Djokovic and Nikolay Davydenko play their first-round matches on Tuesday.
The third-seeded Soderling was a finalist here two years ago when he lost to Michael Llodra, who returned this year unseeded. Soderling lost in the first round of the Australian Open, and also at Chennai, India, early last month.
In other matches, Florian Mayer defeated Janko Tipsarevic 6-3, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (8) and Andreas Seppi beat qualifier Stephane Bohli 6-1, 7-5.
Dutch qualifier Igor Sijsling beat Mischa Zverev, Germany, def. 6-7(2), 6-3, 7-5.
Last year's winner, Andy Murray, is not defending his title, and 2009 runner-up Rafael Nadal pulled out with an injury sustained at last month's Australian Open.
Vesnina and Szavay into 2nd round at Open GDF Suez
PARIS — Eighth-seeded Elena Vesnina of Russia and Agnes Szavay of Hungary have both reached the second round of the Open GDF Suez tournament.
The 34th-ranked Szavay was leading 6-3, 1-0 against Olga Govortsova when the Belarus player retired Monday, and the 29th-ranked Vesnina advanced 6-1, 6-4 against Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania.
Montanes into second round in Brazil
COSTA DO SAUIPE, Brazil — Second seeded Albert Montanes of Spain has opened his clay-court season with a 6-2, 7-6 (2) win over German Simon Greul on the first day of the Brazil Open.
Fellow Spaniard Daniel Jimeno-Traver also reached the second round Monday, beating Spanish countryman Santiago Ventura 7-6 (7), 6-1. In the day's other match, wild card Ricardo Mello of Brazil beat Italian Paolo Lorenzi 6-2, 7-5.
Mello is playing in the tournament for the seventh time, but the first time since 2006. He has reached the semifinals in 2005, losing to Rafael Nadal.
