The rivalry between Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi captivated the ATP Tour from the late 80s to the early 2000s. One of their highly intense clashes took place in the semifinals at the Houston Open in 2002. The crowd saw Andre Agassi saving four match points in the second set, which led Sampras to lay his guard down and appreciate his rival. After winning a tough semi-final, Pete Sampras admitted in the post-match press conference that Andre Agassi always managed to raise his game on the court.
“Just playing him is unique. Whether we’re playing a practice match on a side court or in the finals at Wimbledon, he raises my game to another level.”
The 2002 semifinals saw the fourth seed and wildcard entry, Sampras, playing against Agassi for the 33rd time on the ATP Tour. It was their 5th meeting on clay and the second seed ended up leading their head-to-head on clay as well with 3 wins.
Fox Sports One commentators Leif Shiras and Barry Mackay termed the match as arguably the ‘greatest player of all time against the most popular player of all time’, Agassi being the latter ofcourse. Norm Chryst, the chair umpire, saw the players exchanging long rallies from the start of the match. The surface was not the favored one for both Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.
The 14-time Grand Slam champion was serving well from the start as Agassi could not break his serve even once in the match. He only had two chances and Sampras saved both of them. Sampras began hitting powerful backhands from the baseline in the opening set. He was up 5-0 as Agassi looked in trouble.
The 31-year-old fought back with strong serves to avoid a bagel for the first time against Sampras. In the second set, Agassi hit a double fault and two unforced errors to lose on his serve in the 11th game. Although he hit solid baseline shots to save four match points in the final game, Sampras eventually ended their last-ever clay court battle with an ace. Over the last 2 decades at the Houston Open, no match has taken place of that level and excitement.
Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe could recreate Pete Sampras-Andre Agassi rivalry at Houston Open
The 2024 edition of the Houston Open will see top American players battling for the trophy in front of the home crowd. Top seed Ben Shelton will be leading the home charge. Joining him will be the defending champion, Frances Tiafoe. The pair could meet in the finals in a rematch of their 2023 US Open quarterfinals, which Shelton won.
If that happens, it would be their first meeting on clay, and Houston is the perfect place for an ideal showdown. Shelton could win his first clay title, while Tiafoe can become the fifth American to win multiple titles at Houston. Both youngsters could bring back nostalgic memories for the fans. While Shelton is known for his rocket serves, Tiafoe is known to entertain the crowd with his crafty shots.
The event needs the rising stars to perform well and keep up with its traditions. In 2022, the then-17th-ranked Reilly Opelka took on No.23 John Isner in the final. This year could bring the same hype between Shelton and Tiafoe. In its rich history, American players have been found to perform well in front of the Houston fans.
The Houston Open has been taking place on the tennis circuit since 1968. Clark Graebner took the title in the inaugural edition beating fellow American Stan Smith. The Americans have dominated the event from the start, and over the years, top American players lifted the trophy.
But there has been an absence of the top-ranked American players sweating it on the surface. The last time two American players ranked in the top 20 playing against each other was in 2003. Agassi had defeated Andy Roddick in the final in three sets. This year could be different as there is hope for the fans from their favorite players.
