PARIS: the tournament.

Friday, May 30, 1997 | 11:44 a.m.

Norman, playing on his 21st birthday, had never won a Grand Slam match before this tournament.

Sampras had defeated him in their one previous meeting, in Tokyo in 1996.

A listless-looking Sampras lost the first set 6-2. In the second he was up 4-1, but then lost five games in a row to lose the set at 6-4.

Sampras was sweating heavily and looked exhausted. Occasionally he would take a new racket from the courtside refrigerator, where he's been keeping them to preserve the tension, and hold it against his forehead to cool down.

In the third set, Sampras came back with an early break, and broke again to take the set 6-2. He seem revived, hitting more winners and moving well.

Serving to open the fourth set, he fired three aces and a service winner to win the game at love. He broke Norman for 2-0, but then the match shifted again. Norman broke back for 2-1 as Sampras double-faulted on break point. At 3-3, Sampras made four straight forehand errors to give Norman the break at 4-3.

In the next game, Norman saved three break points - two of them with aces - to go up 5-3. He then served out the match.

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