Sampras averts Mac attack, lifts U.S. team

Victoria Sun

Monday, April 10, 2000 | 9:30 a.m.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- No matter how bad it felt, a strained left quadriceps muscle wasn't going to stop Pete Sampras from continuing the fifth and decisive Davis Cup quarterfinals match Sunday against the Czech Republic's Slava Dosedel.

Not with first-year captain John McEnroe sitting on the sidelines, anyway.

"I think John would have choked me," Sampras deadpanned with McEnroe sitting to his left during a postmatch interview. "I could definitely see it in his eyes when I told him I kind of hurt my leg.

"He didn't want any part of it."

Both player and coach shared a hearty laugh before Sampras continued to entertain the room.

"John's words on the changeover were a huge inspiration for me: 'Suck it up and just have the next couple weeks off and you know, suck it up for 45 minutes so we can get out of here,' " Sampras said.

He did and blasted Dosedel off the court 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (2) with a blistering 18 aces and 56 winners.

Sampras redeemed himself after a poor performance on Friday and resurrected the stumbling Americans to a 3-2 victory over the Czech Republic. Las Vegan Andre Agassi beat Jiri Novak in the first singles match on Sunday, giving Sampras something to play for.

After the match, Sampras hoisted the American flag above his head and took the first victory lap around the tennis court installed on the floor of the Great Western Forum. Sampras' hometown crowd of 12,002 included his mom and dad.

"I didn't want us to lose two matches here and cost us the tie (the Davis Cup term for a match)," Sampras said. "It was redemption.

"Today, to play better and clinch it for us, it was just a great team effort. Andre's certainly one of the best teammates I could ever dream of having and today was ... we were dominant."

Technically, Sampras' victory sealed the win for the U.S., but for the second time this year, it was Agassi who kept the U.S. team alive in Davis Cup competition.

Without Agassi, there would have been no victory laps to speak of and no semifinal tie against Spain that will be played overseas July 21-23. The Spaniards earned a berth in the semifinals with a 4-1 win over Russia.

Trailing 2-1, Agassi was up first against Novak, the player who handed Sampras his worst Davis Cup loss ever on Friday.

But like a good baseball setup man, Agassi, ranked No. 1 in the world, methodically destroyed Novak (ranked 53rd) 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 in one hour and 36 minutes, letting Sampras close it out.

"He just brings such an intensity and energy to the team and he was very, very focused," U.S. team captain John McEnroe said of Agassi. "He's very, very into making everyone a part of it.

"That's why he's a great team player."

Agassi played a flawless match by dictating the points from the start and serving up 12 aces.

"I love playing and winning for this country, but I don't like being down," Agassi said. "It's very hard work.

"I felt like there was a clear job that needs to be done and whether I'm up 2-1 or not, my goal is to go out there and establish that they're not going to get that point.

"I mean, if anything, I had extra motivation. The thought of Jiri Novak coming in here and winning in our backyard, three points against me and Pete and the double is just -- I didn't want that to happen."

After Sampras lost his first match, Agassi breezed by Dosedel to make it 1-1. The U.S. should have taken a 2-1 lead on Saturday when it sent the world's top two doubles players, Alex O'Brien and Jared Palmer, to play Novak and David Rikl.

Instead, Novak and Rikl won in straight sets. Suddenly, the heavily favored U.S. team found itself down a rubber, just like it was against Zimbabwe in February.

Despite the fact that Agassi was exhausted from making the trip to Zimbabwe right after he won the Australian Open, he saved the Americans with a 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 win over Zimbabwe's Byron Black, setting up Chris Woodruff for the kill.

Starting with the tie against Spain, McEnroe hopes Agassi won't have to keep saving the team.

"Andre's a human being and we don't want to take him for granted," McEnroe said. "He's got to go out there, he's nervous.

"He was nervous today. He feels the pressure to come up with a couple of wins and he's done it for us. Give him his due."