VETERAN HANGS IN UNTIL FATAL DOUBLE FAULT

Has the real Pete Sampras returned?
Keeping company with the mob?
Saturday's TV coverage almost super

By Sandra Harwitt and Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

Susan Mullane Camerawork USA, Inc.

There's good news and bad news for Pete Sampras out of the Tennis Masters Series Toronto.

The good news is that Sampras actually looked like Sampras on the court. He served and volleyed with style; he hit a number of winners off of his trademark skyhook overhead; he moved around the court with the grace that used to captivate fans; most importantly, he didn't look at an opponent with that scared "I'm a deer looking into headlights" stare.

The bad news is that despite looking like vintage Sampras on Thursday night, he was on the losing side of an entertaining tangle with Tommy Haas. It was a bad blunder by Sampras that brought the match to an end. Noted for his spectacular second serve, he managed to double fault on the last point of the third set tiebreak to place the match in Haas's hands. But the score – 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 7-6 (7-5) – is evidence that there could still be some tennis life remaining in Sampras.

After the match, Sampras said, "I'm disappointed with the result because I thought I played well enough to win. I didn't lose my serve the entire match but losing is disappointing. I played pretty well this week but I want to win these matches, that's why I play these events … to win them."

HAAS HAMMERS ACES

Susan Mullane Camerawork USA, Inc.

Sampras was right to be disappointed because he did play well enough to win the match against a top-quality opponent. Although Haas just returned to the tour in L.A. last week, having chosen to stay close by his parents who sustained serious injuries in a motorcycle accident right after Roland Garros, he's playing excellent tennis. The German served up 24 aces against Sampras and, at one point midway through the third set, he served seven of eight aces in a row.

One lesson Sampras learned from his Toronto visit is that familiarity brings confidence and a comfort zone. Back in the coaching seat for the first time this year is Sampras' longtime sidekick Paul Annacone. At the end of last year, Sampras surprisingly severed ties with his old buddy, deciding that a new coaching approach might bring some renewed success. After a blink-of-the-eye stint with Tom Gullikson, which barely gave the former U.S. Davis Cup captain a chance to say hello to Sampras, the latter moved on to a five-month alliance with Jose Higueras, a relationship he hoped would improve his luck at the French Open.

It's important that Sampras takes the right message from this week in Toronto as he heads towards Cincinnati next week and the U.S. Open at the end of the month. Sampras, who turns 31 on August 12, is unlikely to be able to resurrect his game to the level of domination he had during the formative years of his career. But if he's willing to put in the work, he has the capabilities of putting in some fine performances and even end his title drought that stands at over two years and 31 tournaments played.

Attitude will be a key element for Sampras in the next few weeks as he approaches the U.S. Open, where he put together a stunning run to the final last year before succumbing to Lleyton Hewitt. If his game remains in gear and he can keep the faith, Sampras could rebound for another good year at the Open – and a good showing at the Open will certainly be a morale booster for the man who owns a record 13 Grand Slam titles.

Keeping company with the mob?
On the heels of Wednesday's news that alleged mobster Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov was charged by U.S. Federal prosecutors in New York for allegedly fixing the controversial figure skating results at the 2002 Winter Olympics at Salt Lake City, it became apparent that the Uzbek-born figure is no stranger to Russian tennis players.

Susan Mullane Camerawork USA, Inc.

The first indication of an alliance came when CNN posted a picture of Tokhtakhounov on their Wednesday night broadcast and standing on the alleged mobster's left was none other than Yevgeny Kafelnikov. Playing at Toronto, the two-time Grand Slam champion described Tokhtakhounov as a "good friend" and said of the arrest that, "You know, whatever happens there…I'm sure it's some kind of mistake."

Marat Safin, into the quarterfinals of the Toronto event, also admitted that he knew Tokhtakhounov, but declined to comment any further, indicating that this issue was not his concern.

At the women's tournament in San Diego, the usually reticent Anna Kournikova had a little more to say on the situation. At first Kournikova said, "I don't want to talk about it. Everybody, all the politicians, all the businessmen, everybody knows the Russian tennis players. I've heard of the guy."

When asked if he was a mobster, Kournikova replied, "You can put it that way. I don't think I should be talking about this. I'm sorry. I'm Russian, I have to go back there."

Saturday's TV coverage almost super
There is no day for tennis TV coverage which matches the last Saturday of the U.S. Open, with the women's final in prime time and two men's semis on earlier in the day.

But, this Saturday rates right up there for American couch potatoes. ESPN2 will be airing the ATP Tennis Masters Series Toronto semis at 1 and 7 p.m. Eastern time. Fox Sports Network will be televising the WTA Acura Classic semis at 4 and 10:30 p.m. Eastern time.

Unfortunately, some TV coverage outside of the Grand Slams can be taped. This goes for some Masters series and notable WTA weekend matches. However, all of this weekend's coverage is live.

Seeing how we're providing TV listings, the men's final is scheduled for telecast Sunday at 1 p.m. on CBS. The women's final, with coverage here by Matthew Cronin, at 4 p.m. on ABC. Both are Eastern time.