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EXCLUSIVE:
THE
SCOOP: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5
Gullikson
front-runner as new Sampras coach
By
Sandra Harwitt and Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net
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Susan
Mullane
Camerawork USA, Inc.
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Pete
Sampras' camp told tennisreporters.net
Wednesday
that Tom Gullikson is the front-runner to replace Paul Annacone
as Pete Sampras' coach.
Gullikson
and Sampras have a long history together as friends and it was
Gullikson’s twin brother, Tim, who coached Sampras to the
world No. 1 ranking. The late Tim Gullikson coached Sampras until
1995 when he was diagnosed with brain cancer and Annacone took
over the position.
Tom
Gullikson has also worked with Sampras in a coaching capacity
when, as the Davis Cup captain, he coached Pete to his only Davis
Cup title in Russia in 1995.
As
reported by tennisreporters.net
on Tuesday, Annacone was named the USTA's new managing director,
USA Tennis High Performance (director of player development).
Apparently,
Pete and Paul chatted about the future of their relationship in
the past month and decided that Annacone would be prudent not
to pass up some of the enticing offers that were coming his way.
If
Gullikson is brought on board, he will be the latest of three
comfortable
coaching relationships that Sampras has experienced in an impressive
career
that brought a record 13 Grand Slam titles. Sampras has had excellent
working
relationships with his coaches and Tom Gullikson will be perfect
in bringing
out the best in Sampras during the twilight years of his career.
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