ESPN.com - TENNIS - Sampras wins tough four-setter in Melbourne

 
Tuesday, January 23
Sampras wins tough four-setter in Melbourne



MELBOURNE, Australia -- Pete Sampras battled to victory against Czech Bohdan Ulihrach at the Australian Open on Wednesday and then admitted his decision to limit the number of tournaments he plays has helped his game if not his pocket.

Pete Sampras
American Pete Sampras was forced into a fouth set with Bohdan Ulihrach of the Czech Republic during their match Wednesday. Sampras won 7-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-5.
Sampras won 7-6 7-6 4-6 7-5 in three hours to set up a third round meeting with Argentina's Juan Ignacio Chela.

The American's desire to extend his domination of Grand Slam tennis has seen the former world number one gradually cut back on the tournaments he has entered over the last five years.

The 29-year-old explained that his need to concentrate on the four majors has meant he has failed to compete in the full complement of nine Masters Series tournaments a season.

As a result, Sampras, who has secured more than $41 million in prize money in his 12-year career, has missed out on end-of-year bonuses handed down by the game's governing body, the Association of Tennis Professionals.

Sampras, seeded three in Melbourne, said: "If I'm honest, I guess I would have lost around $7 million over the last few years for not competing in every tournament.

"But everyone knows that I am concentrating on the Grand Slams and making sure my body is in the best of shape for those events.

"I will play in about five or six of the Masters Series again this season, although I intend to play more on clay this year."

Sampras, the winner of a record 13 Grand Slam titles, has won seven Wimbledons, four U.S. Opens and two Australian Open titles but never the clay court French Open.

Moreover, discounting Wimbledon, he has not won a Grand Slam tournament at the other three majors for four years -- the last occasion being his Australian Open triumph in 1997.

"I would be happy to keep winning Wimbledon, although I admit it would be nice to win another one, as well," he said.

Working hard
Sampras was made to work extremely hard for his third round berth at the Australian Open.

Ulihrach had won two of his previous five meetings with Sampras before their latest encounter on the new show court.

After the American had secured the first two sets on tiebreaks, Ulihrach again raised his game to give Sampras problems and force a fourth set by taking the third 6-4.

But Sampras hit back and, despite missing one match point on Uhlirach's serve at 5-4, he finished off his dogged opponent with his second match point.

"I feel sore and I am looking forward to a day off on Thursday," Sampras said.

"Bohdan was playing some really good tennis, so you have to give him credit. I didn't feel like I was playing badly.

"Every time I have stepped on court for the last eight or nine years, I have felt like all my opponents have raised their game because it was me they were playing.

"So it was good to pass the latest test -- although physically, it is not necessarily a good thing to be pushed hard on these courts early in a Grand Slam. The hard courts here have notoriously been tough on my body in the past."