Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi formed one of the most heated tennis rivalries of the 1990s, facing each other in 34 matches, 16 of which were finals. One memorable title clash between the two took place at the 1994 Lipton Championships (now known as the Miami Open) in Key Biscayne, Florida. Sampras was the top seed and Agassi the 24th seed.
Match Delayed Due to Sampras’ Illness
The start of their memorable match was delayed as Sampras underwent treatment for a stomach virus. Agassi could have claimed a walkover win but instead, allowed his rival to undergo treatment. When the match finally started, it became yet another thrilling affair between the two. Pete Sampras came back from a set down to beat Andre Agassi 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 to win the Lipton Championships and complete the Sunshine Double.
Sampras’ Gratitude Towards Agassi’s Sportsmanship
After the match, Sampras was asked about Agassi’s actions, and he said that they were a reflection of the kind of person he was. The then-World No. 1 said that he would have done the same thing if it was the other way round. He also labeled Agassi’s gesture as a “class move.”
Head-to-Head Record Between Sampras and Agassi
The two tennis legends played each other on 34 occasions, with Sampras leading 20-14 in the head-to-head record. They met in five Grand Slam finals, with Sampras winning four and Agassi one. Their last meeting took place in the final of the 2002 US Open, where Sampras triumphed 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.
