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History Repeats: What Sampras-Rafter Can Teach Us About Nadal-Soderling
Published: January 4, 2010
Still, the two weren’t truly rivals yet; Sampras was 5-1 against the Australian at that point and would add three more lopsided victories over Rafter to his tally that fall. Plus, with the bulk of his accomplishments and the fact that he had a commanding lead in the race for No. 1, few could seriously claim that the two were players of equal stature.
To become a rival to Sampras, Rafter would have to beat the American, and take something he wanted.
That would come in 1998, when the Australian rallied from a set down to top Sampras at the Cincinnati Masters tourney. Sampras had already won Wimbledon that year, and Rafter’s successes for 1998 were just beginning; still, Sampras hungered for the points that event would bring him. He was pursuing the year-end ranking for the sixth consecutive year—a record—and Marcelo Rios was hot on his heels.
By beating Sampras, Rafter earned the American’s ire, and the fact that the last point ended on a call that Sampras disputed only angered Sampras further. But that loss was nothing compared to what was coming in the months ahead: In the US Open, Sampras sought to tie the Grand Slam record and Rafter to defend his maiden major.
In their tightly contested duel, Sampras called for the trainer to treat his leg late in the third set, and by the fifth with him visibly slowing, Rafter dispatched him by breaking his serve a second time in the final set.
Rafter won his next match and with it forever shook off the “one-slam wonder” label. But just before he clinched his follow-up major, Sampras infamously said that the difference between him and the Australian w...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis
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