When he came to the US Open in 2002, Pete Sampras was carrying some heavy baggage. Mired in a 33-tournament drought, he had not won a championship anywhere in the world since ruling at Wimbledon two years earlier.

The fact remained that Sampras had been in the final of the past two US Opens, although he had not captured the championships of his country since way back in 1996. Many learned observers had begun to believe that Sampras, at 31, had left his finest days well behind him. His many detractors were convinced he would not add to his record total of 13 major singles titles.

Sampras faced Great Britain’s Greg Rusedski in the third round, and the 1997 US Open finalist nearly ushered the American icon out of the tournament. In a contest stretched out over two nights due to inclement weather, Sampras, the No. 17 seed, narrowly escaped in five sets in Louis Armstrong Stadium. Thereafter, Sampras was reinvigorated. He defeated No. 2 seed Tommy Haas in four sets, and then knocked out Andy Roddick in straight sets, before ousting Sjeng Schalken in the semifinals.

Fittingly, Sampras faced Andre Agassi in the final. This was the third time these two enduringly excellent Americans had clashed in the final of the Open. Sampras had been victorious in 1990 and had bested his countryman again in 1995. Now he was going for the “hat trick.”

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