Just when it looked as if Andre Agassi was going to send the US Open men's singles final into a fifth set, Pete Sampras found his game again. "He's able to raise his game at the right time," Agassi said after Sampras raised the winner's trophy Sunday at the US Open for a record-tying fifth time. "Pete has a lot of weapons out there."   Nearly three hours after they took to the court in Arthur Ashe Stadium, Sampras had won his 14th Grand Slam tournament title 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.   "Pete just played a little too good for me today," Agassi told the crowd of 25,210.  That he did, although Agassi was ranked and seeded higher that Sampras. Agassi was seeded No. 6, Sampras No. 17.   "It was just a tough day for me today," said Agassi, who lost to Sampras in the US Open title match for the third time. "On top of him playing well, I just got off to a rough start. I was flat, and I tried to get myself into the match and had to work pretty hard just to give myself a chance. It just was never quite enough."   Agassi struggled past top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt in Saturday's late semifinal match, a battle that took a lot out of the 32-year-old right-hander from Las Vegas, Nev., whose game depends on him wearing down his opponent. Unlike the three other Grand Slam tournaments, the U.S. Open does not give the players a day off between the semifinals and final.   "I think that that lends for the highest standard of tennis," Agassi said when asked if he would prefer a day of rest before the final. "But that's one of the things that makes it difficult here and one of the things that makes you feel so good when you do win it."   Sampras dominated from the start of Sunday's championship match, serving 16 aces in the first two sets and 33 for the match. Sampras led two-sets-to-none after the two had been on court for only 63 minutes.   "I was having a hard time getting on to it and getting off the mark and making any sort of impact at all," Agassi said. "I think he sensed that, and I was allowing him to play pretty loose in his return games. He played a couple good break games. At that point, he was solidly better than I was today."    Agassi is known for his scrambling and willingness to battle for as long as it takes, the reason he has won seven Grand Slam tournament titles in his career. He wasn't about to quit Sunday, and finally won the third set some two hours into the match.

A prime-time final and more big-name match-ups are only the beginning. Here’s how to get the most out of this year’s U.S. Open.

The groundwork has been laid for what could very well be the most exciting and entertaining U.S. Open ever, whether you’re one of the 600,000-plus on hand at the National Tennis Center or among the millions watching it on television.

'Big match-ups' -- those magical words that drive all of professional sports because they boost fan interest and TV ratings -- figure to be the story of this year’s tournament now that the four major tournaments’ Grand Slam committee has doubled the seedings from 16 to 32 players, beginning with Wimbledon earlier in the summer.

The 32-seed system greatly increases the odds of top players surviving the early going, as the soonest they could face off against each other is the third round. And in the case of this year’s Open, the third round conveniently begins Saturday, Sept. 1, when CBS takes over the weekend TV broadcasts, with its bigger potential audience, from USA Network. Just how significant is the new seeding system? Consider this: Had there been 32 seeds at last year’s U.S. Open, No. 1 seed Andre Agassi would have faced a lesser second-round foe than the then-No. 32 Arnaud Clement, who knocked the fan favorite out of the tournament. Similarly, Venus Williams’ first-round loss to the 24th-ranked Barbara Schett at this year’s 16-seed French Open paved the way for a decidedly non-marquee semifinal matchup between Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin in Williams’ half of the draw.

'The 32-seed system protects the top players from an unfair draw without compromising its integrity,' says Arlen Kantarian, chief executive of professional tennis at the USTA. 'It rewards the players who have earned the best records over a 12-month period in the same spirit that the top-seeded teams in the NFL, NBA, and NHL playoffs are rewarded with home-field advantage.' Does it really help push the star players through the early rounds? It didn’t hurt at Wimbledon, where all 10 of the top men and nine of the top 10 women advanced to the third round (the only loser, Martina Hingis, said she was playing hurt), compared to only six on each side in 2000.

Of course, it also means there will likely be several more early-round blowouts at this year’s U.S. Open. But if an unseeded player makes a run into the later rounds, like qualifier-turned-semifinalist Alexandra Stevenson did at the 1999 Wimbledon, it’ll only serve to enhance the drama. After all, the bigger the dark horse, the more that player becomes the darling of the tournament.

A finale of Williams vs. Williams or Capriati vs. Hingis would be particularly advantageous for this year’s tournament, since CBS is sliding the women’s final into the coveted 8 P.M. prime-time slot, on Saturday, Sept. 8, on a one-year trial basis. CBS was delighted by the match-up potential from having 32 seeds. 'Compelling match-ups are important, especially to attract fringe viewers,' notes Terry Ewert, executive producer of CBS Sports.

'The 32 seeds clearly benefit the three most important constituencies we have to serve -- the players, the fans, and our business partners,' says Kantarian. 'From that standpoint, this move was a no-brainer, and it will make the U.S. Open even more exciting for years to come.' In addition to the excitement surrounding the 32-seed system, there’s a new option for experiencing America’s Grand Slam this year, other than attending or watching it on TV -- the Web. For the first time, the tour- nament’s official site, usopen.org, will deliver live radio play-by-play throughout the tournament and a daily 30-minute video show that will include player press conferences. Fans will also be able to access Open info -- scores, results, and even the traffic conditions around Flushing Meadows -- by linking a cellular phone to the site.

The other major new benefit for fans at this year’s Open: Two HDTV-quality jumbotron video screens in Arthur Ashe Stadium will show replays, scores from the outer courts, and up-close-and-personal interviews with the players.

Take a Hike                                                                                                      Reserved-seat prices have risen 3 percent from last year, while grounds passes remain at $40. Reserved tickets range from $42 to $58 for day sessions (Aug. 27 to Sept. 6) and from $69 to $85 for the women’s semis (Sept. 7), the men’s semis (Sept. 8), and the women’s and men’s finals (Sept. 8 and 9, respectively). Prices for evening sessions will range from $22 to $62.

Why So Pricey?                                                                                                 To help pay for the $15.8 million in prize money (up 5 percent from 2000), among other things. The Open has the biggest purse in all of sports. Men’s and women’s singles champions will get a record $850,000, up from $800,000 a year ago -- or a little more than Anna Kournikova makes per day modeling sports bras.

That’s the Ticket                                                                                                 By opening day, all but about 5 percent of the 23,219 reserved seats for the 14 day and 12 night sessions in Arthur Ashe Stadium will be gone. But where there’s a will, there’s a way. There are usually tickets available for the night sessions, those throbbing testaments to New York energy. For day sessions: Arrive at the box office when it opens at 9 A.M. (two hours before matches begin) and you’ll have a 50-50 chance of getting a reserved seat.

Order in the Court                                                                                         Ticket lines can be a real drag. Instead, call 866-OPENTIX or, better yet, avoid busy signals altogether and order on the Web at www.usopen.org.

Option Play Approximately 3,000 of the 8,000 daily general-admission grounds passes for the first eight day sessions will be made available on a first-come, first-serve basis. (The rest were sold to USTA members earlier this summer.) You can score them at the box office the day of admission, but be sure to show up at least 90 minutes before the first match begins (11 A.M. most days). A grounds pass won’t get you into Ashe Stadium, but it is your ticket to the 12 side courts (which have a combined seating capacity of 9,000), the 5,000-seat Grandstand, and the 9,700-seat Louis Armstrong Stadium. Note: Every marquee player who lasts three or more rounds should have at least one match in Armstrong.

Way to Go!                                                                                                     Once the gates open, the race for the best unreserved seats is on. Here’s a tip: Proceed past the near courts and head straight to the ones in the back -- Nos. 10 and 13. If you want a seat in the Grandstand or Louis Armstrong, it’s best to try the less-crowded rear entrances.

Made in the Shade                                                                                        Giant awnings covering about a third of the food court will be installed this year. And you may need a little cooling down -- especially after seeing the prices: $4.50 for bottled water; $5.25 for domestic beers; and $5.25 for a large plate of fries. In all, there will be a dozen food stands on the grounds. If you decide to bring your own, be aware that cans and glass bottles aren’t allowed.

Weather Watch                                                                                              What has an 80 to 85 percent accuracy rate? Sampras’ serve? Uh-uh. The correct answer is the Farmer’s Almanac. Here’s the FA’s forecast for Flushing Meadows come Open time: Clear and sunny for Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day (Aug. 25) and opening day (Aug. 27); possible thunderstorms (Aug. 28 through 31); pleasantly dry and fair (Sept. 1 through 7); and potential squalls (Sept. 8 and 9, for the women’s and men’s finals, respectively).

Late Night with . . .                                                                                          Had trouble staying up for that Todd Martin- Carlos Moya marathon last year? The U.S. Open feels your morning-after pain. Thus, night matches are being bumped up a half-hour this year -- from 7:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Ashe Stadium and from 7 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Louis Armstrong.

Don’t Look Now, But                                                                                            Most Open fans don’t much care for watching doubles, let alone gazing at pictures of it. Thus, the photo tribute to doubles, located in the U.S. Open Gallery inside Louis Armstrong Stadium, might be a good place to find some peace and quiet. And to ensure that the mixed-doubles matches don’t take up too much court time this year, third sets have been replaced by 12-point tiebreakers.

Train of Thought                                                                                              The No. 7 IRT subway leaves Grand Central or Times Square for the half-hour ride to the Tennis Center (the Willets Point-Shea Stadium station) every few minutes; a ride is $1.50. Another option is the Long Island Railroad’s express train from Penn Station to Shea, a 17-minute ride, for $3.25 to $4.75 (call 718-217-LIRR for a schedule). If you’re thinking of driving, beware: The main parking lot belongs to the neighboring New York Mets, and you can’t park there during the day when the team has night games (Aug. 28 to Sept. 1), thus making your only option the park-and-shuttle ride from Corona Park.

Starry Nights                                                                                                  Since Arthur Ashe Stadium opened in 1997, the number of celebrities attending the Open has doubled. Why? Two reasons: (1) Tennis is très chic among the Beautiful People, and (2) from their luxury-box fortress in the new stadium, celebs can keep the fans at arm’s length. Among the first-timers in 2000: Ashley Judd, Woody Allen, and President Clinton.

Signing Bonus                                                                                               When it comes to bestowing their John Hancocks, professional tennis players are among the most agreeable signers in sports, particularly Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, Jan-Michael Gambill, and Andy Roddick, all of whom will sign (and sign and sign) until their pens run dry. The best places to camp out for autographs? Outside the player’s lounge (the west side of Arthur Ashe Stadium) and near the entrances to the practice courts (northwest of Ashe Stadium, courts 1 to 5).
 

Grandslam Events

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ABOUT THE CHAMPIONSHIP

The U.S. Open, which celebrates its 120th anniversary this year, has not always been the two-week extravaganza it is today. The change from an amateur event known as the U.S. National Championships to the US Open – the richest professional tennis event in the world open to amateurs and professionals – is the most obvious metamorphosis. But there are many other more subtle changes.

The five major championships that constitute the US Open – men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles and mixed doubles – grew from a single men’s tournament held as an entertainment diversion for high society at the turn of the 20th century.

The first U.S. National Singles Championship for men was held at the Newport Casino, Newport, R.I., in August 1881. Only clubs that were members of the United States National Lawn Tennis Association were permitted to enter. That was the beginning of a 34-year reign for Newport as the tennis center of the country.

Men’s doubles was played in conjunction with men’s singles at the Newport Casino for the first seven years, 1881-86, before it began moving to various sites. In fact, the five major events of the U.S. National Championships/ US Open have been played at nine different sites throughout their histories, including the USTA National Tennis Center. Men’s doubles has been played at eight of those sites.

Beginning in 1900, the U.S. National Men’s Doubles Championship was layered, with tournaments held in the East and West and sectional winners playing off to determine which team would meet the defending champions in the challenge round. By 1907, there were three preliminary sectional tournaments. The 1918 U.S. National Men’s Doubles Championship was a playing-through tournament, the sectional doubles and resulting challenge round having been abandoned. In 1919, the format of qualifying sectional winners and a challenge round was used for the final time. Thereafter, the format for men’s doubles hardly changed, except for the switch to best-of-three sets from best-of-five in 1993.

In 1887, six years after the men’s nationals were instituted as an annual event, the first official U.S. Women’s National Singles Championship was held at the Philadelphia Cricket Club, joined by women’s doubles in 1889. Of the five major events that constitute the U.S. Open, women’s singles has been the least traveled. U.S. women’s singles has been contested in just three places: Philadelphia Cricket Club, West Side Tennis Club and the USTA National Tennis Center.

The U.S. Mixed Doubles Championship officially began in 1892 and was played in conjunction with the women’s singles and doubles until 1921. Starting in 1921, mixed doubles was combined with the men’s doubles program of the U.S. National Championships.

The advent of the Open Era in 1968 consolidated all five major U.S. tennis championships into the US Open at West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, Queens, New York. A total of $100,000 was offered to the field of 96 men and 63 women who entered men’s and women’s singles and doubles that year. Today the U.S. Open offers more than $14.5 million to a field of more than 600 men and women, including qualifying.

CURRENT TOP AMERICAN ON ATP / WTA TOUR 2002.

ANDRE AGASSI

SERENA WILLIAMS

Youngest and Oldest Players

Men:

Youngest Singles Champion - Pete Sampras (1990), aged 19 years, 0 months, 28 days.

Youngest Doubles Champion - Vincent Richards (1918), aged 15 years, 4 months and 26 days.

Youngest Player - Tommy Ho (1988) was the youngest player to play at the age of 15 years, 2 months and 14 days when he lost in straight sets to Johan Kriek in the first round.

Youngest Player to Win a Match - Vincent Richards (1918), was the youngest ever to win a singles match, at the age of 15 years, 5 months and 8 days. After winning his first round by default, Richards defeated Frank T. Anderson in the following round. Michael Chang is the youngest male to win a match in the Open era. In 1987, at the age of 15 years, 6 months and 10 days, he defeated Paul McNamee on the opening day of the tournament.

Oldest Champion - Bill Larned was 38 years, 8 months and 3 days when he won the last of his seven singles titles in 1911. Since the end of the Challenge Round (which was 1911), Bill Tilden in 1929 has been the oldest titlist at 36 years, 7 months, 4 days. Ken Rosewall was the oldest in the Open era at 35 years, 10 months and 11 days when he won on Sept. 13, 1970.

Oldest First-time Champion - Vic Seixas was 31 years, 7 days when he won the 1954 final. Wilmer Allison was 30 years, 9 months in 1935.


The age of 19 is the youngest for men's singles champions, and five of them have been that age when they won-Sampras in 1990, Richard Sears in 1881 (by eight months), Campbell in 1890 (by six months), Bob Wrenn in 1893, and Ellsworth Vines in 1931 (by seven months). Among the males, others (besides Richards, Chang, and Ho) to play in the national singles before their 16th birthdays include Oliver S. Campbell in 1886, Francis X. Shields in 1926, Sidney B. Wood, Jr., in 1927, Billy Martin in 1972.

Women:

Youngest Singles Champion - Tracy Austin (1979) was 16 years, 8 months and 28 days.

Youngest Player - Kathy Horvath (1979) was five days past her 14th birthday when she lost a first-round match to Dianne Fromholtz (7-6, 6-2) after playing through the qualifier.

Youngest Player to Win a Match - Mary Joe Fernandez was 14 years and 8 days when she defeated Sara Gomer on Aug. 27, 1985.

Oldest Champion - Molla Bjurstedt Mallory, born in 1884, was 42 when she won the 1926 singles championship. The oldest champion of the Open era was Margaret Court, who won the last of her five U.S. titles in 1973 at the age of 31 years, 1 month and 23 days.


Besides Austin, Maureen Connolly and Martina Hingis also won the women's singles title before their 17th birthdays. Connolly won the 1951 U.S. title at the age of 16 years, 11 months, 19 days. Hingis won the 1997 US Open at the age of 16 years, 11 months, 8 days.

In addition to Austin and Horvath, others under 15 in their first women's singles were Sarah Palfrey in 1927; Jeannie Evert, younger sister of Chris, in 1972; Andrea Jaeger in 1979; Kathy Rinaldi in 1981; Mary Joe Fernandez in 1985; and Jennifer Capriati in 1990.

 

 

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