Thirteen-time Grand Slam winner Pete Sampras came from behind to beat Richard Krajicek of Holland and book his place in the semi-finals of the US Open at Flushing Meadows. Up a set and 6-2 in the second set tie-breaker, Krajicek failed to convert on any of his four set points and let Sampras right back into the match as the American pulled out a 4-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4, 6-2 victory.
Afterwards Sampras admitted that he expected to be dumped out of the tournament by a rampant Krajicek. "Richard was outplaying me," Sampras said. "I just felt I was going to loose the second set and be down two-sets to love. I thought I was finished. There was nothing I could do. He was doing everything a little better than me. The way he was serving, you just pray. My prayers were answered I got a little bit fortunate in the tie-breaker," he added.
Sampras' comeback was reminiscent of this year's Wimbledon final when he rallied from a set and 4-1 down in a second set tie-breaker before pulling off a four-set win over Pat Rafter. The four-time US Open champion, who had dropped his serve only once before his quarter-final match, was broken in the 9th game of the opening set when his forehand volley sailed wide. The Dutchman and Sampras exchanged service breaks in the beginning of the second set. Krajicek opened a 6-2 lead in the tie-breaker and had four set points, but Sampras reeled off six consecutive points to even the match at one set apiece.
Sampras got stronger as the match progressed and broke Krajicek early in the fourth set. Krajicek had double break point in the sixth game to even it, but Sampras lined up four straight points to maintain the lead, then broke the Dutchman a final time in the seventh game to serve out the match on a 131-mile-per hour first-serve winner. Sampras will now face teenage sensation Lleyton Hewitt in Saturday's semi-final after the Australian dispatched France's Arnaud Clemand 6-2 6-4 6-3 in his quarter-final. (PA)
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
