Pete Sampras is feeling ominously confident at the US Open, after he overcome third seed Tommy Haas to reach the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Sampras beat Haas 7-5, 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, and still feels that he has enough to win a Grand Slam title. "The days of me dominating are over, but I still feel like I have a major in me. I'm going to give it my best shot," he said.
Next up for Sampras is Andy Roddick who made short work of Argentina's Juan Ignacio Chela 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. The 20-year-American admitted that it was something of a dream come true for him to facing Sampras, a player he idolised as a boy. "I'm excited. That's what you play for, matches like that. It will be a dream come true for me," Roddick said.
Thursday's other quarter final will involve Dutchman Sjeng Schalken, who won a war of attrition against Gustavo Kuerten 6-3, 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/4). Schalken will face Fernando Gonzalez, who had a relatively simple path the quarter final, beating Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6-2, 6-3.
In the women's event, Venus Williams was taken to the wire by fellow American Chanda Rubin. Williams edged the match 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, but feels that she still has room for improvement. "It wasn't my best day. I had rushed so many shots and missed so many. It was nice to win when I was off. In my next match, I'm going to go out and do what I'm supposed to do."
Sister Serena had no such problems and she breezed past Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova and into the semi-finals. Serena was rarely troubled throughout the match and won 6-2 6-2 to set up a semi-final tie with fourth seed Lindsay Davenport. Elena Bovina gave Davenport an early scare in their quarter-final clash, winning the first set 3-6, but the American quickly settled and rattled off the next two sets 6-0, 6-2.
Filed by Rob Wright
