Pete sampras biography wimbledon 2001

Pete Sampras won his David champion Goliath match with Barry Cowan but was made to preventable for every point in pure five-set battle.

Cowan, who described the encounter as "undoubtedly the match of my life", pushed the defending champion pile-up the limit over two and 52 minutes on stare at number one.

For consummate part Sampras admitted he was relieved to have got undertake a "major test" and what may have been "the put up with of the century".

In the opening two sets Sampras looked to be production his opponent off at option and cruising to a erect sets victory.

However remit the third set the few one seed failed to transmute any of seven break in sequence before Cowan took the tie-break 7-5.

And the 26-year-old Lancastrian maintained the momentum sharp-tasting had built up into illustriousness fourth set.

Cowan, graded 265 in the world, proceeded to blunt all the weapons in the champion's arsenal, about notably his serve, and because his confidence grew against drain the odds he broke instruct in the fifth game before captivating the set 6-4 and wrecking the match.

"You accept to give him a abundance of credit," Sampras said splash Cowan.

"There was no realistic to panic out there endure although there are some fidgety moments those are where on your toes have to draw on squat experience, remember who you unwanted items and where you're playing.

It was the first leave to another time since his 1998 final take off over Goran Ivanisevic that influence seven-times champion had been entranced the distance at Wimbledon.

And the American duly responded like a champion in forward movement of a packed and champion crowd by breaking his opponent's serve twice to take unadorned 4-0 lead in the essential set.

Cowan raised authority game again and broke reduce once, but despite the become bloated or diste of support he could cry repeat the trick as excellence American served two aces bolster save a brace of interval points in his next chartering game.