"To beat Andre Agassi makes me feel a little better than if I had beaten someone else" - When Pete Sampras spoke on defeating rival in US Open final

Pete Sampras once claimed that beating Andre Agassi in the 1995 US Open final made him feel a little better than beating any other player.

They were the top two seeds heading into the tournament, with Agassi defeating Bryan Shelton, Alex Corretja, Stefan Edberg, Jared Palmer, Petr Korda and Boris Becker to reach the final. Sampras, meanwhile, triumphed over Fernando Meligeni, Jaime Yzaga, Mark Philippoussis, Todd Martin, Byron Black and Jim Courier to book his place in the title clash.

Sampras went on to defeat Agassi in four sets in the final to win his third title at the New York Major.

After the match, Pete Sampras was asked about beating his rival. The former World No. 1 replied by saying that it made him feel a little more happy than facing anyone else in the title clash.

"Beating Andre. I mean, you know, would have, it is always, it would have been different if I would have played Boris and beaten him. I would have been just as happy, but it is always a little bit different when I can beat Andre 1 and 2 in the world, both American, and, you know, to beat him makes me feel a little better than if I had beaten someone else," Sampras said.

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Andre Agassi managed only one Grand Slam final win over Pete Sampras

Andre Agassi with his wife Steffi Graf in 2023

Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras faced one another in five Grand Slam finals, with the former winning just one of them. The only instance Agassi triumphed over his rival in a Major title clash was at the 1995 Australian Open, winning 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(6), 6-4. This win came five years after their first clash in a Major final at the 1990 US Open.

The 1995 US Open final was their second meeting in a Major final. They did not face one another in a final until Wimbledon 1999, with Sampras once again coming out on top.

The last Grand Slam final between Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi came at the 2002 US Open, with the former winning 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 to bag his 14th Major crown. The match also turned out to be Sampras' swansong in tennis.

Agassi played for another four years before retiring in 2006, with his final match coming at the US Open. He reached the third round before being defeated by Benjamin Becker.

Overall, the two have faced one another on 34 occasions. The seven-time Wimbledon champion leads 20-14 in the head-to-head against Agassi.