"My heart missed a beat when I heard he pulled out" - When Serena Williams commented on Pete Sampras withdrawing from US Open 1999

Serena Williams was disappointed after Pete Sampras withdrew from the US Open in 1999.

Sampras, who had won that year's Wimbledon title, was set to compete at the New York Major but was forced to withdraw after suffering a back injury while practicing with Gustavo Kuerten. The American stated that he underwent an MRI that showed he had a herniated disc and would be out of action for a while.

"I was hitting on Sunday with Kuerten, and, you know, went for a shot. I felt my back -- I felt my back go a little bit. I walked off the court and saw the doctor immediately. You know, I got some treatment on it. It was basically for the past 48 hours struggling with just getting around my hotel room," Sampras said in a press conference.

"And last night, I did a few tests, CAT scan and an MRI, and it showed I have a herniated disc, which will obviously have to pull out of this event and be out for quite some time. That's pretty much how these last three days have gone," he added.

Serena Williams was asked about Pete Sampras' withdrawal following her first-round win over Kimberly Po. The then-teenager claimed that she was disappointed on hearing the news which she initially thought was a joke. She added that her heart skipped when she found out about Sampras' withdrawal.

"I was definitely disappointed when I heard. At first, I didn't believe it myself because I thought it was a joke. And to be quite honest, my heart missed a beat when I heard he pulled out. I was very, very disappointed," Serena Williams said.

Williams went on to win the women's singles title at the 1999 US Open by beating Martina Hingis in the final while Andre Agassi won the men's singles event by defeating Todd Martin in the title clash.

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Serena Williams and Pete Sampras have won a combined total of 11 US Open titles

Serena Williams during the 2022 US Open

Serena Williams and Pete Sampras are two of the finest players to have competed at the US Open, winning a combined 11 singles titles.

Williams has won the New York Major six times which is an Open Era joint-record in women's tennis. Sampras has triumphed on five occasions, which is the record for the most number of titles won by a male player in Flushing Meadows, one he holds with Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer.

Williams and Sampras both ended their respective careers at the US Open, with the former losing in the third round last year while the latter won in 2002 by beating Andre Agassi in the final.