The Shadow
HALL OF FAMERS — Pete Sampras (left) greets John McEnroe at the net following their singles exhibition match Saturday at The Greenbrier. Sampras won the match 4-6, 6-3 and 10-6 in a champions tiebreaker. (Gavin Dressler Photo)
HALL OF FAMERS — Pete Sampras (left) greets John McEnroe at the net following their singles exhibition match Saturday at The Greenbrier. Sampras won the match 4-6, 6-3 and 10-6 in a champions tiebreaker. (Gavin Dressler Photo)
TOURING PRO — Ryan Harrison sets himself for a backhand in his match with former Davis Cup teammate Andy Roddick. (Gavin Dressler Photo)
TOURING PRO — Ryan Harrison sets himself for a backhand in his match with former Davis Cup teammate Andy Roddick. (Gavin Dressler Photo)
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WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Together, Pete Sampras and John McEnroe combined to win 21 grand slam singles titles.
Sunday, the Hall of Famers proved they still have game.
The tennis legends defeated Andy Roddick and Ryan Harrison in the featured doubles match — 6-3, 7-5 — at The Greenbrier Champions Tennis Classic.
With the big forehand of Sampras and the touch of McEnroe, the legends broke the bullet-serving Roddick three times in the match.
“It’s kind of similar to what Tom Watson is able to do in golf,” said Roddick of the 55-year old McEnroe. “He gets older and he still finds a way to play and be effective. It’s impressive to see.”
To be fair, McEnroe, the bad boy of the professional tour in the late 1970s and 80s, still plays regularly, running a tennis academy in New York.
“I play two or three days a week,” McEnroe said. “And I work out two or three days a week. That’s my general schedule.”
Sampras said that he had hit balls for a couple of weeks preparing for the weekend at The Greenbrier, while Roddick said he had played once in the last month.
“I work out and play a lot of golf,” Sampras said. “Tennis has kind of taken a back seat.”
Saturday was singles day at The Greenbrier.
In the opening match, Roddick and Harrison traded huge serves and big ground strokes.
The 32-year-old Roddick, who retired from competitive tennis two years ago, beat the up-and-coming 22-year-old Harrison 6-4, 6-3.
Harrison, who plays out of Boca Raton, Fla., was thrilled to be in the company of his former Davis Cup teammate Roddick, and Sampras and McEnroe for the weekend.
“For me, I grew up watching all these guys play,” said Harrison. “I can remember being seven, eight, nine, watching Mr. McEnroe and Mr. Sampras play. And I was able to be out on tour with Andy when he was finishing his career, still winning titles and contending for majors.
“It’s incredible for me to get out there and talk to them, to see the way they think in the middle of a match and just to see the way they go out and prepare for matches.”
Saturday’s second singles match saw McEnroe and Sampras split sets before Sampras won the third in a champions tiebreaker 10-6.
All four professionals had fun with the near capacity crowd on the The Greenbrier’s clay outdoor court.
Roddick even stopped his singles match with Harrison to walk over to the stands and shake hands with golf immortal Arnold Palmer.
Next year’s event will be held at the new 2,500-seat Center Court at Creekside tennis stadium.
The stadium, which has already broken ground, is scheduled to open in June of 2015.
“I’m excited to be a part of this, a part of this stadium,” said Sampras, who earlier this year was named The Greenbrier’s first-ever pro emeritus. “It’s a great resort. I’m excited to be here and hopefully the future of tennis in this area gets bigger and bigger.”
