TENNIS : Now Sampras Can Be Called a Winner

Pete Sampras got his first pro tournament victory last week, so the 18-year-old player from Rancho Palos Verdes figures that maybe he won’t have to hear the P-word any more.

That’s P for potential , which is the word used for a player who hasn’t won anything yet.

But when Sampras beat Milan Srejber, Andre Agassi, Tim Mayotte, Mark Kratzmann and Andres Gomez to win the U.S. Pro Indoor Championships, he credited a new, rigorous training program as well as workout partner Jim Courier.

Sampras, who finished 1989 ranked No. 81, enters this week’s $1-million Newsweek Champions Cup at Hyatt Grand Champions in Indian Wells ranked No. 18. Sampras is 13-4 and has reached the quarterfinals or beyond in four of the five tournaments he has played.

In a radical change from the past, the talk about Sampras centers around his shot at the top 10.

“What they said about Pete Sampras was that I had a lot of talent but that I didn’t work hard enough to be a champion,” he said.

“They talked about not putting it all together, but now with my physical conditioning, I think it’s all coming around. I’m a contender for any tournament I play.

“Now, I’m working much harder. I run, lift weights, play three or four hours a day. And the secret is working out with Courier. It’s not so boring to work out with someone your own age.”

Eight of the top 10 players have entered this week’s event--everyone except No. 1 Ivan Lendl and No. 5 John McEnroe. Sampras’ contemporaries are also part of the field--No. 7 Michael Chang, 17; No. 8 Andre Agassi, 19, and No. 21 Courier, 19.

Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg, ranked Nos. 2 and No. 3, will be the top two seeded players.

Sampras is coached by Joe Brandi of the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Fla. Brandi, formerly with Harry Hopman, said Sampras may find out that the sky is the limit.

“Pete has unlimited potential,” Brandi said. “His serve return is a lot better than it has been, and he has such tremendous court sense for someone that young.”

Brandi said the improvements needed in Sampras’ game are not that great, specifying that Sampras needs to come in closer to the net to volley and must improve his volley from the forehand side.

He also said Sampras is hitting his backhand slice much deeper.

“Mentally and his return of serve, those are the most improved parts of his game,” Brandi said.

The second tournament of the year may be slightly early for a turning point of one’s season, but Sampras said his first-round victory over Tim Mayotte in the Australian Open was a major boost to his confidence. Sampras beat Mayotte, 7-6, 6-7, 4-6, 7-5, 12-10.

Sampras, whose tennis idol is Rod Laver, said this will be the year when the Grand Slams become more important to him because, for the first time, he may have a chance in them.

“What fans remember is who won the Grand Slams,” Sampras said. “They’re not really interested in who won the Lebanon Open or anything. It’s the same with golf--who won the Masters or the U.S. Open.

“I don’t know how I’ll do, but at least I really feel that for the first time, I’ve got a decent shot.”

Re-Pete: Sampras thinks Agassi ought to play Wimbledon, which Agassi has avoided the last two years after a first-round loss in 1987.

“Sure, Agassi should play, even though he loses in the first round or does poorly,” Sampras said. “At least, people will stop bugging him about it.”

Re-Pete II: When the United States plays Czechoslovakia in the second round of the Davis Cup in Prague later this month, Sampras said he thinks the American singles players will be chosen from among Agassi, Brad Gilbert and Mayotte.

And McEnroe?

“He told me he’s not going to play,” Sampras said. “He doesn’t think it’s his scene. That’s pretty confidential stuff.”

Young money: Already a millionaire before her 14th birthday and without ever playing a professional match, 13-year-old Jennifer Capriati has had a major impact on women’s tennis.

Capriati, who makes her pro debut this week in the Virginia Slims of Florida, has signed a reported $3.5-million endorsement contract with Diadora, an Italian shoe and clothes designer.

Capriati also recently signed with Prince, a racket she never used until she agreed to a deal worth a reported $2 million.

In addition, Capriati has been an object of intense fascination for the world’s tennis media.

“I cannot believe how much attention she is getting before ever playing a match or how much money she is getting before ever playing a match,” Martina Navratilova said.

“The hoopla is just enormous. Nobody has ever had so much publicity before a first win. I think she’ll handle it OK, but chances are, in the second year it’ll start getting to her.”

Coached by her father, Stefano, Capriati plans to play in eight to 10 tournaments this year. Her agent is John Evert, Chris Evert’s brother.

Capriati is often compared to Evert.

“I don’t really want to be compared to her,” she said. “I want to be known as me because I want to be known as the next Jennifer Capriati. I love her, but I want to be known just as me.”

Capriati said she plans to just play her best in her debut and not worry about anything else. She said Chris told her not to be concerned about what the media says, only to have fun.

“I’m just a kid and I have this talent, but I don’t know why everybody is just going crazy over this,” Capriati said.

She paused only when asked if she had anxiety about making her debut.

“I have no fear,” she said.