Sampras Looks for the Middle : Tennis: He hits highs and lows in three-set loss to Edberg and searches for consistency.

Like most 18-year-olds, Pete Sampras is a bundle of energy whose life teeters on an emotional roller coaster. His tennis game is much the same.

Sampras, having his best year since turning professional in 1988, dropped Saturday’s semifinal at the Volvo/Los Angeles tournament to Wimbledon champion Stefan Edberg, 6-2, 6-7, (7-2), 6-1.

“Each time I play these guys in the top five, it gets easier and easier,” Sampras said. “After a set or two, you kind of relax and play your own game.”

Sampras won his first professional tournament in February in Philadelphia, defeating Andres Gomez for the title. He has made it to the quarterfinals in three of his past five tournaments.

“I think he will mature in the years to come,” said Sampras’ coach, Joe Bardi. “He’s a serve-and-volleyer and they tend to mature a little later than baseline players.

“But the first priority is more consistent results. Week in and week out I want him to finish in the semis and win one every once in a while. The last two times he’s done just that. You just can’t hurry it. You build a tennis player a little at a time.”

The Rancho Palos Verdes native started the match showcasing his serve-and-volley attack, beating Edberg with an array of drop volleys and passing shots and taking a 2-1 lead in the first set.

His serve was keeping Edberg on the defensive and his volleys were landing in all the right corners.

“He’s a good talent,” Edberg said. “Soon, he’s going to rank in the top 10. He has a bright future if he keeps working.”

In the fourth game, however, Sampras’ game changed dramatically. He never won a game the remainder of the set, playing as dejectedly as he looked.

“I made a lot of careless volleys and my concentration was up and down,” Sampras said.

The second set was as up and down as the first. But this time, Sampras came out ahead.

Trailing 3-1 and 4-2, Sampras played superbly, coming back to tie the game, then winning it in a tiebreaker, 7-2.

“Mentally, I was so happy to be in the third, I didn’t care what happened,” Sampras said.

But just as a few good points in the second set ignited Sampras, a few bad shots in the third set depressed him again.

Edberg took a 5-0 lead before Sampras finally held serve, but Edberg finished it with a love game.