TENNIS U.S. OPEN MEN’S SEMIFINALS : These Matches Are a Tough Call

Only one thing is guaranteed in the men’s singles semifinals of the U.S. Open here today--an American will reach the final for the first time in five years. Other than that, everything is up for grabs, including the title won last year by West German Boris Becker.

In one semifinal, 19-year-old Pete Sampras, who lives in Rancho Palos Verdes, takes on sentimental favorite John McEnroe, 31, who lives in a townhouse overlooking Central Park.

Sampras beat McEnroe in their only other meeting, 7-6, 4-6, 6-3, the quarterfinals of the Players Ltd. International Canadian Open in Toronto in late July.

“He’s really taken it up another level,” McEnroe said of Sampras. “(Ranked) No. 12 coming in, he’s had some big wins, so he’s primed to be in the top 10 now.

“Sampras has, probably along with (Andre) Agassi, the most potential of all the guys.”

With consecutive victories over sixth-ranked Thomas Muster and third-ranked Ivan Lendl, Sampras already has played the tournament of his career and must guard not only against a letdown, but also a loud pro-McEnroe crowd.

“If I can handle Lendl, then I can handle McEnroe, as far as the notoriety is concerned,” Sampras said.

“I think the crowd will be for both of us, maybe for McEnroe more (but) that’s fine,” Sampras said. “I’m just happy to be in the semifinals. I’m not too concerned about what the crowd is going to be like.”

McEnroe is the last American to have made the Open final, losing to Lendl in 1985. He is also the last American to win the Open. He beat Lendl in straight sets in 1984.

Becker probably faces the more difficult task, playing Las Vegas’ Agassi, who has probably played better than anyone else in reaching his third consecutive Open semifinal.

Agassi and Becker played a memorable Davis Cup match last July in Munich, won by Becker in five sets, 6-7, 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4, the last set of which carried over until the next day because the match went so long. West Germany went on to beat the United States and eventually defeat Sweden to claim its second consecutive Davis Cup.

Agassi, who served for the match in the third set against Becker, was widely criticized for his performance the next day when he seemed to quit against Carl-Uwe Steeb. He is still proud of his effort in the Becker match.

“No question, I think we both played great tennis in Germany, but that was in his country on his surface (fast carpet),” said Agassi, who beat Becker, 6-1, 6-4, at Indian Wells in March. “Everyone would agree I had my chances in that (Davis Cup) match. I was serving for the match. That just encourages me more.

“Boris is known to play great tennis at the right time, and hopefully, after (today), I will be known for that, too.”

Becker recalls his Davis Cup victory over Agassi as a great escape.

“I managed to play back and fight back,” Becker said. “I kept my mind and tried every set, every point.”

Becker may have to play the same way to beat Agassi. In five matches at the Open, only one set has escaped Agassi.

“I don’t think either of us have any tricks up our sleeves,” Agassi said. “We’ll just come out firing our guns and see who gets shot.”