TENNIS ROUNDUP : Forget Rallies to Beat Sampras in Paris Open

Guy Forget rallied from a set down to beat former U.S. Open champion Pete Sampras, 7-6 (11-9), 4-6, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, and win the Paris Open Sunday.

In a match billed as a possible preview of a Davis Cup match later this month, Forget duplicated his victory over Sampras in the ATP Championships in Mason, Ohio, last August.

Sampras and Forget are almost sure to be picked to represent their countries in the Davis Cup championship matches Nov. 29-Dec.1 in Lyon.

Forget, seeded No. 5, and Sampras, No. 6, were the highest-ranked survivors in this $2-million tournament after the top four seeded players--Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker, Jim Courier and Michael Stich--were gone by the third round.

The 3-hour 45-minute final came down to the 10th game in the fifth set. Sampras got himself into a hole with three errors to make it 15-40. He saved one match point with an an ace. Then he rushed the net and Forget sent a return long and wide to save another and put it at deuce.

A net approach by Forget forced Sampras into a forehand long. Then, on the third match point, another attack by Forget set up an easy volley into the open court.

Forget, who also won at Bordeaux and Toulouse in France and Sydney and Brussels, earned $270,000 for the victory at Paris.

Rain postponed the semifinals in the Kolynos Cup tournament at Buzious, Brazil, for the second consecutive day.

Jordi Arrese of Spain and Brazil’s Jaime Oncins were leading Javier Sanchez and Francisco Roig, respectively, when play was suspended until today.