FRENCH OPEN : Sampras, Courier Will Meet Again in the Quarterfinals

Pete Sampras has a 10-2 record against his long-time rival Jim Courier, but they have never met on clay.

That will change Tuesday when two of the United States’ best players will meet in the quarterfinals of the French Open in a match that is expected to breathe new life into the tournament.

Top-ranked Sampras and No. 7 Courier overcame tough fourth-round matches Sunday to set up the match many in Paris have been waiting to see. The two met in the Australian Open semifinals in January, with Sampras winning.

In the other quarterfinal of the top-half of the men’s bracket, No. 4 Andrei Medvedev of the Ukraine will play No. 6 Sergi Bruguera of Spain, last year’s champion. Bruguera has four consecutive straight-set victories after defeating Patrick Rafter of Australia, 6-4, 6-3, 6-1. Medvedev ousted Jacco Eltingh of the Netherlands, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Sampras had to fend off qualifier Mikael Tillstroem of Sweden, 6-4, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4, in a match that could easily have gone five sets. Moments earlier on Center Court, Courier escaped with a 6-1, 6-7 (9-7), 6-1, 7-6 (8-6) victory over French favorite Olivier Delaitre.

Sampras had to break Tillstroem in the fourth set to serve for the match. But the Swede did not give in easily.

“I was playing the No. 1,” Tillstroem said. “I had nothing to lose.”

Tillstroem, who had never played in a Grand Slam tournament, said his only goal was to not lose in an hour. If not for a few missed opportunities, the match could have continued late into the evening instead of ending after 3 hours 22 minutes.

“I was surprised by him,” Sampras said. “He showed a lot of determination. I can’t play that way against Courier.”

But Courier also will have to improve if he hopes to get past his old friend.

A two-time winner at Roland Garros Stadium, Courier has not been on top of his game, and it showed against Delaitre. He was lucky to end it in four sets after trailing, 5-1, in the fourth.

Delaitre has a weak serve, so he was not surprised when Courier broke him to begin the comeback.

But after breaking Delaitre to take a 6-5 lead, the Frenchman broke back to force a tiebreaker. Delaitre stopped one match point in the tiebreaker, but on the second one Courier made a nice cross shot at the net to end it.