Agassi-Sampras: It’s Inevitable : Tennis: Both win at Indian Wells to set up the final everybody expected.

There exists a force at work in tennis, out of the control of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, that will seek to bring them together. Call it the physics of the rankings or the workings of fate or simply the draw, but it is going to happen again and again this year, as the ongoing struggle for No. 1 is played out.

Thus, today’s final in the Newsweek Champions Cup pits No. 1 Sampras against No. 2 Agassi, and who didn’t expect it? This Generation X rivalry is destined to have its way, and no well-intentioned upset-minded opponent is likely to alter its course.

Stefan Edberg, ranked 16th but respected as if he were still in the Top 10, tried to derail Sampras on Sunday in a semifinal in front of 11,500 at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort. Sampras won, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Agassi also was on the fast track to the final. He defeated third-ranked Boris Becker, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), for the eighth time in a row.

No one seemed able to stop the showdown, a rematch of the final of this year’s Australian Open. Agassi won then, but such is Sampras’ lead in the rankings that even a victory in today’s final will not allow Agassi to become No. 1.

That is a weekly challenge and, should Agassi pass Sampras at another tournament, the exercise begins again.

Edberg declared his intent by breaking Sampras in their first game, paying no particular attention to Sampras’ whistling serve. Although Sampras double-faulted twice in the opening game, his serve was--as always--dangerous. He finished with 13 aces.

Edberg apparently devised a service return strategy that sought to blunt Sampras’ velocity, as if his racket were draining speed from the ball. He was able to keep the ball in play, which is as much as anyone can hope against Sampras. The early break affirmed Edberg’s wisdom in concentrating on Sampras’ serve.

Edberg broke again in the seventh game, then failed to capitalize on two set points in the eighth and Sampras broke back. It wasn’t enough. Edberg took the first set in 31 minutes.

His momentum continued into the second. Edberg had two break points in the first game, and his volley took care of all but the most well-placed of Sampras’ passing shots.

But Edberg’s serve began to lose both accuracy and velocity when he found himself in tight spots. He opened the sixth game with a double fault, then added a foot fault and another double fault to assist Sampras in the break. Edberg held two break points against Sampras in the ninth game but Sampras held to win the set.

Sampras, asked if Edberg’s wobbly serve in the second set presaged the collapse of his entire game, defended his opponent.

“I still feel he has the best volleys in the game,” Sampras said. “I feel he is one of the best movers in the game. Maybe the one shot he is not hitting quite well is his serve. He has been known to foot fault quite a number of times during a match. He just tries to get to the net so quickly, he just happens to do that.”

As the third set unfolded, Edberg went to the net, his place of business for most of his 13-year career. Sampras won the last two points on instinctive shots.

Serving at 30-all, Sampras scooped a drop shot winner. At match point, Sampras sliced another deft drop shot and Edberg barreled toward the net. He couldn’t get to the ball, but he couldn’t stop either and jumped the net to congratulate Sampras.

Becker’s fate turned on two agonizing points.

Having lost the first set on the strength of only one service break, in the ninth game, Becker ratcheted up his serve in the second set. Agassi, the game’s best returner, had to deal with 13 aces and an average first-serve speed of 112 m.p.h.

Each player held serve to send the set into a tiebreaker. Becker’s eagerness to finish the set surfaced while he was serving at 2-1. He followed a huge serve to the net and, with a yawning court before him, pushed a forehand volley wide.

Agassi served at 5-4 and a long rally ensued. Becker rushed to take a short ball and planted himself at the net, with Agassi scrambling wide to his left. Agassi’s shot ran out of energy when it reached Becker, but Becker’s forehand volley again was wide.

Agassi won the match with a 99-m.p.h. service winner.