"If I was the heir to Rosewall and Laver, Andre was the offspring of Connors and McEnroe" - When Pete Sampras compared himself to Andre Agassi
Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi are two of the greatest tennis players of all time and forged a fierce rivalry during the 1990s. They locked horns on 34 occasions, with the former leading the head-to-head 20-14.
The famous duo squared off in five Grand Slam finals, with Pete Sampras winning four of those. The only time Andre Agassi came out on top was in the 1995 Australian Open final, winning 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(6), 6-4.
in his autobiography, A Champion's Mind, Sampras wrote about the role Nike played in his and Andre Agassi's lives. The famous sports brand sponsored both players, who embodied contrasting values and aesthetics.
"One thing was certain: Andre brought a lot of flair to a sport that needed it. And while it made him a huge star, it also brought him a lot of grief. It may sound crass to tennis purists, but it should be clear already that Nike played a significant role in both of our lives. We lived in a commercial era, and for most of our careers, we were both Nike guys. The company recognized that between us, we covered both ends of the tennis spectrum—the traditional values and aesthetics, and the envelope-pushing features of the Open era. If I was the heir to Rosewall and Laver, Andre was the offspring of Connors and McEnroe," Pete Sampras said.
"I had signed with Nike and first wore the firm’s clothing at Wimbledon in 1994. In fact, I claim to be the guy who launched the long, baggy shorts craze, because that’s what I liked and Nike thought it suited me. It didn’t hurt that the shorts were a striking contrast to the gear Nike created for Andre. Who can forget those black shorts with the fluorescent pink compression shorts underneath?" he added.
"I often felt that the company didn’t do very much to market me, especially in contrast to Andre Agassi" - Pete Sampras
Pete Sampras also wrote about how he often clashed with Nike as he felt the company didn't do as much to market him compared to Andre Agassi, seemingly due to the latter's flamboyance. One of the benefits of that scenario, however, was that it took a lot of pressure off the 14-time Grand Slam champion.
"Over the years, I hit rough patches with Nike and often felt that the company didn’t do very much to market me, especially in contrast to Andre. But Nike did its best to capitalize on our rivalry. Because Andre was so flamboyant, he seemed to get an inordinate amount of Nike’s attention," Sampras stated.
"Once, in a fit of pique, I told one of Nike’s top executives, 'Listen, I’m not one to cry much, or complain. I’m a quiet guy. But I’ve had my moments—in Australia with Jim Courier, in Flushing Meadows with Alex Corretja, getting sick and all that, those weren’t moments I created or set up to make myself look a certain way. I’m not doing any of this on purpose, or to project an image other than what I am. So what more do you want from me, as an athlete? You tell me Nike is all about performance, so what more can I do?' However, one of the good things about all the exposure and attention Andre got was that it took pressure off me," he added.