"Throughout the match, Barbra Streisand would yell out" - When Pete Sampras narrated funny story from Wimbledon QF against Andre Agassi
Pete Sampras once claimed that Andre Agassi's ex-girlfriend Barbra Streisand would often yell out when the two played against each other at the 1993 Wimbledon Championships.
Agassi dated Streisand, one of the greatest singers of all time, from 1992 to 1993. During their relationship, Agassi competed at Wimbledon when he was the defending champion. He booked his place in the quarterfinals where his opponent was top seed Sampras.
Pete Sampras narrated a funny story about the match while appearing on the "Late Show with David Letterman" in 1993. The then-22-year-old stated that Barbra Streisand would often yell out supportive messages for Agassi from the stands.
"I'll tell you a funny story. When I was playing Agassi, it was actually in the quarters. My girlfriend and my coach were sitting in the front row and Barbra Streisand, and throughout the match, Barbra would yell out. She was like 'Come on Andre, come on honey.' Imagine five sets of that. Fortunately, I won," Sampras said.
Sampras went on to defeat Agassi 6-2, 6-2, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4 to book his place in the semifinals where he beat fourth seed Boris Becker 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-4 to reach the final.
The American triumphed 7-6(3), 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-3 over his third-seeded compatriot Jim Courier to clinch the first of his seven Wimbledon titles.
Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi faced each other in nine Grand Slam matches
Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi locked horns in a total of nine Grand Slams. They faced each other in each of the four Majors.
Agassi won both of the Australian Open encounters between the two, triumphing in the 1995 final and the semifinals in 1999. Their only French Open meeting came in the quarterfinals in 1992, and the eight-time Major champion won 7-6(6), 6-2, 6-1.
Sampras and Agassi squared off twice at Wimbledon, with the former coming out on top on both occasions, including the 1999 final. The two locked horns in four US Open matches and Sampras triumphed in all of them. This included two finals in 1995 and 2002.
The latter title clash was the last meeting between Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, with the former winning 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 to clinch his 14th Grand Slam singles title.
This also turned out to be the last match of Sampras' professional career, as he announced his retirement from tennis the following year, not playing a single match in between.