‘It Was Out of Line’: Andre Agassi Once Apologised for Mocking Rival Pete Sampras

Two of the most decorated superstars in tennis have been the former players Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. Over the years, they have thrilled fans with such spectacular performances that have earned them tremendous stardom. 

There was an instance when both players had hung up their boots and were competing in an exhibition event. In 2010, Agassi, Sampras, Federer, and Nadal came together for a charitable cause. 

It was Agassi and Nadal against Federer and Sampras. All players had microphones on their ears and could talk with each other while they were playing. There was a point when the opposing teams were taking potshots at one another. 

Andre Agassi sensed his error against Pete Sampras 

Agassi went out of line and made a personal comment on the 14-time Grand Slam winner. He later realized that he went a bit far and apologized to Sampras later on. 

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The 51-year-old star stated, “It was out of line. It was inappropriate. We were all having fun. I was trying to be comedic. I went for it and it fell flat. [Sampras] didn’t really roll with it. I’ve texted Pete to ask him if I can apologize in person. The joke fell flat and I’m sorry. My hope was that the night was still enjoyable.”

Over the years, Agassi and Sampras have faced each other 34 times. Out of those meetings, it was Sampras who led the tie, winning 20 of those encounters whereas Andre won 14 of those. Their rivalry was spoken about not only amongst the tennis fraternity but across the sporting world. 

Post-retirement, Sampras has been away from the scenes in tennis. He was spotted in the Royal Box during the 2009 Wimbledon finals. On the other hand, Agassi had taken up a coaching role with Djokovic. It is a pleasant sight to see former greats of the game on the Tour. 

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