Agassi, Sampras, Chang, Courier put on a show in Champions Series Jim Courier had enough.
With Andre Agassi going for it on every shot, and hitting a high percentage, the redhead gave up on his trademark inside-out forehand and handed his racket to the ball girl on the baseline.
Recommended Stories
It had been clear that the Champions Series stop in Washington had been as much about the tennis abilities of the greatest generation ever of American players as it was about the ultimate showmanship of all four of the former champions involved: Agassi, Courier, Pete Sampras and Michael Chang.
But then the ball girl decided to serve. With the help of Courier leaning on the net, she got her third attempt in play, and then rallied long enough with an accommodating Agassi to have enough confidence to send a forehand winner past him.
The point was awarded to Courier, too, who went on to defeat Agassi in the evening’s first semifinal 7-6 (7-4). Even if the integrity of the result wasn’t airtight – the two 41-year-olds went to five sets in the 1991 French Open final – the sheer entertainment was undeniable.
“We know each other’s styles so well, it’s easy to laugh it up a little bit now and then, and have some fun with the crowd,” said the 39-year-old Chang, the night’s big winner courtesy of an ace-driven 6-4 win over 40-year-old Sampras and an 8-3 triumph over Courier in the pro set finale.
The victory earned Chang the most points of the four toward a $1 million prize that will be shared among the top three finishers after the series’ 12 tour stops over the next five weeks.
He also livened the mood immediately in the night’s first match, dialing up three straight aces in his first service game, leading to an incredulous look from the other side of the court where stood the owner of the most graceful and effective serve the game has ever seen.
“I do that,” Sampras said after the first two aces. After the third, Chang retorted, “How does it feel to be on that end?”
When Sampras looked to challenge a call later in the set only to find no replay available, Chang took a ball and reenacted its unfortunate trajectory in slow motion.
Agassi drew the loudest cheers, not only for his passing shots – “There are some things you never forget,” he grinned at Courier after one ferocious backhand – but also for keeping the ball boys and girls busy, discarding balls in every direction to have four kids all chasing at one point. He also cut short emcee Brett Haber’s dramatic introduction of him by send practice volleys directly at the former WUSA sports anchor, and even took a turn handing off his own racket to a ball girl in the same manner as Courier.
Though each player has aged – the Potomac, Md.-born Sampras with thinner hair, Agassi’s stubble graying ever so slightly, Chang and Courier each with a tad more in the middle – the hallmarks of the games that led them to a combined 27 major titles were still intact and a joy to witness for the couple-thousand strong crowd at Verizon Center.
“We were playing some good tennis out there, hitting a lot of winners and I had some amazing shots,” Chang said. “I had a lot of fun, and the crowd was really into it. Good vibes out there.”
