Q&A; WITH PETE SAMPRAS:Breaker returns polished

dpt-sampras10TextLQ28CB90Pete Sampras, Q and ATENNIS: Humbled last season after very little preparation, Sampras is primed for WTT return. BREAKERS TONIGHT

WHO: Newport Beach Breakers vs. Sacrametno Capitals

WHEN: 7 p.m.

WHERE: Newport Beach Country ClubPete Sampras, a member of the Newport Beach Breakers, plays his only home match tonight when the Breakers play host to the Sacramento Capitals at 7 p.m. at the Newport Beach Country Club.

Sampras, who has a record 14 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, will also compete for the Breakers in matches in New York (July 18), Philadelphia (July 19) and St. Louis (July 24).

He recently spoke to reporters via conference call.

Question: Can you talk a little bit about where your game is — for a retired guy, of course — in comparison to a year ago.

Answer: As far as the tennis, I’ve gotten a little bit better. When I [competed in] World Team Tennis last year, I wasn’t in the best shape. I was a little bit rusty, I wasn’t really … I wasn’t practicing that much. And I think I have been consistently playing the past year, 15 months. I have been playing quite well and kind of built a little bit of my conditioning and strength back.

I hope to perform better this year in Team Tennis than I did last year. Last year, I wasn’t very good. I have been hitting three days a week for the past six months. It’s amazing what a little bit of practice will do for you, so my tennis has gotten a little bit better.

Q: Why has World Team Tennis held this appeal for you?

A: I enjoy the night. It is competitive tennis. It is real tennis. It is definitely an environ- ment [in which] I want to play well. I want to win. Give the fans a chance to see some different people, double-doubles, singles. It is a team atmosphere.

Q: How were you received by WTT crowds last year?

A: Last year was great. They really responded well to me and they appreciated me playing in some of the markets I have never been to. That felt nice. It is just kind of my first sort of event for me back in four, five years. People look forward to seeing me play again, and it has been a while.

I think this year will be the same, I’m [being] inducted into the Hall of Fame right before I play some of these matches. That’s the icing on the cake for having a good career and will just hopefully play well.

That’s kind of my goal. I think people want to see me play well and, hopefully, I will perform this year better than last year.

Q: What are your impressions of the direction the WTT is going?

A: I think the direction is a very positive one. I think they see a vision of Team Tennis being a little bit different than what you see on the tour; something a little more colorful with the color of the court, having a little bit of everything. It is entertainment. They try to put out a little singles, a little doubles, a little music, just a little bit more fun atmosphere, a place where the fans can touch the players.

Q: Is it something that you see catching on potentially? It probably won’t be mainstreamed but do you foresee it getting more attention than it gets now?

A: It is tricky. Tennis is such a traditional sport. You look at the majors and the Wimbledon and what’s going on now; it is a lot of tradition. And to get into some of the things that World Team Tennis is doing, it might be a stretch and it might be tricky to hit the mainstream, but I think there is a definite market for it.

I think there is a certain part of the public that wants to be able to scream and shout at tennis matches and there are others who do not.

Will it transcend into ATP events? Probably not. I don’t know that they want to do that. I think they like having their month season and knocking it out and having some fun and making a little money along the way.

Q: What are your feelings on your impending Hall of Fame induction?

A: I’m excited, looking forward to going. I have been working on my speech over the last couple days, trying to put something together. It is a time to reflect and look back on my career.

I am just looking forward to the experience, seeing the Hall of Fame, seeing all the other great players that have been in there and it hasn’t hit me quite yet. But I think when I step on the grounds, I think I’ll appreciate it. I will appreciate my career and it is a time to reflect.

My daily life today is about my kids, about taking care of them. And this is a time to think about my career. It will give me a chance to appreciate it. I am looking forward to it. I think it will be a great time. Q: With you departing in 2002 and Andre Agassi leaving after that, what do you think the state of men’s tennis is right now?

A: I see it is really dominated by basically two guys — Roger [Federer and Rafael Nadal]. Inevitably, [Federer] is breaking all my records. I have had more interview requests in the past year than I have throughout my whole career to do the comparison of the record-breaking. I think he is on his way to breaking my 14 and winning as many as [golfer Jack Nicklaus]. That’s the biggest story.

As far as being the American tennis, it is a little bit on the thin side. I think [Andy] Roddick is a main guy and [James] Blake, but I think they are getting better. They are getting closer to Roger. I still think he is really the man to beat.

Ultimately, what sells sports is some sort of rivalry. The more you have with Federer and Nadal, there’s not an American in there and that hurts it. After getting done with the 1990s and that generation — one of the best generations in American history, it is tough to compare what we have today to that. I think it is unfair to live up to what we had. Jim [Courier] and Andre and I won more than 20 majors. We hit No. 1 in the world. It is a unique situation.

Today it is Federer and Nadal against everybody.

— From staff reports