Sampras Is the Last U.S. Hope

By JULIE CART

July 3, 1997 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

WIMBLEDON, England — One former Wimbledon champion wobbled and the defending champion fell Wednesday, setting up intriguing men’s quarterfinal matches and bringing about flag-waving of the highest order.

Top-seeded Pete Sampras defeated 16th-seeded Petr Korda, 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (10-8), 6-7 (7-1), 6-4, and Tim Henman of Britain defeated last year’s winner, Richard Krajicek, 7-6, (9-7), 6-7 (9-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, in matches completed after being suspended by darkness Tuesday.

The quarterfinals contain two English players--Henman and Greg Rusedski--the first time in 36 years that two British men have made it to the quarterfinals of their national championship. There are also three Germans, including former champions Boris Becker and Michael Stich.

The American flag is held aloft only by Sampras, the first time since 1913 only one American has advanced to the men’s quarterfinals.

Sampras, a three-time champion, plays Becker; Henman plays Stich, Rusedski plays Frenchman Cedric Pioline and Nicolas Kiefer of Germany plays Todd Woodbridge of Australia.

The Sampras-Becker match has the potential to be explosive. Becker also has won three titles.

Had Becker not been so respected by the All England Club, the two might not have met at this point. Becker is ranked No. 18 but, because of his three titles and seven appearances in the Wimbledon final, he was seeded No. 8.

“It’s kind of a tough draw for both of us,” Sampras said. “I feel Boris, for the rest of his career, should be seeded in the top four, no matter what he’s ranked. For us to play in the quarters is tough for both of us. We’ve had some unbelievable matches in the past. This is what it’s all about for us, Boris and I, the Wimbledons and the Grand Slams.”

Becker is deferential to no one, but he has been unusually respectful of Sampras, whom he regards as having conducted himself well as No. 1.

Sampras looked as he has all spring--lead-footed and unfit. He pointed out how badly he moved on the court and also the ineffectiveness of his service returns, but offered no explanation. After starting the year by winning 17 consecutive matches, Sampras has wandered. The Grand Slam tournaments are all that he cares about and, even though he won the Australian Open, he looks vulnerable.

He did not play the tiebreakers well. He’s 6-9 in tiebreakers this year. Sampras had two match points in the third-set tiebreaker but slipped and fell while changing direction on the first and was passed by Korda on the other.

He squandered a 5-1 lead to lose.

“It just goes to show that on grass, anything’s possible,” Sampras said. “I mean, 5-1 in the breaker, I was looking forward to getting into the warm climate inside. You play a little bit careless, he hits some good shots, and all of a sudden it’s 7-7 in the tiebreaker.”

In the fourth-set tiebreaker, Sampras drifted while Korda grew stronger. Samprasmanaged only one point, on his serve.

“It was in my hands and I let it slip away a little bit,” Sampras said. “But he still had some work to do if he was going to defeat me.”

Sampras made that point well by breaking Korda in the first game of the fifth set and losing only two points on his serve in the set. If nothing else, Sampras’ serve was on fire. He was never broken and got in 68% of his first serves.

Henman, seeded 14th, is kind of a smaller, less dynamic Sampras. He has excellent placement of his serve and a wonderful volley. Perhaps his best weapon here has been the powerfully partisan crowds. “Henmania” it is called, and it has been in full swing.

“Everybody who’s been out there knows that [the crowd] is constantly behind me, constantly lifting me to greater heights,” Henman said. “If there’s ever a time when I’m struggling a little bit, they give you that confidence and they keep willing you on. I think it’s tough for my opponents. They know that every winner I hit is going to be shouted about.”

Krajicek, seeded fourth, was a gracious loser, but admitted to growing weary of hearing Henman’s name shouted after every point.

“The only thing I do know is that I’m not going to name my kid ‘Tim,’ because I hate that name,” Krajicek said.

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Today’s Featured Matches

MEN

* No. 1 Pete Sampras, U.S., vs. No. 8 Boris Becker, Germany

* Greg Rusedski, Britain, vs. Cedric Pioline, France

* Michael Stich, Germany, vs. No. 14 Tim Henman, Britain

WOMEN

* No. 1 Martina Hingis, Switzerland, vs. Anna Kournikova, Russia

* No. 3 Jana Novotna, Czech Republic, vs. No. 8 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Spain