"Pete Sampras ruined a lot of Sundays for me" - Andre Agassi makes honest admission about rivalry with compatriot

Eight-time major champion Andre Agassi has been talking about his tennis rivalry with Pete Sampras. The two icons dominated the sport in the 1990s and early 2000s, sharing 22 singles Grand Slams between them.

Agassi and Sampras shared a fierce rivalry that included 34 matches, including four Grand Slam finals. The latter led their head-to-head 20-14, and also won the last match between the two, which came at the 2002 US Open final.

Agassi, who is currently the captain of Team World at the Laver Cup, recently visited the Chase Center in San Francisco, which is the venue for the 2025 edition of the tournament. While talking to Bay Area Sports Wrap YouTube, the 54-year-old was asked about his current lifestyle, his view of modern tennis, and his relationship with Pete Sampras. Agassi revealed that while Sampras "ruined a lot of Sunday" for him, he also contributed a lot to his career.

"Well, when I played Pete here I was outside the top 100, I was climbing my way back from falling from No.1 in the world, to 140 in the world, and I remember telling Pete after I beat him in the finals that year: "I can't believe you lost to somebody ranked outside the top 100"; we had some battles and he ruined a lot of Sundays for me, but he also added a lot to my career," Agassi said. (4:37 onwards)

Andre Agassi insists that Pete Sampras, Michael Chang, and Jim Courier all contributed to each other's success

The Championships - Wimbledon 1999 - Source: Getty

In the aforementioned interview, Agassi also said that he and Sampras were two parts of a four-pronged US attack on world tennis at the end of the 20th century, along with Major winners Michael Chang and Jim Courier. Chang won the 1989 French Open and Courier the 1991 and 1992 French and 1993 and 1994 Australian Opens. Agassi said they each contributed to the other's success, stating:

"When I turned pro I gave Courier the belief, Chang the belief, Pete the belief; then Chang wins a slam, that gives Sampras the belief, it gives me the belief, Jim the belief; then Jim goes to No. 1 gives us all the belief. So we just all kept pushing each other."

All four Americans were Grand Slam singles champions during their respective careers, with Sampras winning 14 Majors while Agassi won eight. Jim Courier won four Grand Slam singles titles while Michael Chang's only Major triumph came at the 1989 French Open.