Pete Sampras won his fourth title Sunday at Philadelphia's Advanta Championships. He fears it may be his last.
Before a less-than-packed house, Sampras dominated with his serve at the start and finish Sunday and beat Thomas Enqvist 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) to win the tournament, his first title this year.It was Sampras' second straight tourney win in Philadelphia, where he played in his first ATP event in 1988 and won his first title in 1990.
But with the crowds and the draws not what they used to be, Sampras joined other top players in wondering whether the oldest U.S. indoor ATP Tour stop might go somewhere else after 36 years in Philadelphia.
"It just seems to have lost its luster," Sampras said. "If people here aren't going to support it, I'm sure there's another city that will. This could be my last match here."
Spokeswomen for the International Management Group and the chief sponsor, Advanta Corp., said they would decide the event's fate quickly, probably in the next few weeks.
Total attendance this year was 30,420, down 22 percent from 1997.
Enqvist, who won the event in 1995, has now lost seven of his eight matches against Sampras, the world's No. 1 player. The one win came the last time they played - in 1996.
Enqvist is 3-2 against top 10 players this year, including consecutive wins over Richard Krajicek and Yevgeny Kafelnikov as he won the Marseille Indoor last month. He is 12-3 in finals.
Williams wins IGA Tennis Classic
OKLAHOMA CITY - Venus Williams won her first COREL WTA title by defeating Joannette Kruger in straight sets Sunday in the final of the IGA Tennis Classic.
Williams had three service breaks in each set as she won 6-3, 6-2. Williams, the biggest hitter on the women's tour, had just one ace in the finals.
"This is one I will probably always remember," Williams said. "I can say it all started back in Oklahoma City."
Williams took a 30-minute break after the match and joined her sister, Serena, in the doubles finals. There, the two made quick work of Catalina Cristea of Romania and Kristine Kunce of Australia 7-5, 6-2.
Kruger said Saturday's 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 semifinals victory over Sarah Pitkowski took a lot out of her.
"I just didn't have any fire in my legs," the South African said. "I missed too many balls today. I would have liked for it to have been a closer match. I didn't play my best tennis."
Williams, 17, gets $27,000 for winning the $164,250 Tier III event. It was the third finals appearance for the third-seeded player from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.