體壇英語資訊：Sampras and Rusedski square off in Chengdu Open final

?Pete Sampras of the United States and Greg Rusedski of Britain plowed through their respective round robin groups without dropping a set, securing their places in the Chengdu Open final.

Sampras boasted a double victory, finally beating his jet lag and then easily eliminating Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand 6-2, 6-3.

Sampras was at his freshest since arriving in Chengdu on the 20th. "Today I actually felt more coherent, like I was actually here," he said.

"I just felt better movement-wise. I was finding my range a little bit better, I really hit the ball well from all sides of the court. I served pretty well. I just felt physically better. I just finally got the jet lag under control...in time to go back tomorrow," he laughed.

Hitting his shots with conviction, Sampras also projected confidence after the match. "I'm ready and prepared," he said. "I feel like I played pretty well today. Certainly Greg has got a big game, big lefty serve on this court. He'll be tough to beat. Regardless, I'm looking forward to it."

Rusedski dismissed Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia 6-3, 6-4 in an entertaining match. Kafelnikov, a talented returner, read Rusedski's serve well in the first set, sparking rallies where other players may have simply been left applauding well-placed aces.

Though Kafelnikov hit winners aplenty, Rusedski denied him the opportunity to string them together by erasing potential threats with 18 aces. Able to protect his serve, Rusedski only need one break in each set to send Kafelnikov home.

Kafelnikov, the third-place finisher at the 2009 Chengdu Open, was hardly dejected.

"Greg can still play very well. If we all could get in better shape, I honestly believe we still could play with some of the boys on the Tour. Maybe I'm hallucinating, but just a thought: we hit the ball well, we understand the game, all the tactics...it's in there, it's just a question of being able to perform it on the tennis court."

Rusedski was less interested in the prospect of returning to five-plus hour training days, instead preferring to play Sampras in the finals of Asia's only ATP Champions Tour event.

"We played seven times on the main tour; I only managed to beat him once, but we have always had very close matches, usually 7-5 [or] 7-6 in the third set, so it's always a lot of fun to play Pete. He's a great player. It's been a long time since we played, so really looking forward to it."

Defending Chengdu champion and ATP Champions Tour No. 1 Thomas Enqvist of Sweden defeated Pat Rafter of Australia in a good-spirited 6-3, 6-4 match.

Pushing his 2010 Chengdu Open record to two wins and one loss, Enqvist's victory over Rafter qualified him for the play-off for third place against Frenchman Guy Forget Enqvist and Rafter together regaled fans by opening the second set with a game of cat and mouse.

Rafter placed the ball in each corner to pull the racket strings of the speedy Enqvist, dragging him side-to-side. Enqvist joined the puppetry, placing the ball in each corner but taking off just enough pace to ensure Rafter would get there.

Rafter eventually drop-shotted Enqvist, cheering him on with a loud "Come on!" as Enqvist hustled to the net. In one continuous motion, Enqvist scooped the ball over, vaulted the net, and knocked the racket out of Rafter's hand. Point: Rafter. Serving for the match at 5-4 in the second, down 0-15, Enqvist once again caught on to Rafter's playful mood.

Recognizing mid-point the slice backhand trend, they continued for several exchanges, then switched to forehands, then reflex volleys, before Enqvist pulled Rafter up to net to take overheads.

Without missing a beat, they switched places, Enqvist ratcheting up the heat on his overheads until they both moved back to slice backhands before returning to net.

Rafter eventually ended the 50+ shot rally by ripping a forehand right at Enqvist to punctuate the point.

"We match up pretty well together," Rafter said of his cat-and-mouse chemistry with Enqvist. "I like to serve and volley, Thomas likes to hit very hard from the baseline, so when you get the opportunity to have a bit of fun interacting with the crowd is what it's all about."

Though with a 27-2 record on the ATP Champions Tour, Enqvist is accustomed to playing in - and winning - finals, one of his two losses came in Chengdu yesterday to Rusedski, 6-7(3), 6-3, 10-7 in a Champions Tiebreak, relegating him to the playoff for third place against Frenchman Guy Forget, who also posted two wins and one loss in Chengdu, the second-best record in his round robin group as well.

"I think it's nice to play any match these days," said Enqvist. "Obviously, you prefer to be in the finals, but this time I'm not. At least I play on Sunday, which is nice."

After dispatching Pat Cash of Australia in a relatively routine match, 6-2, 6-4, Forget looked ahead to playing 36-year old Enqvist.

"I'm excited. It's going to be difficult. Thomas is playing really well. He's been the most consistent guy this year. He's very fit, it's going to be fun to be out there, and the conditions are very good. Hopefully my body will hold up for a fourth match," said the 42-year old Forget, an ice bag packed on his shoulder under his shirt like a lopsided linebacker.

Forget rebounded well from his 6-7(9), 3-6 loss to Sampras the night before, and was limber and nimble in his match with Cash. He also cut loose when Cash tapped him on the shoulder during the changeover. Together they launched into a good-natured YMCA dance to the DJ's selection of music.

"We're old friends. We played juniors (together) since we were 14," Cash explained after the match.

"The music was a good idea," Forget said. "We should work on a little choreography for the next time," "Call it a dance," said Cash. "Call it a dance," Forget agreed.

Though light-hearted, Cash struggled in the match, staying back much more than customary for the serve and volleyer.

"I just find it very difficult here in the altitude to get my slice backhand and my volleys in. I lost confidence. If my slice backhand and my volleys don't go very well, I haven't got much else left," he explained with a self-deprecating laugh.

?Pete Sampras of the United States and Greg Rusedski of Britain plowed through their respective round robin groups without dropping a set, securing their places in the Chengdu Open final.

Sampras boasted a double victory, finally beating his jet lag and then easily eliminating Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand 6-2, 6-3.

Sampras was at his freshest since arriving in Chengdu on the 20th. "Today I actually felt more coherent, like I was actually here," he said.

"I just felt better movement-wise. I was finding my range a little bit better, I really hit the ball well from all sides of the court. I served pretty well. I just felt physically better. I just finally got the jet lag under control...in time to go back tomorrow," he laughed.

Hitting his shots with conviction, Sampras also projected confidence after the match. "I'm ready and prepared," he said. "I feel like I played pretty well today. Certainly Greg has got a big game, big lefty serve on this court. He'll be tough to beat. Regardless, I'm looking forward to it."

Rusedski dismissed Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia 6-3, 6-4 in an entertaining match. Kafelnikov, a talented returner, read Rusedski's serve well in the first set, sparking rallies where other players may have simply been left applauding well-placed aces.

Though Kafelnikov hit winners aplenty, Rusedski denied him the opportunity to string them together by erasing potential threats with 18 aces. Able to protect his serve, Rusedski only need one break in each set to send Kafelnikov home.

Kafelnikov, the third-place finisher at the 2009 Chengdu Open, was hardly dejected.

"Greg can still play very well. If we all could get in better shape, I honestly believe we still could play with some of the boys on the Tour. Maybe I'm hallucinating, but just a thought: we hit the ball well, we understand the game, all the tactics...it's in there, it's just a question of being able to perform it on the tennis court."

Rusedski was less interested in the prospect of returning to five-plus hour training days, instead preferring to play Sampras in the finals of Asia's only ATP Champions Tour event.

"We played seven times on the main tour; I only managed to beat him once, but we have always had very close matches, usually 7-5 [or] 7-6 in the third set, so it's always a lot of fun to play Pete. He's a great player. It's been a long time since we played, so really looking forward to it."

Defending Chengdu champion and ATP Champions Tour No. 1 Thomas Enqvist of Sweden defeated Pat Rafter of Australia in a good-spirited 6-3, 6-4 match.

Pushing his 2010 Chengdu Open record to two wins and one loss, Enqvist's victory over Rafter qualified him for the play-off for third place against Frenchman Guy Forget Enqvist and Rafter together regaled fans by opening the second set with a game of cat and mouse.

Rafter placed the ball in each corner to pull the racket strings of the speedy Enqvist, dragging him side-to-side. Enqvist joined the puppetry, placing the ball in each corner but taking off just enough pace to ensure Rafter would get there.

Rafter eventually drop-shotted Enqvist, cheering him on with a loud "Come on!" as Enqvist hustled to the net. In one continuous motion, Enqvist scooped the ball over, vaulted the net, and knocked the racket out of Rafter's hand. Point: Rafter. Serving for the match at 5-4 in the second, down 0-15, Enqvist once again caught on to Rafter's playful mood.

Recognizing mid-point the slice backhand trend, they continued for several exchanges, then switched to forehands, then reflex volleys, before Enqvist pulled Rafter up to net to take overheads.

Without missing a beat, they switched places, Enqvist ratcheting up the heat on his overheads until they both moved back to slice backhands before returning to net.

Rafter eventually ended the 50+ shot rally by ripping a forehand right at Enqvist to punctuate the point.

"We match up pretty well together," Rafter said of his cat-and-mouse chemistry with Enqvist. "I like to serve and volley, Thomas likes to hit very hard from the baseline, so when you get the opportunity to have a bit of fun interacting with the crowd is what it's all about."

Though with a 27-2 record on the ATP Champions Tour, Enqvist is accustomed to playing in - and winning - finals, one of his two losses came in Chengdu yesterday to Rusedski, 6-7(3), 6-3, 10-7 in a Champions Tiebreak, relegating him to the playoff for third place against Frenchman Guy Forget, who also posted two wins and one loss in Chengdu, the second-best record in his round robin group as well.

"I think it's nice to play any match these days," said Enqvist. "Obviously, you prefer to be in the finals, but this time I'm not. At least I play on Sunday, which is nice."

After dispatching Pat Cash of Australia in a relatively routine match, 6-2, 6-4, Forget looked ahead to playing 36-year old Enqvist.

"I'm excited. It's going to be difficult. Thomas is playing really well. He's been the most consistent guy this year. He's very fit, it's going to be fun to be out there, and the conditions are very good. Hopefully my body will hold up for a fourth match," said the 42-year old Forget, an ice bag packed on his shoulder under his shirt like a lopsided linebacker.

Forget rebounded well from his 6-7(9), 3-6 loss to Sampras the night before, and was limber and nimble in his match with Cash. He also cut loose when Cash tapped him on the shoulder during the changeover. Together they launched into a good-natured YMCA dance to the DJ's selection of music.

"We're old friends. We played juniors (together) since we were 14," Cash explained after the match.

"The music was a good idea," Forget said. "We should work on a little choreography for the next time," "Call it a dance," said Cash. "Call it a dance," Forget agreed.

Though light-hearted, Cash struggled in the match, staying back much more than customary for the serve and volleyer.

"I just find it very difficult here in the altitude to get my slice backhand and my volleys in. I lost confidence. If my slice backhand and my volleys don't go very well, I haven't got much else left," he explained with a self-deprecating laugh.