Sampras Seen as Victim, Villain

After reading John McEnroe’s incredibly insulting and moronic comments [Feb. 12], no one would blame Pete Sampras if he decided to withdraw from Davis Cup competition as long as McEnroe remains the captain.

He might also be expected to suggest a new place for McEnroe to put the cup itself, or be tempted to deliver a well-deserved overhead smash directly to Mac’s nose. Instead, he is actually worried that McEnroe will keep him off the team. Doesn’t that seem a little backward?

This illustrates several things. First, Pete has enough class for the both of them, which is good because McEnroe has never had any and apparently never will. Second, no matter what the calendar may say, McEnroe continues to be a 14-year-old boy emotionally. Finally, American tennis fans owe a big debt to Sampras for helping restore dignity to a game badly needing it after the likes of McEnroe and Jimmy Connors regularly embarrassed themselves and gave the game a big black eye.

McEnroe owes Pete a huge, public apology, and I bet he is not man enough to do it. This American will have trouble rooting for the U.S. as long as McBrat remains the Davis Cup captain.

ROBERT SOLOMON

Sylmar

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John McEnroe undermines his beloved Davis Cup when he baits Pete Sampras in the media. “That’s the implication,” he says when asked about his apparent implication that Sampras wasn’t injured. Why the mystery? If McEnroe thinks Sampras is lying, say it. Or better yet, as the captain of a team, perhaps he’d have thought to make the conversation private.

McEnroe may not be the savior of Davis Cup many think him to be. His bungling of the Sampras injury issue and his behavior at the matches in Zimbabwe go a long way to support that thinking.

TERRY HOUSE

West Hollywood

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Please, no more stories about poor little Petey Sampras. He had an upset stomach, he doesn’t like it cold, he had a long flight! He is just tired.

Come on, he is an athlete in his prime, has nothing to do but look after his skills and the money to do it any way he wants. He plays 15 tournaments a year, exhibitions. In most tournaments he gets a first-round bye. Tired? Come on.

I saw all of his match with Andre Agassi. I didn’t see any limp or hesitation. He ran for and got some outstanding shots in the fifth set. He seemed mad Agassi was still there, not hurt.

Oh, I forgot, he called Chris Woodruff when he got back to Tennessee. Are the endorsements slow to come in? Every other player found the phone number or address to send good wishes. Why not Pete?

K.M. JOHNSON

Malibu

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I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at Pete Sampras’ tale of Davis Cup woe. Sampras may or may not be one of the best ever to play tennis, but there seems to be no doubt that he’s the least gracious. Every time he loses a match, he finds some illness or injury to blame.

Even before he lost to Andre Agassi in the semifinals of the Australian Open, there was speculation that he wouldn’t bother going to Zimbabwe for what was expected to be an easy first-round matchup--he certainly wasn’t going there without his record-setting 13th Grand Slam title.

Now that Davis Cup is starting to garner a little excitement, and the next round is at the Forum in what is practically Pete’s backyard, he wants to be included. I hope John McEnroe sticks to his guns and keeps the team intact. Chris Woodruff deserves it.

JUDY ADAMS

Toluca Lake