Tym Glaser - SPORT SPOTLIGHT PROBABLY NO sporting legend flew under the radar screen more comfortably than tennis great Pete Sampras, who officially called it a day at the US Open on Monday night.
After a professional career spanning about 15 years, the American bowed out at an emotional farewell ceremony on Arthur Ashe Court with his young son, Christian, in his arms and a record 14 Grand Slam titles under his belt.
That record will not be touched any time soon and nor will the quiet humility that Sampras displayed from his first Slam title in 1990 at the US Open until his surprise final one at last year's event.
Described often as bland and boring for his on-court demeanour, all Sampras did was dominate the sport in the 1990s on his way to 64 career titles and a record six years and 286 days at the top of the men's tree as its No. 1.
He was not cut from the same cloth as compatriots Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and the younger Andre Agassi who wore their hearts on their sleeves. He just went quietly about the task of being the best all-round player the men's game may have ever seen.
Of course, the case for Rod Laver will always be made - particularly by old-timers and Australians, but this is not the Rocket's column.
Sampras was the last great serve-and-volleyer but that frentic style of play was complemented by an almost surreal calm; there were very few fist pumps or loud exhortations when he won a point, game, set or match, just a look down at the racquet strings or a head bowed walk back to his chair.
The funny thing is, as time goes on, Sampras will be more and more remembered for what he did and not what he was like and that's exactly the way it should be.
Maybe his farewell ceremony should have been at Wimbledon this year. The place where he won seven of his 14 Slams (five US, two Australian Opens make up the collection). He may also have wanted it that way as he owned that grassy Centre Court in the final decade of the 20th Century.
Still, on Monday night, there was probably no place the now balding retiree would rather have been. Back where he won his first Slam crown as a 19-year-old and his last as a thirtysomething.
The tears flowed as the crowd gave him a standing O and the world got to see one of the few glimpses he ever allowed of raw emotion (his final championship win at Wimbledon and a Aussie Open semi breakdown when his coach was critically ill are two others that come to mind).
He walked around the court with his son in one arm and waving to the crowd with the other. Kind of symbolic, if you are into that sort of thing: the past in one hand, the future in the other.
Farewell, Pete.
OOPS: I goofed last week, as my good friend Mr. Miller was quick to point out. Ben CURTIS won golf's British Open, not Ben DAVIS ... bad me. I am now in the process of writing Ben Curtis on my home blackboard 1,000 times.
