With the current suspension of the ATP and WTA Tours, USOpen.org is reliving some of the biggest tennis matches in the tournament's history in photos. In our latest featured match, we look back at the 2001 US Open men's singles quarterfinal between Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.
Watch a live stream of this classic match on the US Open's Facebook page on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The full match will be posted on Sunday on the USTA's YouTube channel.
Hall-of-famers Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi had one of tennis' all-time great rivalries. The legendary Americans played 34 times in their careers, with Sampras leading their overall head-to-head matchups, 20-14.
But it was their quarterfinal in 2001 that stands the test of time as one of the greatest matches ever played at the US Open.
Sampras was 30; Agassi was 31. Both players were supposed to be past their primes, but both turned back the clocks with masterful tennis in what was a riveting match for sports fans worldwide. Every set of the three-hour, 32-minute nail-biter was settled in a tiebreak.
Here's a look back in photos at one of the all-time classic matches at the US Open.
Sampras and Agassi played one of the US Open's—and tennis'—greatest matches ever in the 2001 quarterfinals under the lights in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The match featured no breaks of serve, with Sampras edging Agassi, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5).
Agassi was playing the better tennis in the months leading up to this showdown. He was the No. 2 seed, while Sampras, seeded 10th, had been mired in a slump.
Sampras and Agassi had 20 Grand Slam titles between them heading into the match. Sampras had won 13; Agassi had won seven.
Two-time champion Agassi defeated 20-year-old rising star Roger Federer, ranked No. 13 in the world at the time, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4, in the fourth round to set up his quarterfinal against Sampras.
Sampras extended his string of service games won to 71 in his clash with Agassi.
Sampras and Agassi met four times total at the US Open—three times in finals and once in this quarterfinal, with Sampras winning all four matches.
Sampras went on to reach the final in 2001 and became the first player to beat three former US Open champions along the way. He defeated 1997 and 1998 champion Patrick Rafter in the fourth round, 1994 and 1999 titlist Agassi in the quarterfinals and 2000 winner Marat Safin in the semifinals, before falling to Lleyton Hewitt in the final.
"It was probably as good as it gets, playing the very best in a night match at the US Open," Sampras said after defeating long-time rival Agassi. "The atmosphere was phenomenal, and it was so close."
