The ultimate exit: Could Djokovic 'do a Sampras'?

Novak Djokovic and Pete Sampras together during Indian Wells. (Getty/Clive Brunskill)

In tennis history, very few players are allowed to go out victorious. But very few players are like Pete Sampras, and his triumph at the 2002 US Open was one that tennis fans who witnessed it won't forget in a hurry.

On September 8, 2002, a 31-year-old Sampras, ranked a modest No.17 at the time, and widely considered past his prime, delivered a performance for the ages, defeating his lifelong rival Andre Agassi in four sets, 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.

The victory, his fifth US Open title and 14th Grand Slam, not only set a then-record for major titles (a record which no one could’ve expected would be surpassed by three players within two decades), but also marked the final competitive point of his illustrious career.

The backhand volley that sealed the championship was Sampras’ last act. A mic drop moment that confirmed his legacy as one of the sport’s all-time greats.

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As Novak Djokovic, now 38 – a full seven years older than Sampras was - chases a record-extending 25th major title, could he, like Sampras, script a perfect exit by walking away as a champion?

Such a farewell would be the ultimate flex, and one which would be exactly how Djokovic would like to step away from tennis.

Sampras' final act

The 2002 US Open was not supposed to belong to Sampras. The years leading up to it had been a struggle for the man who had dominated the 1990s. Having held the world No.1 ranking for a record 286 weeks and amassed 13 Grand Slam titles, Sampras faced a chorus of doubters by 2002.

His last title had come at Wimbledon in 2000, and a series of losses to lower-ranked players certainly gave the naysayers plenty of fodder to work with. A second round defeat to George Bastl, ranked No.145, at Wimbledon 2002 was particularly stinging.

Once the North American swing got underway, things didn’t improve, with a second round loss in Cincinnati, to Australian Wayne Arthurs, followed by a first round defeat to Paul-Henri Mathieu (No.85) in Long Island.

Critics were lining up to take their shot, and even peers questioned his ability to push deep into majors.

After a gruelling third round win over Greg Rusedski at the 2002 US Open, Rusedski commented to The New York Times, “I’d be surprised if he wins his next match. I think the movement is not the same and the fitness is not the same. I wouldn’t put any money on him, let’s put it like that.”

Yet Sampras, known for his resolve and lack of on-court emotion (save for that famous Australian Open clash against Jim Courier), refused to be written off. In a pre-tournament press conference, he emphasised his belief in his own ability: “Remember who I am and where I’m playing next week.”

Those comments turned prophetic, as he stormed his way through the Flushing Meadows field. He survived a five-set battle against Rusedski, 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-4, then outplayed world No.3 Tommy Haas in four sets, 7-5, 6-4, 6-7, 7-5.

In the quarter-finals, against rising star and predicted ‘heir to his throne’, Andy Roddick, he was clinical, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. In the semi-finals, he dispatched surprise contender Sjeng Schalken 7-6(6), 7-6(4), 6-2.

Against all odds, Sampras reached the final, where he faced Agassi, the rival who had been alongside him (or opposite him) during his career, since their first Grand Slam clash at the 1990 US Open.

The final was almost like a snapshot of Sampras’ whole career. His serve, a weapon that had powered him to seven Wimbledon titles, was untouchable, delivering 33 aces. His running forehand was as impressive as ever, and his volleys were razor-sharp.

Agassi, ranked No.6 and fresh off an upset over defending champion Lleyton Hewitt, struggled to keep pace. Sampras took the first two sets 6-3, 6-4, but Agassi, ever the fighter, clawed back to win the third 7-5 with trademark returns and passing shots.

The fourth set tested Sampras’ mettle. Down 3-4 and facing a break point, he fired an ace to hold serve, then broke Agassi in the next game. A cross-court backhand volley sealed the match, a shot Sampras later described as “the final and most daunting hurdle of my career” in his book A Champion’s Mind. The Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd roared, every single one of them knowing they’d just witnessed history.

What they didn’t know at the time was that they just witnessed ‘the last dance’. Sampras never played another competitive match.

Post-match, Sampras hinted…“To beat a rival like Andre, in a storybook ending, it might be nice to stop. But I still love to compete. I’ll see in a couple of months where my heart is and my mind. My head is spinning.”

Reflecting on his decision in 2019, Sampras said, “I was still hitting balls but just didn’t want to do the work it took for the reward at the end. It just seemed unbalanced to me. I didn’t feel like doing the practice or the gym work.

“The moment when I knew I was going to retire was when I was in Palm Desert watching Lleyton Hewitt play a first round match at Wimbledon in 2003, thinking that was the last place I wanted to be. That was when I knew I was done,” as quoted in Pete Sampras: Greatness Revisited.

His coach, Paul Annacone, recalled a pivotal conversation in April 2003.

“He said, ‘I am not playing anymore. I am done.’ He explained that he had done everything he wanted to do”.

A full 12 months on, during the opening night of the 2003 US Open, Sampras officially retired in a tearful ceremony at Arthur Ashe Stadium, surrounded by family, including his wife and infant son, Christian.

“I really loved playing in New York, loved playing in front of you guys,” he told the crowd. “But I know in my heart, it’s time to say goodbye.”

The Agassi Rivalry

The 2002 final was the 34th edition in the Sampras-Agassi rivalry, one that captivated tennis fans, just as Djokovic-Nadal, Federer-Nadal did, and Sinner-Alcaraz is doing in the current era.

Their battles, including nine matches at Grand Slam level, from the 1990 US Open final to their epic 2001 US Open quarter-final (a 6-7(7), 7-6(2), 7-6(2), 7-6(5) classic with no breaks), were noticeable for their contrasting styles and personalities.

Sampras, the apathetic, unemotional, serve-and-volley genius, relied on explosive power and precision. While Agassi, the flamboyant, long-haired, bandana-wearing baseline counter-puncher, revolutionised the game with his early ball-striking and unmatched return.

Their 1995 season, when they traded the No.1 ranking and faced off in three Masters 1000 finals and two Slam finals, was the pinnacle of the rivalry. Agassi’s victory over Sampras at the 1995 Australian Open (4-6, 6-1, 7-6(6), 6-4) was his only major final win against Sampras. Overall, Sampras led the head-to-head 20-14, and 9-7 in finals.

The 2002 final was a fitting finale to their rivalry. Perhaps, if it wasn’t Agassi on the other side of the net, Sampras may not have been able to muster his best. But against Agassi, who would go on to win the 2003 Australian Open and briefly reclaim the No.1 ranking, Sampras found another level. Their rivalry, like Djokovic’s battles against Federer and Nadal, was not just about titles, but about pushing each other to a higher level.

Djokovic’s chase for the perfect ending

Djokovic's career trajectory somewhat mirrors Sampras’ (albeit with slightly greater numbers). At 38, he holds a record number of Grand Slam titles – as Sampras did at the time. He has redefined what tennis greatness looks like – as Sampras did. Yet just like Sampras in 2002, he faces doubters, and questions about his ability to find his best form late in his career.

Despite a stellar 2024, highlighted by his Olympic gold - the one title missing on his CV – injuries, and the rise of Alcaraz and Sinner have further fuelled retirement discussion among commentators and fans.

Djokovic, however, has a history of silencing critics, much like Sampras did. Could he emulate his idol by winning one more major—his 25th—and retire as a champion?

Djokovic’s admiration for Sampras is no secret. As a six-year-old watching the 1993 Wimbledon final, where Sampras defeated Jim Courier, Djokovic found his inspiration.

“I really felt that day watching Pete, that it was kind of a higher power instilled in me,” he told Steve Flink in Pete Sampras: Greatness Revisited. “Pete was the guy.”

“In the moments most players would break down, he was the guy that showed the resilience and mental strength and laser-like focus that separated him from everyone else and made him an all-time great”.

A Fitting Farewell

Exiting as a champion is a rare achievement in tennis, where most careers end with a loss. Sampras’ 2002 US Open victory is extremely rare. Other recent legends have not been so fortunate. Agassi’s final competitive match was a third round loss at the 2006 US Open to Benjamin Becker.

Federer’s last match was a doubles loss alongside Nadal at the 2022 Laver Cup. Nadal finished up with a straight-sets loss to Botic van de Zandschulp in the Davis Cup quarter-finals.

For Djokovic, the chance to emulate Sampras is genuinely within reach. He has also hinted throughout the year, that 2025 could be his last season. But his form is still better than most, having reached the semi-finals of every major event this year.

It’s no secret that the Slams are his priority this year, and with only the US Open left, you can guarantee he’s doing everything he can to walk off that court with number 25 in his back pocket, with Pete Sampras watching on in the stands.

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