Courier146;s message: Pete146;s ready for comeback

Pete Sampras, the seven-times Wimbledon champion, is considering a return to competitive tennis. Sampras, who formally announced his retirem...

Pete Sampras, the seven-times Wimbledon champion, is considering a return to competitive tennis. Sampras, who formally announced his retirement last year, has been sounding out friends about the possibility of making a comeback on the seniors tour.

The 33-year-old American last played a competitive match at the 2002 US Open, when he beat Andre Agassi to win the last of his 14 Grand Slam titles, and is believed to spend most of his days on the golf course. But Sampras is growing 8216;8216;restless8217;8217; in California, his old friend and rival, Jim Courier, revealed yesterday.

Courier had an unexpected phone call from Sampras, who is intrigued by this week8217;s seniors event at the Albert Hall. 8216;8216;I spoke to Pete this week. He was curious to see how I8217;m enjoying doing this. I sense a little bit of restlessness there. Pete has been playing a lot of golf, but he was curious to know what this seniors tour is all about8217;8217;, Courier said.

Sampras was given an emotional send-off at the US Open last year, and has previously said that any retirement would be final, that he 8216;8216;did not want to come back 17 times like retired boxers8217;8217;. It is not known whether Sampras, who is married to Hollywood actress Bridgette Wilson, is practising again.

Courier hinted that, though Sampras is a private man, he may be lured back by his 8216;8216;love8217;8217; of tennis. 8216;8216;It8217;s been two years since Pete played and I think that8217;s about the time when people start to feel how much they love the game of tennis and creep back into it with a few exhibitions here and there, and test the water8217;8217;, Courier said.

Courier, 34, is himself a recent convert to the seniors tour, making his first appearance this year. 8216;8216;What you soon realise is that tennis is a core part of your being8217;8217;, he said. 8216;8216;It would certainly be a boon for the tour if Pete came out of retirement.8217;8217;

The Daily Telegraph