Sampras shuts out Kafelnikov

HANOVER, NOV 16: Pete Sampras captured the ATP Tour World championship for the fourth time, outclassing Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in an one-sided final today.

Sampras had a shaky start after dropping his serve in the opening game but he quickly picked up his game and simply overpowered Kafelnikov with a full range of shots. The American became the first player to defend the title in the season-ending event since Ivan Lendl in 1987. Sampras also won in 1991, 1994 and 1996 and his four victories in the tournament that brings the top eight players in the world gave him a share of the second place on the all-time list with Ilie Nastase. Lendl has five titles.Like in the three previous years he won the elite tournament, Sampras had lost a round-robin match in the preliminary round, to Carlos Moya. But he won the next four matches in straight sets.Sampras picked up $1.34 million for his victory, bringing his career earnings to over $30 million and his earnings for the year to more than $9 million. Kafelnikov, No. 6 in the world, had to settle for $640,000.Sampras, 26, was already assured of finishing as No. 1 in the world for the fifth year in a row, a record he shares with Jimmy Connors. He leads the tour with eight titles this year.