Sampras Turns to an Old Friend: Annacone

The coaching cycle of Pete Sampras has come full circle.

Sampras, who will turn 31 in August, has been searching for answers during a disappointing 2002 and his latest attempted solution is a return to stability. Paul Annacone, the USTA’s managing director for the USA Tennis High-Performance program, will resume coaching Sampras at least through the U.S. Open in September.

Annacone on Thursday confirmed speculation about their renewed partnership. He had worked with Sampras from January 1995 through December 2001. Since then, Sampras has worked with and parted ways with Tom Gullikson and Jose Higueras.

“It’s been a lot of instability for someone who is a creature of habit,” Annacone said of Sampras, who is coming off an early loss at Wimbledon and has not won a title since July 2000.

Annacone said Sampras needed a comfort zone and maintained it won’t take long to find that level.

“As good as he is, it doesn’t take a lot,” Annacone said. “He can jump over hurdles quickly.”

The move came with the support and assistance of USTA officials. Rick Ferman, the USTA’s executive director, said that one of its goals is to foster relationships and cooperation between the generations of American players. “We want to lend any support we can to Pete ... and I’m hoping it branches out to the other great players.”

The decision to go back to Annacone sounded simple. It would have taken at least six months for Sampras to become accustomed to another new voice and coaching style. For Annacone, it will mean more work but not much in the way of scheduling changes. One unplanned addition is next week’s Masters Series event in Toronto, which will be Sampras’ first tournament since he lost in the second round of Wimbledon to lucky loser George Bastl.

The parting with Higueras was said to be amicable. Sampras came to the realization that he needed a full-time coach and Higueras’ schedule was already busy enough because of his USTA coaching duties. Higueras said last week he would have been prepared to continue working with Sampras, and that he would not leave a struggling player.

Annacone, who has been at the men’s tournament at UCLA, said he is encouraged by his observations and discussions with Sampras. “I’ve watched him work out,” he said. “I don’t think all of a sudden you can’t play.”

Andy Roddick, a Davis Cup teammate of Sampras, played an exhibition against him last week in Dallas for the Gullikson Foundation, raising nearly $200,000.

“Watch out for Pete at the Open,” Roddick said. “We actually had a very good conversation. He basically just said, ‘This year has been bad for me. But I’m looking forward to the new challenges, for the first time in my career I have to come back.’ ”