Pete Sampras beats Todd Martin to win Athens seniors event

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -Pete Sampras relied on his powerful serve at key points to defeat compatriot Todd Martin, 6-3, 1-6, 10-6 Sunday in the final of a seniors tennis event in the Greek capital.

Sampras' victory was his second in two Outback Champions Series events this month, his first competitive outings in nearly five years.

Martin was looking to avenge a close loss to Sampras two weeks ago in the final in Boston, but the Greek-American, in his first-ever visit to his ancestral homeland, came out in no mood to cooperate.

He fired two aces in the opening game, and continued to serve and volley crisply while breaking Martin in the fourth game to go up 3-1.

After another rain delay Sampras held serve easily, then finished off the set with two aces.

But Martin, an Australian and U.S. Open finalist, roared back in the second set, breaking Sampras in the fourth and sixth games while holding at love two games running to go up 5-1 before serving out.

In the see-saw tiebreaker - used in Champions Series matches in lieu of a third set -Martin fell behind 0-3 before winning the next four points. Sampras then served four straight aces to retake the lead, followed by two crosscourt winners. Martin then hit long to give Sampras the title.

Sampras said afterward "The second set I didn't think I played that poorly, he came up with some unbelievable returns ... he was sort of leaning and guessing in a certain way, and he was guessing right."

"I finally got a good rhythm at the right time."

Martin said "he plays awfully well still ... Playing Pete is an equivalent of punching the clock."

Sampras, who retired following his victory at the 2002 US Open, will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I., on July 14.

"I feel really good, I played quite well. I have a few things still left in the game," said the 14-time major winner.

"It's special being here, seeing my heritage ... I plan on being back."