Pete Sampras

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic says if he could face one player in a fantasy match, it would be 14-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras. "I would love to return that serve. He has been my idol, and I had that privilege to meet him couple of times and discuss tennis," the Serbian said at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. "He gave me some really great advice, from his own experience when he became No. 1 and what it took him to stay there for a long time.

Monday is a historic day for United States tennis, one that will generate no rejoicing in the American tennis community.

In the nearly 40 years since the inception of computer rankings, it will be the first time that no man or woman from the United States is ranked in the top 10 in the world in singles.

Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and John McEnroe are among the tennis stars set to compete in the redesigned Champions Series for over-30 players.

The tour's 2011 schedule is being announced Tuesday. It includes one-night stops in 12 cities over five weeks. The season begins Sept. 22 at Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and finishes Oct. 22 at Buffalo, N.Y.

Four men participate at each event, playing one-set semifinals. The winners meet in an eight-game, pro-set championship match.

Former tennis star Pete Sampras is celebrating after his stolen trophies were returned.

The retired American was devastated when thieves made off with dozens of his trophies, including those from his Wimbledon triumphs, from a warehouse in Los Angeles last December.

But three months after the theft some of silverware was dropped off anonymously at a hospital in Los Angeles.

American tennis player Pete Sampras has had most of his trophies and other memorabilia stolen from a storage facility, he said.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the thieves made off with most of his trophies from his 64 tour wins, two Davis Cups, an Olympic ring and six trophies for his world number one rankings from 1993 to 1998.

But Sampras still has all but one of his grand slam trophies.

Swiss master Roger Federer beat Germany's Florian Mayer 6-4 6-3 to win the Stockholm Open on Sunday and equal Pete Sampras's haul of 64 ATP titles.

"It's fantastic to come here, face the pressure and be able to come through at the end," the world number two told Swedish TV.

"It was a really difficult final and you can see I'm still breathing hard. I thought Mayer played a terrific final so I'm very happy."

World No.2 and top seed Roger Federer has already passed Pete Sampras on the Open Era Grand Slam titles list, but he still trails the American on the Open Era overall titles list. With a win over unseeded Florian Mayer in the final of the If Stockholm Open on Sunday, he would have his 64th career ATP World Tour level title, tying Sampras for fourth place on the Open Era titles list (see below).

Roger Federer could tie Pete Sampras for career titles after reaching the Stockholm Open final, defeating fourth-seeded Ivan Ljubicic 7-6 (5), 6-2 Saturday.

Federer will face Florian Mayer in Sunday’s final. Mayer saved a match point to edge Jarkko Nieminen 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3).

A third title of the year for Federer will earn him the 64th of his career, matching Pete Sampras for fourth in the Open era. Only Jimmy Connors (109), Ivan Lendl (94) and John McEnroe (77) have won more singles tournaments since 1968.

Rafael Nadal is "a beast" on the court who is capable of overtaking Roger Federer as the all-time Grand Slam king, according to Pete Sampras.

Roger Federer has hired Paul Annacone, a former coach of Pete Sampras, for a test period as he seeks a return to winning ways.

The 16-time Grand Slam champion has slumped from No. 1 in the ATP rankings earlier this season to third following his quarterfinal loss at Wimbledon—his lowest position since November 2003.

Annacone is leaving his position as head coach of men’s tennis in Britain in November.