Pete Sampras

Unique Pete Sampras Ballport Holds 80 Balls
$28.99
This is the best tennis ball hopper made! I was originally going to purchase one of the high end metal hoppers but I'm so glad I didn't. The Hoag ball hopper is extremely strong but the 4 pegs along the bottom are about three-quarter inches thick so when picking up the balls they don't go all the way into the basket. Instead, you have to continually press on top of an additional balls to have the first ball fully enter into the basket, and so on. With the last 4-5 balls you either have to force them inside by hand, or let them naturally fall out the bottom and add them manually into the top. Ending each pick-up this way is a pain, particularly when you're done hitting and tired. The Unique Ballport build quality is outstanding, consisting of solid plastic inserts and metal screws that actually secure/fortify the basket from breaking. Not sure why their is a Sampras Ballport 80 and a regular Ballport 80. They are identical but the price is less for the non-Sampras version. The writing on the hopper and everything is identical. If you need a hopper that holds 80 balls then this is it. Unlike all other metal hoppers, this one actually holds the stated amount of 80 balls. Because of the build of the metal hoppers, which are angled on the sides(whereas the Ballport is square), you can only get about 85% of the stated capacity, unless you meticulously place each ball in the basket by hand - not good. The top of the Bal port has two sliding poles to secure the balls from falling out which is much better than a free hanging top that swings open and shut. Buy this hopper you won't regret it.

A Champion's Mind: Lessons from a Life in Tennis
$15.00
If you eliminate the detail of his rise in the tennis world match by match you wind up with what I was looking for. I wanted to know who Pete is. I found the detail of each match to be mind-numbingly boring....much the same as Pete was labeled in the tennis world. What I got that I was looking for could have been told in a long magazine article. Sorry Pete.

Open: An Autobiography
$28.95
I'm a tennis player and a fan but I didn't intend to read this book because I was never a fan of Andre Agassi. I saw him play in Indianapolis at a pro tournament and felt like he tanked the match and didn't even give the fans our money's worth. This was during his big hair and flashy outfit days. He still managed to walk off the court with a rock star's ego throwing his shirt to the crowd. I found this very distasteful and never could really like the guy even thought there were times I wanted to after he made his comeback and eventually appeared to become a better person.

I happened to read one review of the book saying it was one of the best sports autobiographies of all time right before I was taking a trip. I decided it might make for some good reading on my trip. It was.

This book gives one a lot of insight into what makes up Andre Agassi, the person, the life, the tennis star. And it's not pretty. And that's probably the most compelling thing about the book. If Agassi seemed like a screwed up person to me, it's because he was. Actually, more like a tormented person. In the book he accounts for the many things that may have contributed to his tormented/glamorous life. But I can't help but feel that a lot of it was due to who he is. You are what you are and Agassi is unique just like everyone else. If Pete Sampras had lived the exact same life as Andre Agassi, he would have most likely turned out like himself and not like Agassi.

I called my review "Tie Breaker" because I'm still not sure if I like Agassi. I must say that I do respect the work he's doing to help disadvantaged kids with his school. Hopefully he'll continue to grow as a person and continue to help people with his celebrity status. I'm just not ready to say he's an exceptional person although he's certainly lived and exceptional life. Realizing all the good he could do, I guess I'm pulling for him to the win the tie breaker.

If you like sports, tennis or Andre Agassi, you should read this book.

Pete Sampras (Champion Sport Biographies)
$8.95
Pete Sampras is tennis perfection. His flawless techniques and positive personality have won him many fans as well as Grand Slam titles. Since turning professional in l988 at age 16, he has rarely been out of the top rankings. 1998 marked his sixth straight year as number one at the end of the season - a feat matched only by Jimmy Connors. The life of Pete Sampras has not always gone smoothly. He had to learn to deal with the tremendous attention from the media and fans at a very early age. Plagued by injuries, he fought through these challenges with extraordinary spirit. Michael Boughn is the author of "Michael Jordan" in the "Champion Sports Biography" series.