Comebacks are not on the agenda for Sampras

Great Sportsmen do come back, but all too often they are the lesser for it. Announcing his withdrawal from Wimbledon, the 31-year-old Pete Sampras said he was not completely closing the door on his career. Perhaps a friendly neighbourhood agent could do that for him, and make sure it stays locked.

There may be contractual matters to resolve concerning Sampras's tennis racket and clothing deals and other endorsements, and he is bound to be anxious about the void left by ceasing to do what he did best. But the central business of his tennis undoubtedly reached its zenith at the United States Open last September, and Sampras owes it to himself to be remembered for that rather then pursuing shadows of his former self.

Before defeating his American rival Andre Agassi in four sets in a classic final between "oldies" at Flushing Meadows, New York, Sampras had all but been written off after labouring through 33 tournaments without winning a title of any kind. It was presumed that we had seen the best of him at Wimbledon in 2000, when he overcame Pat Rafter, of Australia, to win a record 13th Grand Slam singles titles.

There were murmerings that his subsequent marriage to the actress, Bridgette Wilson, had made Sampras too comfortable to meet the demands of his status in the sport. "Bridgette's support is a big reason why I've been able to get through the adversity," was his response. They now have a son, Christian Charles.

The lowest point of Sampras's drought was a second-round loss to George Bastl, a "lucky loser" from Switzerland, on Court Two at Wimbledon last summer. Memories of that defeat came to Sampras's mind even in the joyful aftermath of his US Open triumph, and it was clear that his determination to redeem his reputation on the All England Club's lawns would be an antidote to retirement.

With no financial worries – he has won $43.29m (£26.65m) in official prize money alone and earned millions more from endorsements – Sampras's only motivation for playing on would have been the combination of pride in performance and the dread of no longer doing what made him what he is: one of the great figures in sporting history.

He has emphasised that he does not want to be like Michael Jordan, who retired after a glorious basketball career with the Chicago Bulls and then made a comeback with the Washington Wizards. Sampras has not retired. He is simply not playing tennis.

Although he has practised to stay in good shape since the US Open, Sampras has not worked with his former single-minded intensity. His most telling comment on Thursday, when deleting the French Open and Wimbledon from his diary, provided the key to his dilemma. "I know," he said, "what it takes to be competitive – the training and the seven-days-a-week dedication – and I am just not there right now."

Sampras differs from the flamboyant, 33-year-old Agassi, who under-achieved in his earlier years and transformed himself into a paragon of fitness and dedication, enabling him to complete a collection of all four Grand Slam singles championships.

Sampras has not found success at the French Open, played on slow clay, but his attacking style and consistency enabled him to end the year as the world No 1 for a record six consecutive years.

Never one for showmanship, Sampras was regarded as boring by certain people who had grown up watching and listening to the brilliant and boisterous Ilie Nastase, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe in the arena of turbulence.

Sampras relied solely on the smoothness of his game to make an impression. As Fred Perry said in 1993, after Sampras won the first of his seven Wimbledon singles titles: "He moves like oil. You don't hear him. You only hear the other guy, who's losing."

Your correspondent's first interview with Sampras was at Queen's Club, London, in 1989, shortly after the 17-year-old Michael Chang had become the youngest ever men's Grand Slam singles champion at the French Open and the first of a new American generation of players to break through.

Sampras spoke about watching videos of the Australian Rod Laver, and of being encouraged to change his baseliner style and adopt a one-handed backhand. Though roughly the same as Chang, Sampras seemed to lack his compatriot's competitive maturity.

A year later, Sampras, aged 19, became the youngest ever men's singles title holder at the United States championship. Though thrilled with his success, he did not enjoy the public attention it created. Nor did he consider that his was game sufficiently developed to merit such a triumph. "I was not ready," he said later. "I just got hot for two weeks." In truth, he was getting warmed up for a further 13 Grand Slam titles.