SERGI BRUGUERA rallied to stun world number one Pete Sampras 5-7 7-6 (7/2) 6-4 in Key Biscayne, Florida, yesterday to advance to the final of the ATP Lipton Championships.
"It's one of the best feelings you can get in tennis," Bruguera said. "I played an unbelievable match. I played just to fight and play my best and I think I did it."
Bruguera, rated 35th, inflicted the second loss of the year on Sampras against 20 victories as he reached tomorrow's $360,000 final against either Jim Courier or Austrian world number two Thomas Muster.
Bruguera, the 1993 and 1994 French Open champion, has not won a tour title since 1994 and has never won an ATP crown.
Sampras's only loss this season came in the first round of the Champions Cup earlier this month.
Bruguera broke Sampras for a 2-1 edge in the third set but Sampras answered by breaking back to 3-3.
But Bruguera answered in the next game, using an overhead smash and a passing forehand winner to break Sampras again. Bruguera served out to win, taking the last two points when Sampras hit forehands into the net.
Bruguera hit 17 backhand winners in the match, which lasted two hours and seven minutes. Sampras made 35 unforced errors.
Sampras had broken Bruguera in the third game of set one. But the Atlanta Olympic silver medallist broke back in the eighth. Sampras broke him again in the 11th game with a forehand winner on his third break point.
