A fast court, plenty of fast serves and a straight-sets win. It was all vintage Pete Sampras.
The seven-time Wimbledon champion played tennis in England on Wednesday for the first time since 2002, beating John McEnroe 6-3 6-4 in a seniors' match at the Royal Albert Hall.
"To be retired six years and still play in front of good crowds is an honour," the 37-year-old Sampras said. "It was a fun night of tennis."
On the court, Sampras dominated.
Wearing a dark blue shirt and white shorts - instead of the usual all-white attire he used to don at the All England Club in his heyday - Sampras served 19 aces, including three in the final game.
"That serve is just scary," said the 49-year-old McEnroe, who wasted four break points in the opening game of the match. "It's not often you get a chance to break a serve like that."
In true McEnroe fashion, however, the seven-time grand slam champion wasn't happy with all the calls.
"At 30-40 (in the first game), that serve, to me it was clearly out," McEnroe said.
In the final game of the first set, McEnroe thought another of Sampras' serves was out, but his opponent was all too happy to show him where it landed.
The record 14-time grand slam champion walked toward the net with a tennis ball held over his head, mimicking the trajectory of the previous shot. He approached the net, then hopped over it, continued walking toward the centre service line and placed it down, right on the line.
"The ball was clearly in," Sampras later said.
Despite the result, McEnroe played well, too, impressing the much younger Sampras with his fitness and his serving ability.
"I had a hard time sort of picking up his serve," Sampras said. "To be 49 and be able to serve and volley and be effective, and has the hands and the movement.
"Forty-nine's not young in tennis."
McEnroe was even more impressed with Sampras, saying again he believes the American great still has the ability to be playing on tour with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
"They wouldn't want to play him," McEnroe said.
