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Sampras in elite company

Pete Sampras joined one of the elite groupings in tennis yesterday as he won his 60th career title, a 7-6 (9-7), 6-3 victory over holder Pat Rafter at the 2.45-million-dollar ATP Championships.

The 28-year-old American also stretched a winning streak that began after another loss on clay at the French Open three long months ago.

In the interim, he's taken trophy at Queen's, Wimbledon, Los Angeles and now Cincinnati, the major Ohio city near Mason. He's won 22 consecutive matches and is looking on form as the US Open approaches.

Sampras is now one of only six players to have won 60 career titles. The others: Jimmy Connor, who won 109, Ivan Lendl, 94, John McEnroe, 77, and Bjorn Borg and Guillermo Vilas, each with 62.

''When two guys serve so well, it's going to be tough to break,'' said Sampras, who heads the field ahead of Rafter at an event in Indianapolis starting today.

''My challenge is to maintain this level for the next few weeks. In the first two or three games of the match I was having trouble getting used to his serve. The court was so quick today, but I was finally able to get hold of his serve.''

Sampras and Rafter both stayed extremely solid, showing little between them on a hot day.

The opening set finally settled into a tie-breaker after the American levelled the match at six apiece with a love game. Sampras took leads of 3-0 and 5-2, but was never far from a Rafter fightback. The fighting Aussie got the decider out to 5-all as the pair began trading set points.

Each saved one before Sampras took the set in 46 minutes when a Rafter forehand volley sailed slightly wide after just clearing the net.

Sampras produced 10 aces in the set and had a 60 per cent first- serve percentage. He struck 17 winners.

The American top seed opened up a gap in the second, breaking for 2-1 but lost serve a game later, with Rafter's attacking weakening, a bit from pain in his right shoulder which has been afflicted with tendonities in recent weeks.

Rafter came to his post-match interview with ice and strapping on the joint.

''I jarred it a bit in the first set, but it would have to be pretty bad to keep me from playing,'' said the two-time US Open winner, aiming for a third straight title in New York.

''The court was so fast and that's the best he's served against me in a long time. In the second set, I couldn't get a pop on my serve. I'll see how I go in the next few days.''

Sampras won 361,000 dollars and 370 ranking points while Rafter won 190,000 dollars. The American will begin his 273rd career week atop the rankings today when the pair are the top two seeds at Indianapolis.

''I'm feeling pretty good. I've had a run since Queen's,'' said Sampras, 33-6 this year after skipping the Australian Open to rest.

"Pat played great tennis, it was a difference of just a few points. The first set was a huge part of the match. In the tie-break it could have gone either way.''

UNI