Sampras is back representing his country as a member of the 2002 U.S. Davis Cup team. The 30-year-old has begun to have his reign as the world's best challenged by a young group of stars, including budding sensation Andy Roddick of the U.S. Sampras talks about his perspective entering the quarterfinals against Spain in Houston April 5-7. He also shares some of his Davis Cup stories, including his 1992 doubles match with John McEnroe and an incident involving some of his younger teammates and a match of ping pong in their underwear.

Q1. How are you feeling about your play at this point in the season?

PETE SAMPRAS: It hasn't started the way I wanted it to. The confidence hopefully will grow this week and just sort of build going into the claycourt season, but there is still some time to work on a few things-to get into a little better shape. It was a tough couple of weeks, but I try to put that behind me and look at the big picture of the rest of the year and there is no reason to panic just as long as I am working hard.

Q2. Has the Davis Cup become more important to you as you have progressed through your career?

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah. Davis Cup has always been a tricky one over the years because I felt like to stay No. 1 and play Davis Cup was too much. At that rate, I would have been done by now. That is why I decided not to play a few years of Davis Cup-to focus on the majors and being ranked No. 1. There is no question that Davis Cup means something. Playing for your teammates and your country, there is a sense of urgency when you play out there that I need to feel as I have gotten a little bit older. You push harder and you dig deeper and I need to be in those situations.

Q3. Speaking of you history in the Davis Cup, what was it like playing doubles with John McEnroe in 1992?

PETE SAMPRAS: He is probably the best doubles player of all time and to be matched up with him, I think we jelled pretty well. I think my kind of calm personality and his … more animated personality-I think we gelled pretty well and we both played well. I think that is the key: playing well and winning, and we did that. He plays with a lot of urgency and a lot of emotion and I really don't. I think we gelled together as well as we could. I think we came back in that match from down two sets to none and the crowd was very vocal. That was one of the better moments I have had in Davis Cup.

Q4. Do fans get a little bit crazier at Davis Cup matches as compared to other regular tennis events?

PETE SAMPRAS: I hope they are pretty crazy here. That is what Davis Cup is all about. I'm sure if we were playing these guys in Spain, we would hear it. It would be nice to have these Spanish guys hear it-some American noise. That's one of the advantages of playing at home. You have that support. On the tour, fans come out to really cheer the sport. But here, when you are playing for your country, people are more vocal and into it.

Q5. What kind of impact will playing on grass have on you and the team?

PETE SAMPRAS: Grass helps our game. Grass is a difficult surface to play on if you are not used to it. It takes experience and time to figure it out, but these guys are experienced pros and they have been around. It's a tricky surface. It is a surface where you have to stay sharp. A couple of mistakes here and there and you could lose the set. We're hungry and we're ready and we will hopefully get a little better as the week goes on and by Friday we will hopefully be peaking all at the same time.

Q6. A lot of people have said that Andy Roddick is the next Pete Sampras. What has it been like competing with him in the Davis Cup?

PETE SAMPRAS: I have gotten to know Andy a little bit better this week. He has got a very mature head on his shoulders. Really, he knows where he wants to go. He's a pretty focused young guy that I think has got all the elements to go possibly all the way. His game speaks for itself. He has got a huge game. I practiced with him one day-he has got a lot of heat. That's what you look at in a young guy-what kind of weapon he has. But, he's just a nice young guy that has a pretty good head on his shoulders and I think he's going to do just fine.

Q7. Given the team nature of Davis Cup, do you help out guys like Andy in learning how to master grass as you have?

PETE SAMPRAS: I'd be more than happy to help any of the players, Andy in particular, with my experiences. But I think he is well-adjusted and knows how he wants to play. He is going to be a great player and he can figure it out. It takes time. Grass is not a surface that I particularly liked when I turned pro, but as time went on, I seemed to enjoy it more and more.

Q8. The younger guys said they have learned a lot from you. Have you learned anything from them?

PETE SAMPRAS: There's not anything I am learning-it is more that these guys are coming out, bouncing off the walls. They have got a lot of energy. They are watching the Simpsons at night and I am with Todd Martin watching On Golden Pond. They can't sit still for half an hour. They have dinner, they are up in the room playing games and playing ping-pong in their underwear. That's what these guys were doing. At practices they came out firing away and it just inspires you, inspires me to try to beat these young guys in practice. So in a way it has been fun.

Q9. Do these guys remind you at all of yourself at that age, or were you different as a younger player?

PETE SAMPRAS: I have always been pretty low-key, even when I was a young guy on the team. I just kind of kept to myself and I still do that today.

Q10. A lot of the guys on your team really look up to you as a role model. How does that make you feel?

PETE SAMPRAS: It's flattering. I feel a certain amount of respect, which is nice. But I don't walk around like I am an icon around the team. That's just not my personality. I try to lead by example: not by saying a whole lot, just my attitude out there on the practice court and going out and playing. And if that helps those guys, that's great.