Video: Sampras, Agassi Mar Charity Event for Haiti With Hostility

Eight tennis greats gathered on Friday in Indian Wells to put on a charity event called Hit for Haiti. They raised $1 million. But it’s the tempers of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi that raised eyebrows.Sampras and Agassi have never been good friends, but in Open, Agassi’s autobiography, Sampras was called “robotic” and implicated as a terrible tipper. And when such a grievous flaws are brought up during a charity tennis match, apparently it’s over the line. FanHouse’s Greg Couch explains:

⇥⇥(At one point), Sampras started giving a little more effort.⇥⇥⇥⇥“You always have to get serious, huh Pete?” Agassi said.⇥⇥

⇥⇥⇥⇥⇥...⇥⇥

⇥⇥⇥⇥⇥Sampras had been upset about the book, and said a few weeks ago that he and Andre needed to talk man-to man.⇥⇥

⇥⇥⇥⇥⇥“OK Andre, I’ll joke around a little bit,” said Sampras through his⇥mic. “I’m going to imitate you.”⇥⇥

⇥⇥⇥⇥⇥Then Sampras stood pigeon-toed and started waddling, the way Agassi walks.⇥⇥

⇥⇥⇥⇥⇥I’m pretty sure I saw smoke come through Agassi’s teeth.⇥⇥

⇥⇥⇥⇥⇥“Say something,” Sampras said. “Say it.”⇥⇥

⇥⇥⇥⇥⇥“I want to impersonate you,” Agassi said.⇥⇥

⇥⇥⇥⇥⇥He pulled out his pockets and said, “I don’t have any money. I just like ... I ... ”⇥⇥

⇥⇥⇥⇥⇥“Oh,” Sampras said. “About my tipping? OK.”⇥⇥

⇥⇥⇥⇥⇥“No,” Agassi said. “No wait. I’ve got a dollar.”⇥⇥

⇥⇥⇥⇥⇥Sampras: “That’s how you want to play, huh?”⇥⇥

Don’t believe Couch? Watch the video:

Couch goes on to note that Sampras “cracked a serve at Agassi’s head” and made a facetious attempt to downplay his tipping troubles that included “I’m sorry, Barack Obama,” while Agassi tossed barbs at all three of his playing partners -- Sampras and Roger Federer were teamed up, and Agassi played with Rafael Nadal -- in typical Agassi fashion. It’s hard to blame either guy alone for the loss of composure, but the combined churlishness of two men in their late thirties at a charity event just leaves everyone involved with a sour aftertaste.

Maybe Sampras and Agassi will privately patch things up. But they tried on Friday to work out their dispute publicly, and with humor, and failed miserably, hijacking a charity event in the process. That is more damaging to either man’s legacy than any revelations of minor character flaws could ever be.

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