Sampras had defeated No. 3 Tommy Haas in the fourth round and future No. 1 Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals, while Agassi had defeated No. 1 and defending champion Lleyton Hewitt in the semi-finals.
sˈæmpɹəz hæd dᵻfˈiːɾᵻd nˈoʊ. θɹˈiː tˈɑːmi hˈɑːz ɪnðə fˈoːɹθ ɹˈaʊnd ænd fjˈuːtʃɚ nˈoʊ. wˈʌn ˈændi ɹˈɑːdɪk ɪnðə kwˈɔːɹɾɚfˌaɪnəlz, wˌaɪl ˈæɡæsi hæd dᵻfˈiːɾᵻd nˈoʊ. wˈʌn ænd dᵻfˈɛndɪŋ tʃˈæmpiən lˈeɪtən hjˈuːɪt ɪnðə sˈɛmaɪfˈaɪnəlz.