Sampras' win gave Team Billie Jean King, made up of Sampras, Rennae Stubbs and King who did not play, a 15-10 victory over Team Elton John, which consisted of Roddick, Anna Kournikova and John, who did play.
The 14th annual Advanta WTT Smash Hits charity event took place at the UC Irvine Bren Events Center and raised money for the Elton John AIDs Foundation. A live auction generated $184,500.
Roddick was fresh off a trip to the U.S. Open final, which he lost Saturday, but Sampras, who played for the Newport Beach Breakers in July after retiring in 2002, was the one on top of his game.
Sampras' serve-and-volley game kept Roddick off balance the entire night. His powerful serve set up delicate volleys that consistently painted the lines, far out of Roddick's reach.
"I started playing a little tennis a week ago so I wouldn't embarrass myself out here," Sampras said before the match.
Stubbs, the 14-time Grand Slam champion's teammate, had a front-row seat to the rebirth of sorts.
"Pete showed you how good he is," Stubbs said. "Andy probably hasn't hit a tennis ball since the U.S. Open. He has just been relaxing."
King preferred the intensity level at the end of the event, to the more humorous play that preceeded it.
"Elton and I like for them to play for real," King said.
The evening started with joking comments about fierce competition. John drew the proverbial line in the sand, or court.
"We are definitely going to win," said John before his team lost for the fifth time in a row. "We have already drugged the other team."
Both teams acted silly, though. Stubbs regularly consulted the crowd behind her about her next move.
