Pete Sampras defeated Magnus Larsson 7-5 2-6 6-1 in the Cincinnati Masters semi-final on hard. The upset overturned the form book — Magnus Larsson came in leading the head-to-head 3–1, defending last year's round of 64, but Pete Sampras had been the form player, winning 7 of their last 7 on hard. Pete Sampras narrowed the head-to-head to 3–2.
| Date | Tournament | Round | Surface | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-11-28 | Davis Cup WG F: SWE vs USA | RR | carpet | Magnus Larsson | 3-6 7-6(1) 2-1 RET |
| 1997-08-11 | Indianapolis | R16 | hard | Magnus Larsson | 7-6(6) 4-6 7-6(5) |
| 1997-04-21 | Monte Carlo Masters | R32 | clay | Magnus Larsson | 3-6 6-2 6-3 |
| 1997-03-17 | Miami Masters | R16 | hard | Pete Sampras | 6-2 6-0 |
Each player's serve crossed against the other's return, converted to expected hold of serve. Recent completed matches, ATP, WTA & Challenger. About
Averages over each player's completed matches in the selected window (200 vs 120). ATP, WTA & Challenger.