桑普拉斯告別網壇
Mon Aug 25, 6:43 PM ET Add U.S. National - AFP to My Yahoo!
NEW YORK （AFP） - Pete Sampras formally confirmed his retirement from competitive tennis here, saying after an unprecedented 14 Grand Slam singles titles that "I know in my heart it's time".
曾經14次奪得大滿貫賽單打冠軍的皮特-桑普拉斯正式確認退出網壇，他表示：“我心裏清楚，確實是放棄網球的時候了。”
retirement,Withdrawal from one's occupation, business, or office. 退休，退職。從某人的職業、事業或公職中的退出。
grand slam，The winning of all the major or specified events, especially on a professional circuit. 大滿貫，全勝，在所有重大的或特定的賽事中獲勝，尤指在職業巡回賽上。
Two weeks past his 32nd birthday, Sampras spoke before a US Open farewell ceremony saying he has no desire to make a comeback.
桑普拉斯今年32歲，他的生日剛剛過去兩周。桑普拉斯在公開告別儀式上表示，自己沒有打算再回來。
farewell的意思是離別，通常用於修飾另壹個名詞，如a farewell party; a farewell glance.告別晚會；離別時的壹瞥。常見的習慣用語有bid farewell/ take farewell,告別, 辭行。
comeback，A return to formerly enjoyed status or prosperity. 恢復有利的地位或成功的恢復。在這裏指的是復出的意思。例如：The film star made an unexpected comeback.明星出乎預料的復出了。
Sampras win Andre Agassi 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 in last year's US Open final. It turned out to be the last match he would ever play, although he had not announced such plans until last week.
在去年美國公開網球賽上，桑普拉斯以四局6-3/6-4/5-7/6-4的比分戰勝美國網壇高手安德烈阿加西。雖然桑普拉斯直到上周才決定退役，但美網賽將成為他的最後壹次比賽。
Sampras finished atop the rankings for an unprecedented six consecutive years from 1993 through 1998 and won seven titles in eight years at Wimbledon from 1993 to 2000. But he was never able to complete a career Slam by winning the French Open
桑普拉斯曾在1993至1998期間連續6次獲得冠軍，在1993至98年8年期間獲得七次溫網冠軍。但可惜的是他壹直未能在法國公開賽上稱雄。
consecutive，Following one after another without interruption, successive. 連續的,壹個跟壹個不中斷的；連續的： absent on three consecutive days; won five consecutive games on the road.接連三天都缺席；壹路上連續贏了五場比賽。 雖然這個詞很常用，但是它指在兩個順序事件之間沒有插入任何其它事件，可以對照sequential、參閱concurrent、simultaneous加以比較。
title在本文中指的是A championship.冠軍。title match，錦標賽。
slam在本文中首字母大寫，它的意思是The winning of all the tricks or all but one during the play of one hand in bridge and other whist-derived card games. 滿貫，全盛。