Marion Bartoli: 'I will never forget playing with Pete Sampras'

Marion Bartoli has admitted that her warm-up with Pete Sampras at the WTA's Stanford tournament was a childhood dream.

The second seed got the chance to hit with Sampras, a 14-time Grand Slam winner, before his exhibition with Michael Chang.

The 27-year-old claimed that as a lifelong fan of the 41-year-old American, she was extremely nervous at the start.

"I was so stressed at the start, I could barely hold my racquet. I hope he enjoyed playing with me.

"I never used to dream of winning a Grand Slam, I'd dream of playing with him. I had posters of him all over my bedroom. I'm so, so, so happy.

"When Pete lost, I could be depressed for a week. I will never forget playing with him. He's a great champion, someone who did not over-act on court."

Bartoli lost the quarter final of the Bank of the West Classic tournament to Belgian Yanina Wickmayer yesterday.