LONDON. July 6: Pete Sampras lifted the men's singles title trophy at the Wimbledon de-feating a tired-looking Frenchman Cedric Ploline 6-4. 6-2, 6-4 at the Centre Court today. This was the American's fourth final at the championships and also the fourth title.

In the absence of Andre Agassi or Goran Ivanisevic in the final the tie had already a lacklustre look but a final at Wimbledon is always something to cherish.

Inis final was almost a remake of Sampras-Moya final at the Ford Australia Open in January this year.

There were lot of expectations for good tennis from the world number one and the unseeded Plollne who had such a brilliant match against Michael Stlch In the semifinals. Sampras on his part played his usual self but he could hardly be matched by his opponent. For him it was like another normal day at the office serving and returning well and embarrassing his opponent with terrific down tne line backhand and occasional forehand passes.

Pioline. perhaps tired from his gruelling five-setter with Stlch showed flicker of his brilliance but committed too many unforced errors at the net with his volleys. He started with uncertainty by serving double fault in the first game of the match and Sampras taking advantage of it broke him only in the third game of the first set.

He was broken twice in the second and again once in the third set which made the going much easier for Sampras who never asserted himself except in his own service games.

With 17 aces and winning 87% of first serve points Sampras. one of the best tennis players of this century, effortlessly won his 10th Grand Slam title. But the only one eluding him so far was the title on the red clay of Roland Garros.