NEW YORK -- They've changed a little bit -- a lot less hair, a few more wrinkles and they get tired a little easier. But they're still two of the greatest tennis players who ever lived.

And on Sunday, for at least one more time, they are going to take the stage where the rivalry began over a decade ago when Pete Sampras defeated Andre Agassi in the final at the U.S. Open.

"It's hard to say how many times we're going to play each other here, let alone in a Grand Slam final," Sampras said.

"(Sunday) is an opportunity for both of us," Agassi said. "While I hope things fall my way, I hope, more importantly, that it's a great day for tennis."

It's a day no one expected. ("You would have gotten some great odds on making this bet before the tournament," Agassi joked.) Neither Sampras nor Agassi were considered major contenders to win -- or even reach the final. No one, as they would have in years past, pointed out that they were in opposite halves of the draw and couldn't possibly meet until a potential all-American final.

There was some Agassi-Sampras smack talk being bandied about the National Tennis Center, but it was about Jaden Gil Agassi and Baby Sampras.

"I for sure see Jaden beating up on his kid a little bit -- speaking on the tennis court," Agassi said. "If it's a little girl, I have 100 bucks that says she has a crush on Jaden."

It should be noted that soon-to-be papa Sampras was equally sure his child would come out the winner.

But the fathers still have one more chance. For Sampras, it's an opportunity to revive a career that hasn't seen a title in 33 tournaments; for Agassi, it's another shot at a Grand Slam after not reaching a final since he won the Australian Open in 2001.

And despite all the talk of being the "old" men on the tour -- including from Greg Rusedski, who actually dissed Sampras, the man he'd just lost to -- they didn't get to this moment by accident or luck of the draw.

Sampras took down hard-serving Rusedski, No. 3 seeded Tommy Haas and Andy Roddick, the boy who would be king. Agassi beat Jan-Michael Gambill, the only player to that point who'd lost fewer sets than him, massive Max Miryni and the world's top player, Lleyton Hewitt.

"I have a lot of respect for Andre," Sampras said. "He's the best returner in the game. It's a great clash. ... it will be one to remember.

"Hopefully, I can make it competitive, the last couple years I've been smoked, so ..."

But the last couple of years he's also smoked Agassi in their two meetings. One of them here, last year in the quarterfinals in a tiebreak-laden four-setter deemed a classic as soon as it went off the air. Sampras leads their series at 19-14. In Grand Slams, he's won five out of eight times -- three out of four in finals.

Although he's not considered as fit as Agassi, Sampras hasn't been pushed past three sets in his past two matches, while Agassi has gone a little longer. It will come down to who can play their own game the best: baseline vs. serve and volley.

"Both their records speak for itself ... I think it just depends on the day how both guys pull up," Hewitt said after failing to defend his title. "If I'm not allowed to be in the final then I'd love to see these two guys go for a final. I think everyone would. I think it's great for men's tennis.

"But sooner or later, you know, when they do retire, the only downside is people are going to keep wanting to see Agassi-Sampras finals and it's not going to be there five, 10 years' time."

It's even questionable if it will be there next year if Sampras were to lose. Despite what Sampras says about retirement, it's likely that the outcome of this match -- this Slam -- will determine Sampras' future. He plans on being back, but it can't be for many more years.

"I don't know the future," Sampras said. "I've said that I'm going to play a full schedule next year. That's what I'm planning on doing. It's something I'll just weigh up after the event. But I plan on being back, so it's really hard to predict what's going to happen here."

Numerous times, Sampras has fielded the question of whether his marriage has hurt his career. He married Bridgette Wilson on Sept. 30, 2000. But it's possible that it really was his other major milestone that year that signaled the beginning of the end: No. 13. Perhaps it was after Wimbledon 2000, when Sampras won his 13th Grand Slam title -- surpassing Roy Emerson to become the man with the most Slams -- that he looked around and thought, "I don't need to do this full-out anymore."

"I will say, you know, there are times in my life, five years ago, where tennis was my life, consumed with being No. 1," Sampras said.

"Just being on top for so long, I think I kind of had enough. Getting married and having a future child gives me some balance."

Though he had a new life, Sampras wasn't yet finished with his old love -- even though the media and some young up-and-comers like Marat Safin and Hewitt were ready to show him the door. And he never expected that Wimbledon, the site of his greatest achievement, would in two years be the low point of his career.

"The years of dominating are over, but I still feel like I can win a major. I still believe that. If I didn't believe it, I wouldn't attempt to play."

Even his greatest rival has been pulling for him lately. After losing the quarterfinal last year, Agassi told Sampras at the net: "win the thing." And this year, Agassi's been pulling for him, as well.

"You always root for somebody that you -- I mean we've grown up together," Agassi said. "You know, you hear all this talk about his game, where he's at, where he's not at. Sometimes, unfortunately, you even hear it from peers who should have a heck of a lot more respect than they've shown.

"So inside my own mind, I have been pulling for him."

But that doesn't mean he's going to be cutting Sampras any slack.

"I'm going out there and bringing my game," Agassi said. "And he's going to have to beat it. And then at the end of it all, I'll look up at the scoreboard and see if I should put my arms up or shake his hand."

Maybe for the last time.

Cynthia Faulkner is the tennis editor at ESPN.com.