Current US Open champion Pete Sampras looks like he is about to announce his retirement from tennis.

Sampras looks like he's going out on top - officially.

Sampras hasn't played a match since winning his record 14th major title at the 2002 US Open, although he never came out and formally said he was retiring from tennis.

That announcement could come in the next few days, with a farewell ceremony in his honour at this year's Open, a tennis source told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

People close to Sampras have been in discussions with US Open staff members about a tribute Monday, the opening night of the tournament, the source said.

The New York Times first reported on Thursday about the possibility of Sampras announcing his retirement and a ceremony at the US Open.

Sampras has withdrawn from every event this season but remains ranked - currently 35th - because he never officially quit.

His last match was a 6-3 6-4 5-7 6-4 victory over old foe Andre Agassi in the US Open final September 8. It gave Sampras his fifth Open title and, at 31, made him the tournament's oldest winner since 1970.

At the post-match news conference, Sampras alternated between sounding as though he were ready to hang up his racquet and ready to get back to work.

"I'm going to have to weigh it up in the next couple months to see where I'm at. To beat a rival like Andre, in a storybook ending, it might be nice to stop," Sampras said at the time.

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