Pete Sampras facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Pete Sampras

Sampras in 2011
Country (sports)	United States
Residence	Lake Sherwood, California, U.S.
Born	(1971-08-12) August 12, 1971 (age 53) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Spouse(s)	Bridgette Wilson ​ (m. 2000)​
Children	2
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Turned pro	1988
Retired	September 8, 2002 (last match) August 25, 2003 (official)
Plays	Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Coach	Peter Fischer (1980–1989) Joe Brandi (1989–1991) Tim Gullikson (1992–1995) Vitas Gerulaitis (1994 Rome) Paul Annacone (1995–2001) Tom Gullikson (2001–2002) José Higueras (2002) Paul Annacone (2002)
Prize money	US$43,280,489 7th all-time in earnings
Int. Tennis HoF	2007 (member page)
Singles
Career record	762–222 (77.44%) (77.4%)
Career titles	64 (9th in the Open Era)
Highest ranking	No. 1 (April 12, 1993)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	W (1994, 1997)
French Open	SF (1996)
Wimbledon	W (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000)
US Open	W (1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2002)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	W (1991, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999)
Grand Slam Cup	W (1990, 1997)
Olympic Games	3R (1992)
Doubles
Career record	64–70 (47.8%)
Career titles	2
Highest ranking	No. 27 (February 12, 1990)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	2R (1989)
French Open	2R (1989)
Wimbledon	3R (1989)
US Open	1R (1988, 1989, 1990)
Team competitions
Davis Cup	W (1992, 1995)

Pete Sampras is a famous American tennis player who used to be ranked No. 1 in the world. He was born on August 12, 1971. His professional tennis career started in 1988 and ended when he won the US Open in 2002. In that final match, he beat his longtime rival, Andre Agassi.

Sampras won 14 major singles titles, which was a record at the time he retired. This included seven Wimbledon titles, two Australian Opens, and five US Open titles. He won 64 singles titles in total during his career. He became the world No. 1 player in 1993 and held that spot for 286 weeks. This included a record six years in a row (1993 to 1998) as the year-end No. 1. People called him "Pistol Pete" because of his very fast and powerful serve. In 2007, he was added to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Tennis Beginnings

Pete Sampras was born Petros Sampras on August 12, 1971, in Washington, D.C.. He was the third child of Soterios and Georgia Sampras. His mother came from Sparta, Greece. His father was born in the U.S. to a Greek father and a Polish-Jewish mother. Pete grew up going to the Greek Orthodox Church. When he was just 3 years old, he found a tennis racket and loved hitting balls against a wall.

In 1978, his family moved to Palos Verdes, California. The warm weather there meant Pete could play tennis almost all year. His favorite tennis player was Rod Laver. When Pete was 11, he even got to meet and play tennis with Laver! The Sampras family joined the Jack Kramer Club, where Pete's amazing talent became clear. As a teenager, Pete trained with coach Robert Lansdorp. He also worked with Dr. Peter Fischer, who helped him change his two-handed backhand to a one-handed one. This change was meant to help him win at Wimbledon.

Pete Sampras's Professional Career

Starting His Pro Career (1988)

Pete Sampras became a professional tennis player in 1988 when he was 16. He started the year ranked No. 893 and finished at No. 97. His first pro match was a loss in Philadelphia. But a week later, in Miami, he beat two top-40 players. He played in his first Grand Slam match at the US Open but lost in the first round. Later that year, he beat No. 8 Tim Mayotte.

First Big Wins (1989)

In 1989, Sampras's ranking improved to No. 81. He won his first Grand Slam singles match at the French Open. A few weeks later, he lost in the first round of Wimbledon. At the US Open, he surprised everyone by beating the defending champion, Mats Wilander.

Becoming a US Open Champion (1990)

In 1990, Sampras won his first professional singles title in Philadelphia. He beat top players like Andre Agassi and Tim Mayotte to win. This win put him into the top 20 rankings. He finished 1990 as the world No. 5.

In September, Sampras won his first Grand Slam title at the US Open. He beat famous players like Ivan Lendl and John McEnroe. In the final, he faced Andre Agassi and won in straight sets. At 19 years and 28 days old, he became the youngest male singles champion at the US Open ever. He also won the Grand Slam Cup that year.

Winning a Big Year-End Title (1991)

In 1991, Sampras won the first of his five career titles at the year-end Tennis Masters Cup. At the US Open, where he was the defending champion, he lost in the quarterfinals. He said he felt relieved that the pressure was off, which caused some talk.

Reaching More Finals (1992)

In 1992, Sampras reached the quarterfinals of the French Open and the semifinals of Wimbledon. He was also the runner-up at the US Open, losing to Stefan Edberg. Sampras later said this loss made him realize he needed to work harder to become No. 1. He also helped the U.S. team win the Davis Cup that year.

Becoming World No. 1 (1993)

In early 1993, Sampras reached the semifinals of the Australian Open. In April 1993, he became the world No. 1 for the first time. Three months later, he proved he deserved the ranking by winning his first Wimbledon title. He beat fellow American Jim Courier in the final. After that, he won his second US Open title. He ended the year as the clear No. 1 player.

Winning in Australia and Wimbledon (1994)

Sampras won his first Australian Open title in 1994, beating Todd Martin in the final. He then won Wimbledon again, defeating Goran Ivanišević in the final.

More Grand Slam Wins (1995)

In 1995, Sampras often competed with Andre Agassi for the No. 1 ranking. They played each other in two Grand Slam finals. Sampras also played a key role in the United States winning the Davis Cup.

During the Australian Open, Sampras had a very emotional match. His coach and friend, Tim Gullikson, became very ill and had to go back to the U.S. Sampras was sad and even cried during a match. He still managed to win that match but lost the final to Agassi.

Sampras beat Agassi in the final at Indian Wells. He then won his third Wimbledon title in a row, beating Boris Becker. Later, he beat Agassi again in the final of the US Open.

Wimbledon Loss and US Open Win (1996)

In 1996, Sampras had his best run ever at the French Open, reaching the semifinals. However, 1996 was the only year between 1993 and 2000 that Sampras did not win Wimbledon. He lost in the quarterfinals to Richard Krajicek, who went on to win the tournament.

At the US Open quarterfinals, Sampras felt sick and threw up on the court during his match against Àlex Corretja. But he still won the match! He then reached the finals and beat Michael Chang to win his US Open title again. Sampras ended the year by winning the ATP Tour World Championship for the third time.

Dominating in 1997

Sampras won his second Australian Open title in January 1997. In July, he won Wimbledon for the fourth time. He also won several other big tournaments that year. He won 10 out of 11 matches against top-10 players and won all eight of his singles finals. He stayed at the No. 1 ranking for the entire year. This made him one of only two male players to be year-end No. 1 for five years in a row.

Sixth Straight Year as No. 1 (1998)

In 1998, Sampras's No. 1 ranking was challenged by Marcelo Ríos. Sampras lost in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. He won Wimbledon again after a tough five-set match against Goran Ivanišević.

Sampras lost to Patrick Rafter in the Cincinnati Masters final. He also lost to Rafter in the semifinals of the US Open. Even with these losses, Sampras finished the year as the top-ranked player for the sixth year in a row, which was a record.

Another Wimbledon Title (1999)

Sampras missed the Australian Open in 1999. But then he went on a 24-match winning streak, winning four tournaments in a row. This included Wimbledon, where he won his 12th Grand Slam singles title. His win over Andre Agassi in the Wimbledon final is often called one of the best Wimbledon finals ever.

However, Sampras got a back injury and had to pull out of the US Open. Because of this, he lost his No. 1 ranking to Agassi. Sampras did recover to beat Agassi in the year-end championships.

Breaking Grand Slam Records (2000)

In early 2000, Sampras reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, losing to Agassi in a five-set match. He then won his seventh and final title at Wimbledon. He had to play through pain from a shin injury and a back injury. In the final, he beat Patrick Rafter to win his 13th Grand Slam singles title. This broke the record held by Roy Emerson for over 30 years.

At the 2000 US Open, Sampras reached the final but lost to Marat Safin. His run to the final briefly brought him back to the No. 1 ranking. This was the last time Sampras was ranked No. 1, ending his record of 286 weeks at the top.

A Drop in Ranking (2001)

In 2001, Sampras's amazing 31-match winning streak at Wimbledon ended. He lost in five sets to a 19-year-old Roger Federer in the fourth round. This was the only time these two tennis legends ever played each other in an official match. At the US Open, Sampras reached the final but lost to Lleyton Hewitt. This was the first year in 12 years that Sampras didn't win any titles. He finished the year ranked No. 10.

Winning His Last Major and Retiring (2002)

In 2002, Sampras lost early at Wimbledon. After that, he asked his former coach, Paul Annacone, to help him prepare for the US Open. Sampras didn't play very well in the tournaments leading up to the US Open.

At the US Open, Sampras was seeded 17th. Many people didn't expect him to do well. But Sampras surprised everyone by beating young stars like Tommy Haas and Andy Roddick. He then reached his eighth US Open final, tying a record. In the final, he faced Andre Agassi again, just like in his very first Grand Slam final 12 years earlier. After a tough four-set match, Sampras won his 14th Grand Slam singles title, which was a new record at the time. He also tied Jimmy Connors' record of five US Open singles championships.

Sampras didn't play any more tournaments after this win. He officially announced his retirement in August 2003, right before the US Open. He chose not to defend his title there. This made him the only man to win the final Grand Slam tournament he ever played in. When he retired, many people thought Sampras was the greatest tennis player of all time.

Pete Sampras's Career Highlights

Sampras won 64 singles titles, including 14 Grand Slam titles and five Tennis Masters Cup titles. He was ranked the world No. 1 for a total of 286 weeks, which is the third most in the Open Era. He was also the year-end No. 1 for a record six years in a row (1993-1998). Many people consider him one of the greatest tennis players ever.

Sampras was known for his attacking style of play, where he would serve and then quickly run to the net to hit the ball. He was also very good at all parts of the game. His best playing surface was grass courts. He won seven Wimbledon titles (1993-1995, 1997-2000). Only Roger Federer has won more Wimbledon men's singles titles. Sampras is seen as one of the best male grass-court players ever. He also shares the record of five US Open titles in the Open Era with Jimmy Connors and Federer.

Sampras's only real challenge was on clay courts. The slow surface made it harder for his fast serve-and-volley style. His best result at the French Open was reaching the semifinals in 1996. However, he did win some important matches on clay, including the Italian Open in 1994.

Life After Retirement

Sampras at Champions Cup Boston, in 2007

After retiring, Sampras played some exhibition matches. In 2007, he started playing in the Outback Champions Series, which is for former ATP players. He won his first two events on this tour. Many people noticed that even after a long break, he still played very well. Some even said he could still be a top player at Wimbledon.

Sampras played a few exhibition matches against then-world No. 1 Roger Federer. He lost most of them but did win one match. In 2008, he also beat former No. 2 Tommy Haas in an exhibition match.

In 2009, Sampras won two more Outback Champions Series titles. He was also at the 2009 Wimbledon final to see Roger Federer break his record of 14 major titles.

In 2010, Sampras played in a charity doubles match with Federer, Andre Agassi, and Rafael Nadal. They raised money for people affected by the earthquake in Haiti.

In November 2010, many of Sampras's trophies and special items were stolen from a storage place. This included trophies from his Australian Open wins and Davis Cups. Most of the stolen items were later found and returned.

Famous Tennis Rivalries

Sampras vs. Agassi

The rivalry between Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi was one of the greatest in tennis during the 1990s. They were the most successful players of that time and had very different playing styles. Sampras was known for his powerful serve, and Agassi was known for his amazing returns. Sampras won 20 out of their 34 matches.

Their first Grand Slam final was at the 1990 US Open. Agassi was favored to win, but Sampras beat him in straight sets. They played many other memorable matches, including in the finals of the Australian Open and the US Open.

In 1999, Sampras beat Agassi in the Wimbledon final. This was seen as a comeback for both players. One of their most famous matches was at the 2001 US Open quarterfinals. Sampras won in four sets, and there were no breaks of serve in the entire match!

Their last match was in the final of the 2002 US Open. Both players had beaten younger stars to get there. Sampras defeated Agassi in four sets. This was the last singles match of Sampras's career.

Sampras vs. Rafter

Sampras won 12 out of 16 matches against Patrick Rafter. In 1997, Rafter won the US Open, which many expected Sampras to win. This made Rafter the No. 2 player behind Sampras.

In 1998, Rafter beat Sampras in the Cincinnati Masters final. Sampras was upset about a line call in that match. He said that Rafter needed to win another Grand Slam to be considered a great player. Rafter went on to win the US Open again that year.

They met in the semifinals of the 1998 US Open. Sampras had a leg injury and lost to Rafter. Sampras said his injury was why Rafter won.

Their next big match was the 2000 Wimbledon final. Sampras won in four sets, even after being down in the second set. This victory gave Sampras his 13th Grand Slam title, breaking the record. After the match, Sampras called Rafter "all class."

Playing Style

Sampras was an all-court player. This means he was good at playing from all areas of the court. He often used a serve and volley strategy. This is where a player serves the ball and then quickly runs to the net to hit the next shot.

He had a very accurate and powerful serve, which many people think is one of the best ever. He could hit winners from both his forehand and backhand shots. He was also very fast and could hit powerful shots even when running. However, this style was not as strong on slow clay courts.

Equipment Used by Sampras

Sampras used the same type of racket, the Wilson Pro Staff Original, for his whole career. He used special strings called Babolat natural gut, and his rackets were re-strung before every match.

After he retired, Sampras tried different rackets. He even used a racket that was all black. He also wore Nike clothes and shoes during his career.

Personal Life

Pete Sampras's mother was born in Greece. His father was born in the U.S. His older sister, Stella Sampras Webster, is a tennis coach at UCLA. His younger sister, Marion, is a teacher. His older brother, Gus, has worked as a tournament director in tennis.

On September 30, 2000, Sampras married American actress Bridgette Wilson. They have two sons, born in 2002 and 2005. They live in Lake Sherwood, California. Both Pete and Bridgette decided to keep their children out of the public eye and focused on family life.

Sampras has a mild genetic condition called β-thalassemia minor, which can cause mild anemia. Politically, Sampras is a Republican.

Career Statistics

Grand Slam Performance Overview

Pete Sampras played in many Grand Slam tournaments throughout his career. Here's a quick look at how he did:

Grand Slam Finals (14 Wins, 4 Losses)

Sampras played in 18 Grand Slam finals, winning 14 of them.

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	1990	US Open	Hard	Andre Agassi	6–4, 6–3, 6–2
Loss	1992	US Open	Hard	Stefan Edberg	6–3, 4–6, 6–7(5–7), 2–6
Win	1993	Wimbledon	Grass	Jim Courier	7–6(7–3), 7–6(8–6), 3–6, 6–3
Win	1993	US Open (2)	Hard	Cédric Pioline	6–4, 6–4, 6–3
Win	1994	Australian Open	Hard	Todd Martin	7–6(7–4), 6–4, 6–4
Win	1994	Wimbledon (2)	Grass	Goran Ivanišević	7–6(7–2), 7–6(7–5), 6–0
Loss	1995	Australian Open	Hard	Andre Agassi	6–4, 1–6, 6–7(6–8), 4–6
Win	1995	Wimbledon (3)	Grass	Boris Becker	6–7(5–7), 6–2, 6–4, 6–2
Win	1995	US Open (3)	Hard	Andre Agassi	6–4, 6–3, 4–6, 7–5
Win	1996	US Open (4)	Hard	Michael Chang	6–1, 6–4, 7–6(7–3)
Win	1997	Australian Open (2)	Hard	Carlos Moyá	6–2, 6–3, 6–3
Win	1997	Wimbledon (4)	Grass	Cédric Pioline	6–4, 6–2, 6–4
Win	1998	Wimbledon (5)	Grass	Goran Ivanišević	6–7(2–7), 7–6(11–9), 6–4, 3–6, 6–2
Win	1999	Wimbledon (6)	Grass	Andre Agassi	6–3, 6–4, 7–5
Win	2000	Wimbledon (7)	Grass	Patrick Rafter	6–7(10–12), 7–6(7–5), 6–4, 6–2
Loss	2000	US Open	Hard	Marat Safin	4–6, 3–6, 3–6
Loss	2001	US Open	Hard	Lleyton Hewitt	6–7(4–7), 1–6, 1–6
Win	2002	US Open (5)	Hard	Andre Agassi	6–3, 6–4, 5–7, 6–4

Sampras's Legacy and Achievements

Many people consider Pete Sampras to be one of the greatest tennis players ever. He is especially remembered for his excellent technique and his amazing serve-and-volley style of play.

Records and Achievements

Here are some of Sampras's records and achievements in the Open Era of tennis:

Professional Awards

• ATP Player of the Year: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998.
• ITF World Champion: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998.

Other Notable Achievements

• Sampras won four Wimbledon singles titles in a row (1997–2000). Only Björn Borg and Roger Federer have won five consecutive titles.
• He is one of only three men to win Grand Slam singles titles as a teenager, in their 20s, and in their 30s.
• Sampras won 40 out of 42 singles matches he played on Wimbledon's Centre Court.
• He is the only player to win all seven Wimbledon finals he played.

Other Awards and Recognition

• U.S. Olympic Committee "Sportsman of the Year" in 1997. He was the first tennis player to receive this award.
• Chosen as the No. 1 player (out of 25) in the past 25 years by a group of 100 tennis experts in 1997.
• Voted the 48th greatest athlete in North America by ESPN's SportsCentury.
• In 2005, TENNIS Magazine named Sampras the greatest tennis player from 1965 to 2005.

See also

In Spanish: Pete Sampras para niños

• List of Grand Slam men's singles champions
• All-time tennis records – men's singles
• Open Era tennis records – men's singles

Images for kids

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  Sampras in 1992