Pete Sampras

Pete Sampras is an American former professional tennis player, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He was ranked as the World No. 1 for 286 weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 for a record six consecutive times.

He won 14 major singles titles, a record at the time of his retirement, and was known for his serve-and-volley style and one of the most powerful serves in the sport's history.

Player Profile and Personal Life

Pete Sampras was born on August 12, 1971, in Washington, D.C, United States. He stands 185 cm tall and he plays right-handed with a one-handed backhand.

Sampras's father was born in the United States to a Greek father and a Polish-Jewish mother, and his mother is a Greek immigrant. At the age of three, he discovered a tennis racket in his basement and spent hours hitting balls against the wall.

As a teenager, Sampras trained with Coach Robert Lansdorp, who taught him a powerful forehand. His coach, Dr. Peter Fischer, later converted his backhand to a single-hand to better prepare him for Wimbledon.

His older sister, Stella Sampras, is the women's tennis head coach at UCLA. His younger sister, Marion Sampras, is a teacher, and his older brother, Gus Sampras, is the president of the firm that manages Pete's business activities.

On September 30, 2000, Sampras married actress and former Miss Teen USA Bridgette Wilson. They have two sons and reside in Lake Sherwood, California.

Professional Career

Sampras turned professional in 1988. His career was defined by his dominance in the 1990s, where he finished each year as World No. 1 for a record six consecutive seasons.

He won 64 ATP Tour-level singles titles, including 14 major titles, which was an all-time record when he retired. His major titles include seven Wimbledon Championships, two Australian Opens, and a record-tying five US Opens.

He won his first major at the US Open in 1990, becoming the youngest male singles champion in the tournament's history. His rivalry with Andre Agassi is considered one of the sport's greatest, with Sampras winning their head-to-head meetings 20–14.

Sampras claimed his 14th and final major title at the 2002 US Open, defeating Agassi in the final. He officially retired from professional tennis in August 2003 and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2007.

Career Record

Singles

• Career record: 762–222 (77.4%)
• Career titles: 64
• Highest ranking: No. 1 (April 12, 1993)

Best Grand Slam Singles Performances

• 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 (Singles)

• 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)

Best Grand Slam Doubles Performances

• Australian Open – 2R (1989)
• French Open – 2R (1989)
• Wimbledon – 3R (1989)
• US Open – 1R (1988, 1989, 1990)

Team competitions

• Davis Cup – W (1992, 1995)