Last Updated on December 23, 2021
Pete Sampras is a legendary former tennis player who turned professional in 1988 and played till the 2003 U.S. Open. He was considered as an epitome of serves and volleys. His serve speed was terrific as he constantly served them in high 120s to mid-130mph. He was also known for winning the big moments of the match as he would close out the game nicely, and that is why he had a win record of 77.4% in a career spanning 15 years. He won 14 Grand Slam titles and it was a record till Roger Federer broke it in 2012 Wimbledon by winning his 15th Grand Slam. He was also the top earner till he retired in 2003. Post-retirement, he played quite a few exhibition matches and defeated players like Andy Roddick and Roger Federer. He has graced many events post-retirement as a part of his charity endeavors.
| Net Worth | 150 000 000$ |
|---|---|
| Born | August 12, 1971 (age 50) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Turned pro | 1988 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
Early life and first steps in tennis
Pete Sampras was born to Soterios “Sammy” Sampras and Georgia Sampras in Washington, D.C., United States. He has a sister named Stella Sampras Webster, who is also a former tennis player. He has been married to American actress Bridgette Wilson since 2000. The couple has two sons named Christian Charles Sampras and Ryan Nikolaos Sampras. He started playing Tennis at a very age and became pro in 1988 at the age of 16. His journey with Tennis started after he found a tennis racket in his basement when he was just three years old. He began smashing balls with that racket for hours, and that is where his father saw a potential tennis player in him. He admired Rod Laver, and Peter Fischer was his first coach who coached him from 1980 to 1989.
Pete Sampras Career
He had the most successful career as he was in an era with players like Andre Agassi, Boris Becker, Jim Courier, and Patrick Rafter. He was a grass-court champion as he won Wimbledon 7 times and in all won 14 Grand Slams overall. He was sluggish on clay court and could only reach the semi-finals of the French Open just once in his career. Along with 14 slams, he also won Tour Finals five times and also the Grand Slam Cup twice. He was also a part of the Davis Cup winning team in 1992 and 1995. He has supported American Tennis post-retirement though he refused to join the set-up. Post-retirement, he is seen in Grand Box, where he is invited to watch majors live.
Turned Professional
He turned pro in 1988 at the age of 16 and immediately made an impact after breaking in the top 100 the following year.
First Major Title
He started winning matches at Grand Slams after turning pro in 1998. The biggest moment of his life came when at the teenage of 18, he won his first major title, the U.S. Open in 1990, where he defeated Andre Agassi in straight sets.
First Masters Title
He won his First 1000 Master at Cincinnati Open in 1992. 1992 was in a way a dismal year of his illustrious career. He couldn’t win any grand slams in 1992 and was also bowed out of the Olympics 3rd round in 1992.
World No. 1
He reached World No. 1 for the first time in 1993 and made a record of holding on to the top spot for 286 weeks. Roger Federer ultimately broke his record, and the current leader is Novak Djokovic. He is at the 3rd spot for the number of weeks spent on number one position.
Important Career Details
He won 14 grand slams in all and held on to the record of winning the Wimbledon title seven times. It was broken by Roger Federer in 2017 when he won his 8th Wimbledon title. He also holds a unique record of winning all the Wimbledon in which he played the final. Thus, in finals, he holds a 7-0 record at Wimbledon. He ended year number one for six years in a row in 1998. In 2000, he again returned to the number one position. His 31 winning match streak at Wimbledon was broken by none other than Roger Federer in 2001 when the 19-year old knocked him out in the 4th round.
Career Highlights
- 2002 US Open
- 2000 Wimbledon, ATP Masters 1000 Miami
- 1999 ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati, Wimbledon
- 1998 Wimbledon
- 1997 ATP Masters 1000 Paris, ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati, Wimbledon, Australian Open
- 1996 US Open (Outdoor/Hard)
- 1995 ATP Masters 1000 Paris, US Open, Wimbledon, ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells
- 1994 Wimbledon, ATP Masters 1000 Rome, ATP Masters 1000 Miami, ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells, Australian Open
- 1993 US Open, Wimbledon, ATP Masters 1000 Miami
- 1992 ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati
- 1990 US Open
Pete Sampras’ Grand Slam Records
Pete Sampras has had impressive success at Grand Slam tournaments, failing only to win a trophy at Roland Garros. We have compiled the statistics of his performance at the major majors in the table.
| Australian Open Wx2 1994, 1997 |
Roland Garros SFx1 1996 |
Wimbledon Wx7 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 |
US Open Wx5 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2002 |
Pete Sampras Endorsements
He was the heartthrob of the ad-world in the decade of the 90s and went on to endorse many prestigious brands. He was roped in by Sergio Tacchini in 1998 and was sponsored by them till 1994. In 1994, he inked a multi-million-dollar deal with Nike. He also endorsed Babolat, Dannon and Pizza Hut during the course of his career. He also endorsed luxury car brand Audi post-retirement.
Pete Sampras Net Worth
Pete Sampras net worth is estimated at around $150. He won $43 million as prize money and is still 5th all-time highest earner in the history of Tennis. The prize money has increased significantly by the time he has retired, and therefore he is in the 5th spot. He resides in a $20 million house in Lake Sherwood and has an extensive portfolio in real estate. He has properties with millions in Los Angeles and other cities of California. His car collection is also extensive as he drives a Porsche 911, and Hummer. He has many more such cars as he is fond of four-wheelers.
Pete Sampras prize money compared to the legendary ATP players
Pete Sampras is a former number 1 in the ATP rankings, he knows what it’s like to win a Grand Slam. We compared the prize money of the legendary ATP tennis players to the prize money received by Pete Sampras.
| Player | Prize Money |
| Pete Sampras | $43,280,489 |
| Andre Agassi | $31,152,975 |
| Boris Becker | $25,080,956 |
| Patrick Rafter | $11,133,128 |
| Andy Roddick | $20,640,030 |
| Bjorn Borg | $3,655,751 |
| Roger Federer | $130,594,339 |
| Rafael Nadal | $124,961,595 |
| Novak Djokovic | $153,120,635 |
| John McEnroe | $12,552,132 |
FAQ:
Pete Sampras was born on August 12, 1971. He is 50 years old.
Pete Sampras ended his career at the age of 32
Retired American tennis player Pete Sampras and actress Bridget Wilson-Sampras are still together and enjoying life with each other.
Pete Sampras, the legendary tennis player, has thalassemia minor, which means that the synthesis of his β-globin protein is reduced.
Former American tennis player Pete Sampras weighs 170 lbs (77 kg)
American tennis player Pete Sampras began his professional career in 1988
He reached World No. 1 for the first time in 1993 and made a record of holding on to the top spot for 286 weeks.
During his professional career, Pete Sampras earned $43,280,489 in prize money
Winner of 64 tennis tournaments, Pete Sampras is 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) tall.
The career of American former tennis player Pete Sampras started when he turned professional in 1988 and lasted until his official retirement in August 2003. Total 15 years.
No. Pete Sampras has 13 Grand Slam victories. He won the Australian Open, Wimbledon, the US Open. He could not win only the French Open, his best result was the semifinals in 1996.
