Pete Sampras

Pete Sampras is a retired American tennis player who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He was born on August 12, 1971, in Washington D.C., and turned professional in 1988.

During his career, Sampras won 14 Grand Slam singles titles, including seven Wimbledon championships, five US Open championships, and two Australian Open championships. He held the world No. 1 ranking for a total of 286 weeks, which was a record at the time.

Sampras was known for his powerful serve, his precise volleys, and his mental toughness on the court. He had a classic attacking style of play and was particularly effective on fast surfaces such as grass and indoor hard courts. He won a total of 64 singles titles during his career and finished as the year-end No. 1 player six times.

Some of Sampras’ most famous matches include his Wimbledon final victories over Boris Becker in 1993 and Goran Ivanisevic in 1998, as well as his US Open final victory over Andre Agassi in 2002, which was his last professional match.

After retiring from tennis in 2003, Sampras remained involved in the sport as a coach and occasional player. He has also been active in charity work and has raised money for various causes, including the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.