Pete Sampras
Pete Sampras
Petros "Pete" Samprasis a retired American tennis player and former world No. 1 regarded as one of the greatest players in tennis history. He debuted on the professional tour in 1988 and finished his career at the 2002 US Open, which he won, defeating rival Andre Agassi in the final. He was particularly esteemed for his precise serve, earning the nickname "Pistol Pete"...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionTennis Player
Date of Birth12 August 1971
CityPotomac, MD
CountryUnited States of America
I'm staying in shape, working out.
Throughout my career, my mind rarely wandered, and I was never sidetracked by distractions, no matter what I was going through off the court.
I'm not worried about the weekend, I'm worried about Saturday.
I may be a step slower than I was before reaching 30, but I'm doing all the right things. I guess there are some guys who would take it easy in the latter part of their careers, but I'm stepping it up.
I've always led a pretty simple life, with few extravagances. The money in tennis never drove me.
Media access to us is more regulated than in golf.
The way I hold the club, I've got my hand way over, like I'm driving a motorcycle. My Kawasaki grip.
I don't look so much for tips. But when they interview a Nicklaus or a Palmer, I'm all ears. I listen to guys who have done it, been successful for years.
Retirement is a work in progress. I try to figure out my day, and what I know about myself is that I need structure.
I am going to hold serve the majority of the time. It is nice to have a little time to return serve.
In tennis, you can make a couple of mistakes and still win.
There's always one shot that I can rely on when I'm not hitting the ball that well, is my serve.
I could be a jerk and get a lot more publicity, but that's not who I am.
I didn't have a big fat Greek wedding, but I have a lot of fat Greek friends.