50 Fun Facts About Pete Sampras

How many major singles titles did Sampras win?

The record stood until Roger Federer passed it at Wimbledon in 2009.

How many Wimbledon singles titles did Sampras win?

He won them in an eight-year span from 1993 to 2000, missing only 1996.

For how many weeks was Sampras ranked world No. 1?

It was the record until Federer surpassed it in 2012.

For how many consecutive years did Sampras finish as year-end No. 1?

Agassi ended the run in 1999; Jimmy Connors had managed five in a row in the 1970s.

Which major did Sampras never win?

His best run there was a 1996 semi-final; he lost in the early rounds six straight times at the end.

In which city was Sampras born?

The family moved to Palos Verdes, California, in 1978 for the year-round tennis weather.

At what age did Sampras discover a tennis racket in his basement?

He spent hours hitting balls against the wall with it.

Which legend was the young Sampras's great idol, whom he met and played at 11?

Laver was the last man to win four straight majors, a feat Sampras chased in 1994.

Which coach converted Sampras's two-handed backhand to one hand with Wimbledon in mind?

Fischer, a paediatrician and tennis enthusiast, coached him until 1989.

Which coach taught Sampras the flat, driven forehand he kept for his whole career?

The emphasis was on driving through the ball rather than heavy topspin.

Sampras turned professional in 1988 at what age?

He started that year ranked No. 893 and finished it at No. 97.

At what age did Sampras become the youngest US Open men's champion in 1990?

He was 19 years and 28 days old when he beat Agassi in straight sets.

Whose streak of eight straight US Open finals did Sampras end in the 1990 quarter-finals?

He beat Lendl in five, then McEnroe in four, then Agassi in the final.

Sampras's first professional title came in 1990 at an indoor event in which city?

He beat Agassi, Mayotte and Gómez at the Ebel U.S. Pro Indoor.

After losing his 1991 US Open title defence, Sampras drew criticism for saying he felt what?

Courier and Connors both made disparaging remarks about the comment.

Who beat Sampras in the 1992 US Open final, a loss he called a "wake-up call"?

He said he then needed to figure out how to become world No. 1.

At his only Olympics, in 1992, Sampras lost in the third round to which Russian?

The event was on clay, his worst surface, and he blew a two-set lead.

Whom did Sampras beat in the 1993 Wimbledon final for his first title there?

Courier was a former No. 1 and fellow American.

Sampras set a record in 1993 by becoming the first player to hit how many aces in a season?

He finished that year as the clear No. 1 with Wimbledon and US Open titles.

Whom did Sampras beat in the 1994 Australian Open final?

It was the first of his two Australian titles; the second came in 1997 over Moyá.

Which coach collapsed at the 1995 Australian Open and was later diagnosed with brain cancer?

Sampras wept on court against Courier after a fan shouted at him to win it for Gullikson.

Who took over as Sampras's full-time coach in 1995 after his coach fell ill?

Annacone returned again in 2002 to guide him through his final US Open.

Sampras's 1995 Davis Cup final heroics came against Russia in which city?

He collapsed with exhaustion after a five-set opener against Chesnokov and still won all three rubbers.

Who ended Sampras's Wimbledon run in 1996, the only year he lost there between 1993 and 2000?

The 17th seed beat him in straight sets and went on to win the title.

Sampras famously vomited on court during a 1996 US Open quarter-final against whom?

Dehydrated, he saved a match point with a lunge volley and won the tiebreak.

Sampras's only five-set Grand Slam final was the 1998 Wimbledon final against whom?

Ivanišević finally won Wimbledon as a wildcard in 2001.

Which Chilean challenged Sampras's No. 1 ranking in 1998?

Sampras still finished the year on top for the sixth straight time.

Which Australian did Sampras say he would not go for a beer with, amid a bitter feud?

Rafter called him a "cry baby"; Sampras said seeing Rafter hold the US Open trophy annoyed him.

Whose record of 12 major titles did Sampras equal at Wimbledon in 1999?

Emerson later called Sampras the greatest of all time for passing him.

Sampras's 2000 Wimbledon win equalled whose all-time record of seven gentlemen's singles titles?

He battled shin tendinitis and a bad back and came from a set down against Rafter.

Who beat Sampras in the 2000 US Open final?

The run still returned him briefly to No. 1 for the last time.

Which 19-year-old ended Sampras's 31-match Wimbledon streak in 2001?

It was the only official match the two ever played.

Which No. 145 Swiss beat Sampras in the second round of Wimbledon 2002?

Sampras then asked Paul Annacone to return as coach for the US Open.

What seed was Sampras when he won the 2002 US Open?

Greg Rusedski had just called him "a step and a half slower" and predicted defeat.

Whom did Sampras beat in the 2002 US Open final, his last match?

He did not officially retire until August 2003, just before the next US Open.

Sampras's fifth US Open title matched whose Open Era record?

His eighth US Open final also tied Lendl's all-time mark.

What was Sampras's career head-to-head record against Agassi?

He led 9-7 in finals, including the first and last majors of their rivalry.

What was Sampras's nickname?

It came from his precise and powerful serve.

Which racket did Sampras use for his entire professional career?

He strung it with natural gut at around 75 lbs and restrung every racket before each match.

At roughly what tension did Sampras string his rackets?

The frames were production models from a Wilson factory on St Vincent, weighted to near 400 g.

Which clothing company sponsored Sampras before he signed with Nike in 1994?

The three-year deal had been extended to five.

Which actress and former Miss Teen USA did Sampras marry in 2000?

They have two sons and raised them out of the public eye in Lake Sherwood, California.

Sampras's sister Stella coached women's tennis at which university for over 25 years?

Stella Sampras Webster took over the UCLA Bruins in the 1990s and led them for more than 25 seasons; brother Gus became president of the firm managing his business affairs in 2007.

Sampras has which genetic blood trait, which can cause mild anaemia?

Dehydration and fatigue dogged him at times, including the 1996 Corretja match.

Which of Sampras's trophies was among those stolen from a storage unit in 2010?

Two Davis Cups and six year-end No. 1 trophies also went; most items were later recovered.

In which year was Sampras inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame?

Tennis Magazine had named him the greatest player since 1965 two years earlier.

Whose record for consecutive year-end No. 1 finishes did Sampras equal in 1997?

Connors had done five straight from 1974 to 1978; Sampras made it six in 1998.

Sampras became the only Open Era man to do what at the last major he played?

He never played another tour event after the 2002 US Open.

Sampras's 1991 year-end title came at which event, the first of five he would win there?

He also won two Grand Slam Cups, including one in 1990.

Who did Sampras beat to reach the 2002 US Open final, the last of eight there?

He had beaten Haas and Roddick in the two rounds before.