Pete Sampras Timeline

(1971 - Present)

Pete Sampras is an American former professional tennis player widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. Known for his powerful serve-and-volley game, he won 14 Grand Slam singles titles, including a then-record seven Wimbledon championships, and held the world No. 1 ranking for a record six consecutive years. More Less

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Early Life and Rise

Pete Sampras born in Washington, D.C

Aug 12, 1971

Petros "Pete" Sampras was born on August 12, 1971, in Washington, D.C., to Greek-American parents. He would grow up to become one of the greatest tennis players of all time.

Image source: Pete Sampras

Sampras family moves to Palos Verdes, California

Jan 1, 1978

In 1978, the Sampras family moved to Palos Verdes, California, where the warmer climate allowed the seven-year-old Sampras to play tennis for most of the year.

Coached by Peter Fischer

Jan 1, 1980 - Dec 31, 1989

Peter Fischer, a pediatrician and tennis enthusiast, coached Sampras throughout his junior development years until 1989, shaping his game into that of a future champion.

Turns professional at age 16

Jan 1, 1988

Sampras turned professional in 1988 at the age of 16 and finished the year ranked inside the world's top 100, signaling the arrival of a prodigious new talent.

Grand Slam Career

First-round loss at the 1989 Australian Open

Jan 16, 1989

Sampras lost in the first round of the 1989 Australian Open to Christian Saceanu, an early setback in his Grand Slam career.

First Grand Slam match win at the 1989 French Open

May 29, 1989

At the 1989 French Open, Sampras won a Grand Slam singles match for the first time in his career, before losing in the second round to eventual champion Michael Chang in their first career match-up.

Image source: 1989 French Open

Skips 1990 French Open, loses early at Wimbledon

Jun 25, 1990

Sampras did not play in the 1990 French Open and lost in the first round of Wimbledon to Christo van Rensburg, highlighting the inconsistency of his early career.

Wins the 1990 US Open as youngest champion

Sep 9, 1990

Sampras became the youngest male singles champion at the 1990 US Open at just 19 years and 28 days old, defeating Andre Agassi in the final in straight sets to claim his first major title.

Only Olympic appearance in Barcelona

Jul 27, 1992 - Aug 9, 1992

1992 was also the year Sampras made his only competitive appearance at the Olympics, representing the United States at the Barcelona Games.

Wins Davis Cup with the United States

Dec 11, 1992

Sampras was part of the winning United States Davis Cup team in 1992, the first of two Davis Cup titles he would contribute to during his career.

Claims first Wimbledon title

Jul 4, 1993

Sampras claimed his first Wimbledon title in 1993, beginning a run in which he would win the championship seven times in an eight-year span.

Wins first Australian Open title

Jan 30, 1994

Sampras won the first of his two Australian Open titles in 1994, defeating American Todd Martin in the final.

Undefeated in 1995 Davis Cup singles

Jan 1, 1995 - Dec 3, 1995

Sampras was undefeated in Davis Cup singles in 1995 with six wins and no losses, helping lead the United States to the Davis Cup title.

Upset by Krajicek at 1996 Wimbledon

Jul 3, 1996

1996 was the only year in the eight Wimbledons between 1993 and 2000 that Sampras failed to win the tournament, losing on Centre Court to Richard Krajicek, one of only two defeats he suffered there.

Begins streak of four straight Wimbledon titles

Jul 6, 1997 - Jul 9, 2000

Sampras won four consecutive Wimbledon singles titles from 1997 to 2000, equaling Novak Djokovic and second only to Björn Borg and Roger Federer.

Image source: Wimbledon Championships

Begins streak of four straight Wimbledon titles

Loses epic five-setter to Rafter at 1998 US Open

Sep 13, 1998

The two met in the semifinals of the 1998 US Open, where Sampras called for a trainer, and Rafter broke Sampras twice in the deciding fifth set to win.

24-match win streak capped by 1999 Wimbledon title

Jun 20, 1999 - Jul 4, 1999

By the summer of 1999, having compiled a 24-match winning streak of four titles, Sampras beat Agassi in the Wimbledon final in straight sets and later beat Rafter in the Cincinnati Masters final.

Reaches 2000 Australian Open semifinals

Jan 30, 2000

Sampras reached the semifinals of the Australian Open in early 2000, falling to the eventual champion Andre Agassi in a five-set match.

Wins record 13th major at 2000 Wimbledon

Jul 9, 2000

Sampras beat Patrick Rafter in the 2000 Wimbledon final to claim his 13th major title and return to the world No. 1 ranking; AP News called him the greatest of his generation after the victory.

Loses 2000 US Open final to Marat Safin

Sep 10, 2000

At the 2000 US Open, Sampras overcame Richard Krajicek and Lleyton Hewitt en route to the final, but lost the championship match to Marat Safin.

Loses to Federer at 2001 Wimbledon

Jul 2, 2001

Sampras suffered his second-ever defeat on Centre Court at Wimbledon, falling to a young Roger Federer in a passing-of-the-torch fourth-round match.

Wins 14th and final major at 2002 US Open

Sep 8, 2002

Following a decline in form, Sampras claimed his 14th and last major at the 2002 US Open over long-time rival Andre Agassi in their first US Open final meeting since 1995, then retired from the sport aged 31.

Rankings and Honors

Finishes 1990 ranked world No. 5

Dec 31, 1990

Following his breakthrough US Open title, Sampras finished 1990 ranked world No. 5, establishing himself among the game's elite players.

Becomes world No. 1 with two major titles in 1993

Apr 12, 1993

In 1993, Sampras won two major titles including Wimbledon and reached the world No. 1 ranking, launching a dominant era atop men's tennis.

Named ATP Player of the Year six consecutive times

Dec 31, 1993 - Dec 31, 1998

Sampras was named ATP Player of the Year in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998, reflecting six years of sustained dominance on tour.

ITF World Champion from 1993 to 1998

Dec 31, 1993 - Dec 31, 1998

The International Tennis Federation named Sampras its World Champion for six consecutive years, from 1993 through 1998.

Battle for world No. 1 in 1995

Jan 1, 1995 - Dec 31, 1995

In 1995, Sampras battled for the world No. 1 ranking throughout the season while winning Wimbledon and the US Open, ultimately finishing the year on top.

Holds year-end No. 1 for sixth straight year

Dec 31, 1998

In 1998, Sampras held the No. 1 ranking for the entire year and joined Jimmy Connors (1974–1978) as the only male players to hold the year-end No. 1 ranking six consecutive times.

Image source: List of WTA number 1 ranked singles tennis players

Named GQ Individual Athlete of the Year

Dec 31, 2000

Sampras received GQ's Individual Athlete Award for Man of the Year in 2000, recognizing his achievements on and off the court.

Image source: GQ

Rivalries

Loses to Agassi at the 1992 French Open

Jun 2, 1992

Sampras and Agassi met at the 1992 French Open, where Agassi won the quarterfinal in straight sets in one of the early chapters of their storied rivalry.

Beats defending champion Agassi at Wimbledon 1993

Jun 29, 1993

In the quarterfinals of Wimbledon 1993, Agassi was the defending champion and Sampras was the newly crowned No. 1; Sampras prevailed on his way to the title.

Beats Agassi in five finals during 1995

Jan 1, 1995 - Sep 10, 1995

Notable Sampras–Agassi matches of 1995 included the finals of the Australian Open, Newsweek Champions Cup, Lipton International Players Championships, Canadian Open, and US Open, with Sampras winning the Newsweek Champions Cup and the US Open.

Image source: Agassi–Sampras rivalry

Beats Becker in the 1995 Wimbledon final

Jul 9, 1995

Sampras beat Boris Becker three times at Wimbledon between 1993 and 1997, including the 1995 final, cementing his dominance at the All England Club.

Rafter beats Sampras in 1998 Cincinnati Masters final

Aug 16, 1998

Patrick Rafter beat Sampras in the 1998 Cincinnati Masters final, part of a competitive rivalry in which Rafter once said, "We're not the best of mates."

Image source: Pat Rafter

Defeats Agassi in four tiebreak sets at 2001 US Open

Sep 5, 2001

Sampras defeated Agassi in the 2001 US Open quarterfinals in four tiebreak sets, one of the most dramatic matches in their rivalry.

Personal Life

Signs endorsement deal with Nike

Jan 1, 1994

After an earlier apparel deal, Sampras signed with Nike in 1994, beginning a long-term partnership that lasted through the rest of his career.

Marries Bridgette Wilson

Sep 30, 2000

On September 30, 2000, Sampras married American actress and former Miss Teen USA Bridgette Wilson.

Image source: Bridgette Wilson

First son born

Nov 21, 2002

On November 21, 2002, Sampras and his wife Bridgette Wilson welcomed their first son.

Announces retirement from professional tennis

Aug 25, 2003

Having not competed in any tour events since his 2002 US Open triumph, Sampras officially announced his retirement in August 2003, just prior to the US Open.

Key Facts

Pete Sampras was born on August 12, 1971, in Washington, D.C., and turned professional in 1988 at age 16.
He won his first Grand Slam title at the 1990 US Open at just 19 years old, defeating Andre Agassi in the final.
Sampras won a then-record 14 Grand Slam singles titles, including seven Wimbledon and five US Open championships.
He finished six consecutive years (1993-1998) as the world No. 1 ranked player, an ATP record.
His final match was the 2002 US Open final, where he defeated Andre Agassi to win his 14th major before retiring in 2003.

Source

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