Growing up in Palos Verdes, CA, Pete Sampras started playing tennis at the age of 7. Under the tutelage of early coach Pete Fischer, Sampras made a name for himself as an up-and-coming star while competing in the juniors against the likes of David Wheaton, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier and Michael Chang. In 1988, Sampras joined the ATP tour at the age of 16 and won his first professional tournament on February 12, 1990 in Philadelphia. He quickly reached the #1 ranking on April 12th, 1993, only three years after turning professional.
During his outstanding career, Sampras won 64 singles titles, including 14 Grand Slams and 11 ATP Masters Series titles. He held the #1 world ranking for a record 286 weeks and was the year-end #1 for a record six consecutive years from 1993 to 1998. He won the men's singles title at Wimbledon a record seven times, the US Open five times and the Australian Open twice.
Sampras was named ATP "Player of the Year" for six consecutive years (1993-98) and the US Olympic Committee voted him "Sportsman of the Year" in 1997 making him the first tennis player ever to receive the award. Pete was also awarded GQ Magazine's "Individual Athlete Award" for the "Man of the Year" issue in 2000 and was voted 48th on ESPN SportsCentury's "Top 50 Greatest North American Athletes".
Sampras announced his retirement at the 2003 US Open and was honored by tennis legends such as John McEnroe, Boris Becker, Jim Courier and Andre Agassi. In February 2006, Sampras joined World Team Tennis (WTT). WTT, a 12-team league co-founded by legendary Billie Jean King, has featured such stars as Steffi Graf, John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova and Venus Williams. On July 17, 2007, Sampras was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. In a February 2008 exhibition match during the SAP Open, Sampras defeated former World No. 2 Tommy Haas in 43 minutes. In 2009, Sampras won two Outback Champions Series titles. He defeated John McEnroe in the final of the Champions Cup Boston in February and Patrick Rafter in the final of The Del Mar Development Champions Cup in March.
Sampras continues to devote his time and energy to many charitable causes, including the Tim and Tom Gullikson Foundation, Vitas Gerulaitis Youth Foundation and Kids Stuff Foundation, Avon Breast Cancer and the Revlon Breast Cancer Research Center. Since 2000, Sampras has hosted the Pete Sampras Classic, a celebrity golf tournament which benefits the Tim and Tom Gullikson Foundation, for which he is also a Board Member.
Pete Sampras and his wife, actress Bridgette Wilson, have two sons, Christian and Ryan. They currently reside in Los Angeles, CA.
Pete Sampras, Tennis Legend, is available through IMG Speakers Bureau for speaking engagements. Pete Sampras is also available for corporate hospitality events, business seminars, tennis outings, tennis clinics, celebrity appearances, meet and greets, and much more. Please contact IMG Speakers at 212-774-6735 or speakers@imgworld.com for more information on booking Pete Sampras.
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