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
Choking is being in a position to win, and then experiencing some critical failure of nerve or spirit. That never happened to me. And I can't help but think it was because I was never afraid to lose.
After I went through two years of not winning an event, what kept me going was winning one more major. Once I won that last U.S. Open, I spent the next six months trying to figure out what was next. Slowly my passion for the sport just vanished. I had nothing left to prove.
My serve was there, everything was just clicking. Those are the days you dream about, especially in a final.
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 could be a jerk and get a lot more publicity, but that's not who I am.
Where I fall down is my short game. I don't practice enough, and when I have to take a half swing from 50 yards out, that's trouble.
I am here for the goal, and the goal is to try to do it again.
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.
I'm maybe not quite as sharp as I used to be.
When I tied the record five years in a row, even over in Europe, it wasn't really talked about. It is disap-pointing because it is one of the toughest things to do in sports.
When you go through certain moments of your career and you're struggling, it just takes time. Time heals, when you're a little bit down.
I'm not going to give in to the critics. I'm going to stop on my own terms, not on when someone else thinks I should.
If I win and play well, then the ranking will take care of itself. Defending points is really not a problem. Just go out and play and not worry about it.
There should be more of an off-season in the game. I think you need to have less tournaments, more of a break at the end of the year so guys can recover.