Sampras, Pete (săm`prəs), 1971–, American tennis player, b. Washington, D.C. Learning the game in the Los Angeles area, he rose to world tennis supremacy after becoming the youngest man to win the U.S. Open, in 1990. Tall and long-armed, he was noted for his powerful serve and overhead as well as for his fluidity on the court. He won 14 Grand Slam events—the record for a male tennis player—including the 1990, 1993, 1995–96, and 2002 U.S. Opens, the 1993–95 and 1997–2000 Wimbledon titles, and the 1994 and 1997 Australian Opens. In the 1990s he was the male player most consistently ranked first in the world, at one point for a record 286 consecutive weeks. He retired in 2003.

Sampras, Pete

(born Aug. 12, 1971, Washington, D.C., U.S.) U.S. tennis player. He learned tennis after moving to southern California in 1978. He was a five-time U.S. Open champion (1990, 1993, 1995–96, 2002), seven-time Wimbledon champion (1993–95, 1997–2000), and two-time Australian Open champion (1994, 1997). In 2000 he won his 7th Wimbledon men's singles trophy, setting a world record of 13 grand-slam victories; he claimed his 14th grand-slam title at the 2002 U.S. Open. He was known for his high-powered serves, accurate volleys, and unassuming demeanour. In 2003 Sampras retired from professional tennis. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2007.