"Guys like Ivan Lendl & Jimmy Connors, they just had to be World No. 1" - When Pete Sampras made honest admission about losing his motivation
Pete Sampras once openly admitted that he was losing motivation in the final years of his career. To explain his situation further, he referenced the experiences of legends like Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl.
Sampras was regarded as one of the sport’s all-time greats. He was the first male player to win an incredible 14 Grand Slam titles, a record that seemed almost untouchable at the time—until Roger Federer eventually surpassed it.
After dominating the 1990s alongside his rival Andre Agassi, the American experienced a decline in form in the early 2000s. He went over two years without a title after winning Wimbledon in 2000, causing his ranking to drop and sparking criticism about whether he should retire.
In 2001, Pete Sampras opened up in an interview with The Guardian about his struggles, admitting that he no longer had the energy needed to compete at his highest level. He also mentioned that, unlike Connors and Lendl, he didn’t have the same drive to reclaim the world No. 1 ranking.
"The levels of energy needed to get back there, I'm not sure if I have that any more," Sampras said.
"You know, those guys like [Ivan] Lendl and [Jimmy] Connors, they just had to be No1. I'm just trying to get myself a schedule that kind of feels right for me now, and that probably won't involve enough tennis to get back up there again," he added.
"I used to play in the neighbourhood of 23 events a season; now I doubt I'll play more than 14, maybe 15. I guess it's time for someone else to take over the reins," he continued.
Pete Sampras: "I don't want to come across like I'm stopping, I'm just reining in a little"
In the same interview with The Guardian, Pete Sampras was asked if retirement had ever crossed his mind amid his struggles with motivation. He responded that he had no such plans, adding that the privileges of his career were something he wasn’t ready to give up so easily.
"The word retirement is an official word. I don't want to come across like I'm stopping. I'm just reining in a little. I'm aware of the privilege of earning a living this way," he said.
"But I think as you grow older, you become more aware that there are cons as well as pros to this life. At the moment the pros still outweigh the cons. And you know, once it's over, it's over. You don't want to let go prematurely," he added.
Sampras officially hung up his racket on August 25, 2003, just before the start of the US Open. His last professional match, however, was the final of the New York Major a year ago, where he defeated Andre Agassi to win his 14th Grand Slam.