"I’m not going to produce any cartwheels, not belong on Comedy Central" - When Pete Sampras spoke on being a tennis player instead of a 'celebrity'
Pete Sampras once discussed his personality, emphasizing his identity as a professional athlete instead of a celebrity.
Widely regarded as one of the best players in history, Sampras achieved a remarkable feat by winning 14 Grand Slam titles during his illustrious career, an all-time record at the time of his retirement. His extensive list of accomplishments also features 64 tour-level titles, including five at the year-end championships.
The American also held the World No. 1 ranking for 286 weeks, trailing only Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Furthermore, Sampras achieved a year-end No. 1 finish for six consecutive years, setting an Open Era record. He played the final match of his career in September 2002 and officially retired from the sport in August the following year.
Pete Sampras characterized his approach to the sport as letting his racquet do the talking, emphasizing his singular focus on winning matches.
"I let my racquet do the talking. That’s what I’m all about really. I just go out and win tennis matches," Pete Sampras said.
The American also described himself as someone not inclined to perform cartwheels or make appearances on Comedy Central, prioritizing his identity as a tennis player over that of a "celebrity."
"People know me. I’m not going to produce any cartwheels out there. I’m not going to belong on Comedy Central. I’ll always be a tennis player, not a celebrity," he said.
A brief look at Pete Sampras' 14 Grand Slam titles
Pete Sampras won his maiden Grand Slam title at the 1990 US Open, defeating arch-rival Andre Agassi 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 in the final. He clinched his second title at the New York Major by emerging victorious over Cedric Pioline 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the 1993 final. The American went on to win three more US Open titles, triumphing in 1995, 1996, and winning his final Major title in 2002.
Sampras claimed his second Grand Slam title at the 1993 Wimbledon Championships, defeating Jim Courier 7-6(3), 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-3 in the summit clash. He went on to triumph in 1994 and 1995 as well. The American's dominance at the grasscourt Major continued, winning four consecutive editions from 1997 to 2000.
Pete Sampras triumphed at the Australian Open on two occasions, emerging victorious against Todd Martin in the 1993 final and beating Carlos Moya in 1997.
The American fell short of achieving the career Grand Slam, having never won a French Open title. He achieved his best result at the clay court Major in 1996, losing to eventual champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the semifinals in straight sets.