In the ninth profile of a series on the 26 players to rise to No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, ATPTour.com looks back on the career of Pete Sampras. View Full List

First Week As No. 1: 12 April 1993
Total Weeks At No. 1: 286
Year-End No. 1: 1993-1998

As World No. 1
With 286 weeks at the top of the FedEx ATP Rankings, Sampras is second on the all-time list for most weeks at No. 1 (although Novak Djokovic was just four weeks from that mark when the ATP Tour and the FedEx ATP Rankings were suspended in March 2020 due to COVID-19). The American first took the No. 1 spot from Jim Courier on 12 April 1993 and held onto it for the majority of the next seven years, finally relinquishing it for good to Marat Safin on 20 November 2000.

Although seven other players would grab the No. 1 ranking during Sampras’ reign of dominance, Andre Agassi was the only player to hold onto it for more than a handful of weeks. His longest stretch at the top lasted for 102 weeks (15 April 1996 – 29 March 1998) and is the fifth-longest run at No. 1 in ATP Tour history. The American is also the only player to hold the year-end No. 1 ranking on six occasions (1993-1998).

Grand Slam Highlights
Before any of the Big Three claimed their maiden Grand Slam titles, Sampras was the most dominant singles player of all-time at major championships with 14 crowns. He earned his first major title as a relatively unknown 19-year-old at the 1990 US Open and would win at least one Grand Slam for nine of the next 12 years.

Sampras became synonymous with Wimbledon in the ‘90s, winning seven titles (1993-1995, 1997-2000) and holding a staggering 63-7 (90%) record. His final triumph at the All England Club in 2000 (d. Rafter) gave the American 13 Grand Slam titles, surpassing Roy Emerson’s record.

He was nearly as dominant at the US Open, winning five times (1990, 1993, 1995-1996, 2002) and finishing runner-up on three occasions (1992, 2000-2001). The normally subdued serve-and-volleyer was often at his most emotional in New York and produced several dramatic victories there throughout his career. His final major title at the 2002 US Open, his first in two years, was the final event of his career.

Sampras also enjoyed success at the Australian Open, winning two times (1994, 1997) and also reaching the final in 1995. However, his net-charging game historically struggled on the red clay of Roland Garros and his best result was a semi-final showing in 1996.

Nitto ATP Finals Highlights
Sampras is a five-time champion at the Nitto ATP Finals (1991, 1994, 1996-1997, 1999), tied in second place with Novak Djokovic for most titles at this event. He was a perennial staple at the season-ending championships throughout the ‘90s and qualified for 11 straight years (1990-2000). The American always saved his best tennis for his last event of the season, clearing the round-robin stage in every appearance apart from his debut.

Sampras rallied from a set down to defeat Jim Courier in the 1991 final and repeated that effort in defending his title against Boris Becker. He avenged a loss to Becker during the round-robin stage of the 1996 event by defeating him in an epic five-set final in front of his home crowd in Hanover, then once again defending his title the following year by blitzing Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the championship match.

Sampras’ last Nitto ATP Finals crown in 1999 saw him twice defeat Agassi, dropping just four games in their round-robin clash before scoring a straight-sets win in the final. He finished with a career 35-14 record at this event as he competed across Frankfurt, Hanover and Lisbon.

ATP Masters 1000 Highlights
The California native picked up 11 ATP Masters 1000 titles throughout his career, eight of which came on home soil. He won twice at the BNP Paribas Open (1994-1995) and three times at the Miami Open presented by Itau (1993-1994, 2000), becoming only the second player to complete the ‘Sunshine Double’ in 1994. His triumph in Miami was due in part to a generous display of sportsmanship from Agassi, who agreed to push the final back an hour so Sampras could have more time to recover from a stomach illness.

Sampras’ most dominant Masters 1000 runs came in two of his three championship efforts at the Western & Southern Open (1992, 1997, 1999) as he stormed through the draws in 1997 and 1999 without dropping a set. He also excelled at the Rolex Paris Masters, battling to the winners’ circle in 1995 (d. Becker) and 1997 (d. Korda). And for all of his well-documented troubles on clay, Sampras claimed a Masters 1000 title on the surface with his convincing win over Becker in the 1994 Internazionali BNL d’Italia final.

Biggest Rivalries
The rivalry between Sampras and Agassi during the ’90s transcended tennis and is considered one of the greatest rivalries in sports. Both men were polar opposites: Agassi’s baseline power against Sampras’ penchant for net-rushing, the flamboyant Las Vegas native and the conservative Californian. But like most great rivalries, their differences made for compelling viewing on and off the court.

Sampras leads their ATP Head2Head rivalry 20-14 and holds a flawless record on grass (2-0), while Agassi dominated their clay-court battles (3-1). Sampras also excelled in their major championship battles (6-3), including a 4-1 record in Grand Slam finals. He fittingly won his first Grand Slam title over Agassi in the 1990 US Open final and his last in the 2002 US Open final.

After Agassi went on a four-match winning streak from 1999-2001, Sampras’ coach, Paul Annacone, had him change tactics by going for bigger second serves and more backhand drive returns off Agassi’s second serve. The strategy worked and Sampras reversed the tide by taking the last three matches of their rivalry.

Sampras also had numerous high-profile matches throughout the ’90s against Boris Becker. But while their ATP Head2Head series was relatively even with Sampras leading 12-7, the American stepped up when it mattered most. He won six of their seven finals, including the 1994 and 1996 title matches at the Nitto ATP Finals, 1995 Wimbledon and 1994 Rome. Sampras held a flawless 3-0 record against the German in Grand Slam matches, all of which took place at Wimbledon. 

Memorable Moment
Although Agassi and Sampras’ 2001 US Open quarter-final, which saw Sampras prevail in four tie-breaks, is widely considered to be their most famous match, Sampras’ repeat victory in the 2002 US Open final provided a fairytale ending to his career. Having not won a tour-level title since 2000 Wimbledon, he endured retirement questions in most of his press conferences. The American entered New York that year as the No. 17 seed and was considered a long shot to take the title.

But with the crowds fervently behind him, Sampras ousted Tommy Haas and Andy Roddick en route to the championship match. He saved his best tennis for last by defeating Agassi 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 for his fifth US Open crown, matching Jimmy Connors’ Open Era record of five championships at this event, a feat which Roger Federer would also later accomplish. At age 31, Sampras became the oldest champion in New York since Ken Rosewall (35) in 1970.

But it was what Sampras didn’t do afterwards that defined the moment in tennis history. Although he didn’t retire on the spot, Sampras couldn’t muster the drive to enter any events over the next 12 months and retired the following year in a special ceremony in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Agassi On Sampras
“I’ve played some of the most memorable matches of my career against Pete – come out on both sides of that. We’re just opposite. We’re opposite in everything we do. Out there on the court, we’re two styles that are going against each other. It allows for many aspects of the game to kind of reveal themselves. And it’s exciting to play against it, because every point, something special seems like it can happen.”

Sampras On Sampras
“I let my racquet do the talking. That’s what I’m all about really. I just go out and win tennis matches.”

“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.”

“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 US 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.”

Broadcaster/Journalist Graeme Agars
Regarded as one of the great fast-court players of all time, Sampras was all business on court as his big serve and tight volley powered him to his 64 career tour-level trophies, rarely showing much emotion on the way.

But there was one memorable exception and that came in a late night Australian Open quarter-final clash with fellow American Jim Courier. Courier had won the first two sets in tie-breaks and established an early third-set break of serve. But then the momentum of the now famous match turned as Sampras fought back to force a fifth set.

As he prepared to serve to begin the final set, Sampras began sobbing with tears clearly streaming down his face. It was so obvious Sampras was emotionally struggling that Courier asked, from across the net, if he was OK and even offered to finish the match the next day.

Sampras covered his tears in a towel during change of ends, but somehow managed to continue and eventually win the epic match 6-3 in the fifth set. It was only after the match that people learned that Pete’s coach Tim Gullikson had been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour before the championship began.

Editor’s Note: But for the COVID-19 pandemic, Wimbledon would now be underway. During the next two weeks, ATPTour.com will look back on memorable matches and happenings at the grass-court Grand Slam.

Before it was demolished in 2009, the original No. 2 court at Wimbledon was known as the “Graveyard of Champions” due to several top stars falling to unheralded players on the court throughout tournament history. But out of all the headline-grabbing stunners in that stadium, George Bastl’s second-round defeat of Pete Sampras in 2002 arguably tops the list.

The 27-year-old Swiss, then No. 145 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, lost in the final round of qualifying against Alexander Waske. He only snuck into the main draw after Felix Mantilla pulled out due to injury. Bastl made the most of his second chance by shocking Sampras, the seven-time Wimbledon champion and No. 13 seed, 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4 for the biggest win of his career. The loss marked Sampras’ earliest exit from the All England Club in 11 years.

“It’s a nice story, isn’t it?” Bastl said afterwards. “I gave myself chances because I was practising on grass for the past three weeks. I had won my past three matches and I knew my game was improving match by match. I felt I would have some sort of a chance.’’

Sampras hadn’t won a tour-level title since defeating Patrick Rafter in the 2000 Wimbledon final and critics began to raise retirement questions after a performance that was well below his standards. The American struggled to find the timing on his serve, missed several routine forehands and appeared slower than in previous years.

Bastl remained calm when Sampras managed to level the match from two sets down and didn’t show nerves when victory was once again within reach. He shouted in delight after Sampras hit a forehand well long on match point and tossed his wristbands into the crowd. Meanwhile, Sampras sat stunned for several minutes before slowly walking off court to a standing ovation.

“I wasn’t at my best,’’ Sampras said. “But I felt like I was going to win the match, even though I was down two sets to love. It’s disappointing. I fought hard to get back into the match. It will be a tough flight home, knowing this is going on and I’m not here.

“I’m not going to end my time here with that loss. I want to end it on a high note and so I plan on being back. As long as I feel like I can continue to win majors and contend, I’ll continue to play.’’

Bastl quickly fell in the next round to eventual runner-up David Nalbandian and primarily played on the ATP Challenger Tour for the rest of his career. Although Sampras never returned to Wimbledon as a competitor, he fulfilled his goal of ending on a high note. He won the US Open three months later in what would be his final professional event.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated to correct the score. Sampras won the fourth set.

In the fifth episode, Michael Mmoh talks about the movement towards racial equality and social justice and how he’s been inspired by the recent wave of activism. The 22-year-old also provides an update on his training and gives us a tour of his new home…

Embracing the unexpected and seizing new opportunities is a part of life. For tennis players, that’s no different.

In recent months, Michael Mmoh has taken this philosophy to heart. Just one year ago, the American was sitting on the sidelines due to a persistent shoulder injury. He was steadily making progress in his return to form, but, as the calendar flipped to 2020, he admits that his shoulder was still not feeling 100 per cent. Mmoh would push through the pain over the course of a swing of events, but needed more time to fully recover.

Now, with his sights firmly set on returning to the Top 100 of the FedEx ATP Rankings, the 22-year-old is taking full advantage of the stoppage in play on the ATP Challenger Tour. Committing these last four months to getting the shoulder right and getting in top shape has been the ultimate priority for Mmoh. While unexpected, the break couldn’t have come at a better time.

“I’m hitting a solid five times a week now. I’m ramping it up. Now I’m hitting for two and half hours and doing more fitness and more therapy. I’m just taking care of my body. To this point in my career, I haven’t had a full season where I’ve been healthy. I’m using this time to build my body, so whenever we get back on tour, it’s ready to go and it won’t break down.

“During this time, I don’t know how many people can say this, but I’ve gotten more fit and everything I want out of my body. I train now and I’m not getting sore. My shoulder isn’t an issue anymore and that was a big problem before the break. I’ve been doing the right things to make sure my body is in the right place.”

With his shoulder on the mend, a title on the indoor hard courts of Knoxville capped a rollercoaster 2019 season for Mmoh. And as he fought to rediscover his form, fitness and confidence, the victory most importantly earned him a main draw wild card into the Australian Open.

The Florida native would not waste the opportunity, securing his first Grand Slam match victory and returning to the Top 200 of the FedEx ATP Rankings. Just 15 months after peaking at No. 96, Mmoh was gaining momentum in his push for a Top 100 return.

Now, having trained with the likes of Denis Shapovalov, Miomir Kecmanovic and Sebastian Korda (at IMG Academy in Florida) during the tour’s suspension, Mmoh is working hard to pick up where he left off. He believes that the ability to train at a high level with fellow world-class athletes is critical to success.

“It’s huge having these guys to hit with. If I was just solo and I didn’t see any of my peers, it would be tough on the motivational side. Trying to push yourself every day and you don’t have a goal to see the results. But when I have Misha (Kecmanovic) right next to me or I’m playing sets against Sebi (Korda), I want to keep my level high. We’re all pushing each other and having everyone in one place training, it’s been very beneficial.”

#NextGenATP star Alex de Minaur is nicknamed ‘Demon’. His physical attributes — blinding speed and relentless groundstrokes — certainly make him a demon to play against. But it’s the 21-year-old’s attitude that sets him apart.

“Every day counts. You don’t realise that at such a young age, but as soon as you start maturing a bit and you have a couple more years of experience, you realise that if you want to be at the top and you want to play against these top guys, you’ve just got to constantly improve,” De Minaur said. “You can’t be satisfied with your level and where you’re at. You’ve always got to want to push for more and strive for higher: higher rankings, higher-level matches and hopefully beat higher-ranked opponents as well.”

De Minaur took his first tennis lesson aged four in Sydney. At five, his family moved to Spain for the next eight years. They returned to Australia for three years after that before going back to Spain once more. That was mostly because of his parents’ business. But De Minaur, who learned a lot from experiencing both cultures, enjoyed tennis through it all.

“I reckon as soon as I competed for the first time when I was eight years old [I] wanted to be a tennis player. I enjoyed it so much and since then I’ve just tried to play as much tennis as I could and improve as much as I could,” De Minaur said. “I’m fortunate enough to be in the situation that I am playing with all these guys who I grew up watching.

“Any time there was a Roger-Rafa final at a Grand Slam event, those were probably the matches I would watch on repeat, nonstop. Those are the matches that gave me the hunger and drive to achieve my dreams as a tennis player and to try and keep improving to hopefully one day be in that situation.”

De Minaur, a two-time Next Gen ATP Finals competitor, won his first three ATP Tour titles last year. He has overcome adversity, too. The Aussie dealt with a groin injury in the first half of 2019 and an abdominal tear earlier this season.

“There are always ups and downs in the journey. There are always bumps. But you just have to keep pushing through,” De Minaur said. “It’s not always going to go your way. But if you have the right mentality and you look at things in a positive manner, sort of putting yourself in the right direction, that’s the most important thing.”

Remaining close to his roots has helped De Minaur. He loves returning home to spend time with family when his schedule allows, and he has worked with the same coach, Adolfo Gutierrez, for the past decade. The World No. 26 believes Gutierrez helps keep him grounded and focussed on the “important things”, including enjoying the work he puts in.

“We’ve grown up together. He’s watched me grow as a tennis player and as a person. It’s amazing to see the things we’ve been able to accomplish together,” De Minaur said. “He’s a constant reminder of where I came from and the struggles that have occurred for me to be where I am right now.”

De Minaur isn’t the loudest person off the court; he lets his actions and competitiveness speak for him. And as he continues his ascent, the Aussie will continue to leave everything he has out there.

“I would love to be known as that guy who is funny, nice and really chilled out off the court,” De Minaur said. “But as soon as I step out on court to be that guy who will never give up, will fight until the end and if you really want to beat him, you’re going to have to put me down.