![]() In his first Grand Slam singles match, Sampras lost to No. 39 Michiel Schapers at a US Open warm-up tournament in Rye Brook, New York. He did not defeat another top-40 player for almost six months, at which point he defeated No. However, just one week later, at the Lipton International Players Championships in Miami, Sampras defeated two top-40 players, before losing to No. His first professional match was a loss to Sammy Giammalva, Jr. Sampras turned professional in 1988, at the age of 16, and finished the year ranked world No. Professional career 1988: Turning professional Fischer was responsible for converting Sampras's double-handed backhand to single-hand with the goal of being better prepared to win Wimbledon. Peter Fischer, a pediatrician and tennis enthusiast, who coached Sampras until 1989. The key was an emphasis on driving through the ball and not hitting extreme topspin. The forehand he learned from Lansdorp was the same forehand he used throughout his career. As a teenager, Sampras trained with tennis coach Robert Lansdorp. The Sampras family joined the Jack Kramer Club, and it was here that Sampras's talent became apparent. From early on, his great idol was Rod Laver, and at the age of 11, Sampras met and played tennis with the legend. In 1978, the Sampras family moved to Palos Verdes, California, and the warmer climate there allowed the seven year-old Sampras to play tennis for most of the year. At the age of 3, he discovered a tennis racket in the basement of his home and spent hours hitting balls against the wall. He attended regular services of the Greek Orthodox Church on Sundays. His mother emigrated from Sparta, Greece, and his father was born in the United States to a Greek father, Costas "Gus" Sampras, and a Polish-Jewish mother, Sarah Steinberg. He is the third child of Soterios "Sammy" and Georgia (née Vroustouris) Sampras. Petros Sampras ( Greek: Πέτρος "Πητ" Σάμπρας) was born on Augin Washington, D.C. In 2007, he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. A right-handed player with a single-handed backhand, his precise and powerful serve earned him the nickname "Pistol Pete". 1 ranking in 1993, and held that position for a total of 286 weeks ( third all time), including an Open Era record of six consecutive Year-End No. Sampras won 14 major singles titles during his career, which was an all-time record at the time of his retirement: a then-record seven Wimbledon titles, two Australian Opens and a joint Open Era record five US Open titles. His professional career began in 1988 and ended at the 2002 US Open, which he won, defeating his longtime rival Andre Agassi in the final. Sampras is regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. ![]() Petros " Pete" Sampras ( Greek: Πέτρος Σάμπρας born August 12, 1971) is an American former world No.
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