Pete Sampras is considered to be one of the greatest tennis players in history. He has won 14 Grand Slam singles titles during his career and he finished at the top of the world rankings for 286 weeks straight from 1993 to 1998. In total, he won 62 singles titles and he has set numerous records during his career that started in 1988 and finished when he retired in 2002. In this article, we will be taking a look at Pete Sampras’ net worth in 2022.
Net Worth | $150 million |
Age | 50 |
Salary | Retired |
Sponsors | Sergio Tacchini, Dannon, Pizza Hut, Wilson, Nike |
Sport | Tennis |
Pete Sampras’ net worth in 2022 (estimate): $150 million
Pete Sampras’ net worth in 2022 is estimated to be at $150 million. This is agreed upon by multiple reputable sources such as Celebrity Net Worth.
Before we dive into his legendary career, let’s learn about the early life of Pete Sampras and how he got his start and interest in the sport of tennis.
Petros Sampras was born on August 12, 1971, in Washington, D.C. His mother, Georgia, emigrated from Sparta, Greece, and his father, Soterios, was born in the United States to a Greek father and Polish-Jewish mother.
When he was 3 years old, he found a tennis racquet in the basement of their house and spent hours hitting balls against the wall. At the age of seven years old, the Sampras family moved to Palos Verdes, California, where the warmer climate allowed Pete to play tennis for most of the year.
Growing up, Pete Sampras’ idol was Australian tennis player Rod Laver. At the age of 11, he had the chance to meet and play with the tennis legend. As a teenager, he trained with tennis coach Robert Lansdorp where he learned the same forehand technique that he used throughout his career. He then met Dr. Peter Fischer who helped him refine his double-handed backhand to a single-hand backhand.
In 1988, Pete Sampras turned pro at the age of 16. He finished his first year with a world ranking of 97 after starting the season at No. 893. In the Lipton International Players Championships in Miami, Sampras defeated two top-40 players before bowing out to No. 18 Emilio Sanchez.
The following year, Sampras got his first Grand Slam match victory in the first round of the French Open. In 1990, he won his first singles title during the Ebel U.S. Pro Indoor in Philadelphia where he defeated world No. 6 Andre Agassi, No. 8 Mayotte, and No. 18 Andres Gomez. The victory elevated shot him into the top 20 for the first time.
Pete Sampras won his first Grand Slam title in the 1990 US Open where he faced Andre Agassi and defeated him in straight sets to become the youngest male singles champion at the age of 19 years and 28 days. He finished the 1990 season ranked No. 5.
In 1992, Sampras played doubles with John McEnroe on the US Team that won the Davis Cup. On top of that, he represented the USA at the 1992 Olympics. Unfortunately, he lost in the third round to Russia’s Andrei Cherkasov.
In April 1993, Pete Sampras achieved the No. 1 ranking for the first time in his career. However, it was met with criticism as he did not win any Grand Slam titles prior to being No. 1. He eventually proved his ranking by winning his first Wimbledon title and second US Open title. He also set the ATP Tour record as the first player to serve more than 1,000 aces in a season.
He then won the 1994 Australian Open title and defended his Wimbledon title. Despite winning the Indian Wells and Wimbledon in 1995, the year was an emotional one for Sampras as his longtime coach and friend, Tim Gullikson, collapsed during the Australian Open and was forced to return to the US.
Sampras continued with the tournament but lost to Andre Agassi in the final. Gullikson was then diagnosed with brain cancer and eventually lost the battle the following year.
In 1997, he won the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the ATP Tour World Championships. He became the only player to win the Grand Slam Cup and the ATP Tour World Championships in the same year. He held the No. 1 rank for the whole year and earned a career-high prize money of $6,498,211.
Article Continues BelowPete Sampras started the 1999 season with a withdrawal from the Australian Open due to fatigue and the failure to win a title in the first part of the season. He then went on a 24-game winning streak, including a win over Andre Agassi in the Wimbledon final — with the match being cited as one of the greatest performances in a Wimbledon final.
In 2000, Pete Sampras won his 7th and final Wimbledon title. The following year, his 31-match Wimbledon streak was snapped by the 19-year-old Roger Federer. 2001 was the first year that Sampras did not win a single title, and he finished the season ranked No. 10, his lowest since 1989.
In the 2002 US Open, Sampras was seeded No. 17. After a hard-fought path, he faced longtime rival Andre Agassi in the final. The veterans battled for four sets before Sampras claimed his 14th Grand Slam singles title.
He did not compete in any tournaments in the next 12 months. He then officially announced his retirement in August 2003, right before the US Open started. At the time of his retirement, Pete Sampras was considered the greatest player of all time.
Pete Sampras won 64 singles titles, including 14 Grand Slams, and 2 doubles titles. His precise and powerful serve earned him the nickname of “Pistol Pete”.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Pete Sampras earned $43 million throughout his playing career. If converted to today’s money, it would amount to $75 million. Not only that, but he also earned around $100 million from endorsements.
In Wealthy Gorilla’s list of the richest tennis player in the world, Pete Sampras was ranked No. 7.
After his retirement, he played in multiple exhibition games from 2006 to 2011. He played against the likes of Roger Federer, Todd Martin, Tommy Haas, John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, and Milos Raonic.
Pete Sampras was also present in the 2009 Wimbledon final between Andy Roddick and Roger Federer to witness the latter eclipse his record of 14 Grand Slam titles. His record stood for seven years.
His name is one of the most iconic names that is intertwined with the history of tennis. His powerful serve and all-around playstyle made him dominant throughout his career.
With all of that being said, were you surprised about Pete Sampras’ net worth in 2022?