What happened to Pete Sampras after retirement? Tennis legend spotted in LA in rare public appearance

Pete Sampras, who many believe as the greatest tennis player of all time, has mostly been out of the public eye since retiring in 2002. Sampras Pete was the first man who won a record 14 Grand Slam titles, later eclipsed by Federer, Nadal and now Djokovic.

Pete Sampras was famously private even during the height of his career. According to the People, The 53 year old was recently spotted on a rare outing in Beverly Hills, wearing casual attire and was out grabbing a coffee.

Sampras’ retirement has been marked by his desire to be out of the public eye. Whereas so many of his contemporaries like Andre Agassi entered the Hollywood and broadcasting world, Sampras never chased fame off the court.

Following his win at the 2002 US Open, the final tournament of his career, he refused to conduct media tours and slipped home to California. He has rarely been seen in public since, except for occasional exhibition matches, including his doubles match with Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells in 2019.

According to reports, Sampras is now living a quiet and happy life with his family. He and his actress wife Bridgette Wilson Sampras are also parents to sons Christian and Ryan. According to Sports Illustrator, he plays golf and house tennis with friends and steers clear of the stresses of coaching or broadcasting.

"Every time I see him, he seems totally happy. He has a really good perspective and view on being a dad and a husband, and he does whatever he wants to do." Said Paul Annacone his long time coach to Daily Mail.

More about Pete Sampras's legacy and his family health struggles over the years

In 2023, Sampras spoke out publicly on a rare revelation that Bridgette had Ovarian Cancer. He shared her challenging journey though surgery and chemotherapy in an emotional statement, as he hailed her “strength” and the support of their sons.

The announcement was highly unusual for Sampras, emphasizing the severity of the situation. Since that time, there have been few updates and the family has stayed out of the public eye.

As most have come to know, I am a pretty quiet & private person. However, this past year has been an exceptionally challenging time for my family... Last December, my wife, Bridgette, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. He said in a statement at that time.

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Pete Sampras ended his glorious journey at the 2002 U.S. Open and did not play a single competitive match ever again. He didn’t confirm his retirement on the spot, but he officially retired in 2003. He subsequently competed in some tournaments on the senior tour. Pete Sampras' most renowned achievement is his 14 Grand Slam singles title wins.

According to Jagran Josh, he won Wimbledon seven times and the U.S. Open five times and also won the Australian Open twice in 1994 and 1997. The French Open was the only Grand Slam title that had eluded him. For his incredible achievements in the sport, Sampras was included in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2007.

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