Wimbledon legend disappeared from public life amid tragic diagnosis
Wimbledon legend disappeared from public life amid tragic diagnosis
Pete Sampras is regarded as one of the greatest tennis players ever but has stayed out of the public eye in recent years
Sampras has shied away from the public eye in recent years
The 2025 Wimbledon Championships are underway, with the world's top tennis talents looking to write their names into the tournament's history books.
Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter are the two big British hopes in the women's singles competition as they look to get to the best of the likes of Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini and last year's champion Barbora Krejcikova. In the men's singles, meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz is looking to triumph for a third successive year, having beaten Novak Djokovic in the 2023 and 2024 finals.
However, even if Alcaraz does lift his third title in as many years, he has some way to go to match the achievements of one of the tournament's greatest ever competitors.
Pete Sampras dominated the competition at SW19 throughout the 1990s, winning the men's singles title at all but one of the tournaments between 1993 and 2000.
His total of seven Wimbledon singles titles puts him behind only the great Roger Federer - who has eight - in the all-time standings, and level with Djokovic and 19th century player William Renshaw.
Sampras' dominant run at the All England Club helped him to become one of the most successful tennis players of all time, with 14 Grand Slam titles to his name, including five US Open wins and two triumphs at the Australian Open.
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Pete Sampras
(Image: Birmingham Post and Mail )
He retired in 2003, having cemented his status as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport and made a huge $43.3 million (£31.6 million) in prize money over the course of his career.
In retirement, he has taken to the court on several occasions to play exhibition matches, but recent times have seen Sampras disappear from public life almost completely having gone through a difficult time in his family life.
The now-53-year-old married actress and former Miss Teen USA Bridgette Wilson in 2000 after nine months of dating and they have gone on to have two sons, Christian, who is 22, and Ryan who is 19.
In 2023, Sampras revealed that his wife - who starred in films including The Wedding Planner and I Know What You Did Last Summer - had ovarian cancer.
In a statement released via the ATP Tour, the tennis legend said: "As most have come to know, I am a pretty quiet and private person. However, this past year has been an exceptionally challenging time for my family, and I have decided to share what's been going on."
"Last December, my wife, Bridgette, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Since then, she has had major surgery, pushed through chemotherapy and continues with targeted maintenance therapy."
'It is hard to watch someone you love go through a challenge like this,' he added.
'However, seeing our boys step up and be such strong supporters of Bridgette, myself and each other has been amazing. Watching Bridgette continue to be an incredible mom and wife through it all has been inspiring.
'I have also learned that it is very hard to reach for support when something is simply too hard to talk about. With that said, I will end this by humbly asking for good thoughts and prayers for our family as Bridgette continues to thrive on her healing journey. Thank you.'
Amid the sad news, Sampras - who was known as 'Pistol Pete' during his playing career due to his formidable first serve - has remained largely away from the public eye.
He was spotted publicly in December 2024, having made a rare public appearance five years earlier when he played alongside Djokovic in an exhibition match at the 2019 BNP Paribas Open.
Meanwhile, earlier this month, he was spotted by paparazzi buying coffee in Beverly Hills, California in another rare sighting.
An insider later told Mail Online: "Pete has always shied away from taking on all the benefits of being a celebrity as he has always considered himself a tennis player and a regular dude.
"He loves being a homebody and only selectively is he seen when he goes out, and he loves it. He loves being able to visit his sisters and brother who he is very close with and just more about being a husband and a father and just taking things day by day.
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"Through tennis, Pete learned that you have to be your own person to succeed, and that is how he treats life, being his own person and allowing only a few people to surround him in his everyday life," they added.
"It is what has worked for him for decades and he isn't looking to change anytime soon. He enjoys the more than expected anonymity he is blessed with."
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