Pete Sampras Essay -- essays research papers fc

Pete Sampras the American Sensation The reason why I chose to do my research paper on Pete Sampras is because I love to play tennis, and Pete is the greatest tennis player alive. I have always made him my role model, and I hope to one day meet him. I try and model my tennis game after his and it has really helped my tennis game. Pete Sampras is my childhood hero, and that is the reason why I chose the topic of Pete Sampras. Pete was born on August 12, 1971. in Washington, DC. Although Pete was born in Washington, he grew up in Palos Verdes, California. Pete is a direct descendent of Sam and Georgia Sampras. Pete has three Siblings one elder and two younger. The elder sibling is Stella, the current head tennis coach at UCLA. Pete's younger sister Marion has not decided on a career yet, and Pete's third sibling is his only brother, Gus who is the Current Assistant Tournament Director at Scottsdale ATP Tour Event (Role Models). Pete began playing tennis at the age of seven, and when he was nine, his father asked Pete Fischer, a physician and amateur player, to hit with his son. Fischer was so impressed with Pete's ability, he became Pete's personal coach. When Pete was eleven, he had the opportunity to hit with his childhood hero Rod Laver. Pete later told his coach that he was so nervous he couldn't get the ball over the net. Pete rarely won a major junior tournament. Fischer believed that someone of his talent should play up in age groups against older and stronger players to develop his all around game. When Pete reached the age of 14, Fischer changed Pete's two-handed backhand to a one-handed. At the same time of his backhand switch Fischer switched Pete from a safe defensive baseliner to a risky serve and volleyer. The reason he did this was to try and make Pete feel much more laid back and in the end it worked. Pete turned pro at the age of 16 following his junior year in high-school. By the late 1980's, Pete split with his coach Pete Fischer because Pete felt that Fischer was an overbearing perfectionist. After the split with Fischer, Pete picked up a new coach, Tim Gullikson. Tim Gullikson showed Pete the value of playing percentage tennis--going for smart, conservative shots rather than flashy, difficult ones. On May 3, 1996, Gullik... ...aw: 96 R128 Bye, () N/A R64 Kiefer, Nicolas (GER ) 36 6-3 3-6 6-3 R32 Roddick, Andy (USA ) 131 6-7(2) 3-6 (S.L. Price) As you can see Pete has had a few wins but about two years ago, the peak of his career, he wouldn't have lost to any of those players. If you noticed in the Miami Ericsson open he was beat by Andy Roddick a young 19 year old player who just turned pro. That just reinstates my point that he will not be able to keep up with the young up and comers. WORKS CITED 1. " Role Models on the Web: Pete Sampras" April 27, 2000 Available: www.rolemodel.net/Sampras/Sampras.html April 27, 2001 2. Price, S.L. "The Passion of Pete Sampras." Sports Illustrated May 26 1997: 56-63 3. "Pete Sampras." Current Biography. 14th edition. The HW Publishing Company 233-242