Pete Sampras, who won 14 major tiles and held the Grand Slam record for about 10 years, is known for his achievements in tennis. Yet his personal life remains a mystery for his fans. Unlike most of the modern-day greats, Sampras is not quite active on social media. He prefers living a low-key life with his wife and sons.

For Sampras, an awkward first date at an Italian restaurant translated into a marriage of more than 22 years and it is still going strong. After dating for 9 months, Sampras married Bridgette Wilson on September 30, 2000. The couple has two sons: Christian Charles Sampras, and Ryan Nikolaos Sampras. His autobiography ‘Pete Sampras: Greatness Revisited’ did provide us with plenty of valuable input, especially on why he fell for his wife.

Pete Sampras explains why Bridgette was the one for him

Pete Sampras was always a quiet figure. Unlike the other prominent celebrities, he did not spend much time in photoshoots or collaborations. In a decade where celebrities like Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur, and Michael Jordan were in the American headlines every day, Pete decided to live a quiet life. Ideally, he also wished to marry someone as quiet as him.

In Steve Flink’s book, ‘Pete Sampras: Greatness Revisited‘, the 14-time major champion weighed in on this topic. He then went on to explain why Bridgette Wilson was the one for him. Sampras said, “Bridgette was there for me. She put her career aside after we were married. Bridgette always wanted to be a mother. That is why I knew she was the one for me. She loved her work and was very good at it and did 30 movies, but ultimately she wanted to be a wife and mom and not be pulled in other directions.”

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Wilson was featured in plenty of movies in the 90s. However, after her marriage, she did not take up many movies. After having her second child in 2005, she only acted in one movie in 2008 before calling it quits. Sampras said, “Since we have been married she has done maybe a little work, but taking care of our kids has been her main job. She couldn’t imagine sitting in a makeup trailer for herself, doing movies, and missing something with the kids. It is rare to find that in this town.”

Amid Struggling Phase in Career, 51-Year-Old American Tennis Legend Pete Sampras Once Lashed Out at Sports Anchor for Belittling His Pregnant Wife

Sampras, on the other hand, did the same after his marriage. In fact, he did not play a single professional match after his first child was born.

Sampras retired before his kids were born

Among all sporting farewells, Sampras’ retirement sits on top. He was completely out of form in his final year on tour in 2002. However, he turned back the clock to win the US Open against archrival Andre Agassi in the final. The American did not play a professional match after the final and announced his retirement the next year. His first child was born just a few days after his US Open success.

Sampras and Bridgette have led a quiet life following the birth of their first child. They mainly focused on raising their kids, even if it meant putting an end to their illustrious professional careers.

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