A Champion's Mind - Pete Sampras

Guys retire for different reasons. Sometimes their bodies don’t hold up. Sometimes the game passes
them by and forces them out. Sometimes they’re just mentally fried and tired of the grind. Sometimes
family figures into it. For me, it was none of the above. My game was still there. My wife was so
supportive that if I’d laced up and run out a week after winning that last major, she would have been 100
percent supportive. She even said to me, “I hope you don’t feel like you have to quit now that you’ve got a
wife and family.”
It may sound odd, coming from a guy who was often said to lack emotion, but my decision to quit was
an emotional one. The love of the battle was gone from my heart.
The USTA had been in close contact with Paul, and after I pulled out of Wimbledon, they asked him if I
planned to play the U.S. Open. If not, they said they’d like to give me a retirement ceremony. It seemed
like the right time and place. I’d be able to take my family and say good-bye to tennis on my home soil, in
front of some of my greatest fans, in a dignified and appropriate way.
So Bridgette and our families traveled to New York in August and booked into the Plaza. The
magnitude of the occasion didn’t really hit me until we went out to the National Tennis Center on the day
of the ceremony—opening day of the U.S. Open. When I got there, it really hit me at gut level. I saw
Arthur Ashe Stadium again, and I saw all the guys, practicing and milling around. I thought, Wow, I’m
really into this, just being here and having a chance to go out this way is a great honor. . . . It really is
over.
I became emotional during the ceremony that evening, but I didn’t want to lose it so I kept my comments
brief and low-key. I was touched and honored to see so many of my rivals present—Boris Becker had
flown in from Germany just for the ceremony. It was like I was staring my entire career right in the face.
The words Jim Courier, Boris, Andre, and others said felt really good. Andre was there, even though he
had other things on his mind—like winning another U.S. Open title. I understood that—boy, did I ever. I
really appreciated Andre’s taking part.
All of the emotions of the previous twelve months hit me then. I was happy that I planned only a short
speech because I also wanted to enjoy and savor the sights and sounds, almost like a spectator would. The
more I drank in the atmosphere, the more convinced I was that I’d done the right thing. At moments I also
felt a twinge of sadness, knowing that it really was over.
The next day, former president Bill Clinton called me, and I did one last round of media appearances
on talk shows and such. Then we returned to Los Angeles. I didn’t return to New York again until July of
2007, after my induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
I still play and watch tennis. I’m partial to Roger Federer, although I respect the grit and courage of
Rafael Nadal, too. I miss Wimbledon, but I knew I would. In 2007, officials of the club contacted me and
asked if I wanted a wild card into the tournament. I politely declined. I felt I could still win matches there,
but I didn’t like the idea of going out to play guys I’d never even seen play before.
Late in 2007, I played a three-city exhibition tour with Roger Federer, who had closed to within two
Grand Slam titles of my fourteen. Much to the surprise of pretty much everyone, I actually won the third
match of the series. I enjoyed the occasion; it was a great chance for both of us to strut our stuff and give
fans a glimpse of how we might have matched up. And I had a great time sitting around comparing notes
and talking tennis with Roger. If I have a legacy, I hope it’s that of a guy who gave his all to the game and
fought with a champion’s heart, a player who represented solid, enduring values, and demonstrated a great
respect for the history and traditions of the game. It’s nice to see that the mind-set didn’t fade away with
me; Roger has clearly taken up the torch.
I miss the majors—ten years from now I’ll still miss them. I have so many great memories to draw on,
and can still recall what it felt like to be playing matches at Wimbledon. In fact, I can easily conjure up
the physical sensation of walking out onto Centre Court to play a final. I can sit here and think about it,
resurrect all the emotions, sights, and sounds, and can actually get nervous all over again.