Editing Pete Sampras (section)

==Playing style==
Sampras was an [[Tennis strategy#All-court player|all-court player]] who would often [[serve and volley]]. Possessing an all-around skill, in the early years of his career, when not serving, his strategy was to be offensive from the baseline, put opponents in a defensive position, and finish points at the net. In his later years, he became even more offensive and would either employ a [[Tennis strategy#Serve-and-volleyer|chip-and-charge]] strategy or try to hit an offensive shot on the return and follow his return to the net.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/182554-pete-sampras-game-underated|title=Pete Sampras' Game Underated &#91;sic&#93;|website=Bleacher Report|access-date=February 10, 2021|archive-date=March 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303062307/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/182554-pete-sampras-game-underated|url-status=live}}</ref>

He had an accurate and powerful first [[Serve (tennis)|serve]] – widely considered among players, commentators and fans as one of the best of all time.<ref>{{cite news |title=Had you written off Pistol Pete? |date=August 19, 2002 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/sports_talk/2202611.stm |work=BBC Sport |access-date=June 5, 2010 |archive-date=May 8, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090508041436/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/sports_talk/2202611.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> He had great disguise on both his first and second serves, and his second serve was nearly as powerful as his first. He was known for producing aces on critical points, even with his second serves.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tennisserver.com/set/set_03_11.html |title=Pete Sampras's serving style |access-date=July 7, 2008 |archive-date=May 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517030704/http://www.tennisserver.com/set/set_03_11.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/tour_strokes/john_yandell/sampras_serve/sampras_serve_second_serve_part8_images/sampras_serve_second_serve_part8.html |title=Second Serve Style and Speed |access-date=July 7, 2008 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

Sampras was able to hit winners from both his forehand and backhand from all over the court. He was able to catch attacks wide to his forehand using his speed and hitting a forehand shot on the run. When successfully executed, he won many points outright or put opponents immediately on the defensive, due to the considerable pace and flat nature of the shot. This style did not help him on clay courts, according to some critics.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pete Sampras and the French Open |url=http://www.topspin3thegame.com/sampras-in-france.html |work=Top Spin |access-date=February 5, 2016 |archive-date=April 7, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407012644/http://topspin3thegame.com/sampras-in-france.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Equipment===
Sampras used one racket type, the [[Wilson ProStaff Original 6.0|Wilson Pro Staff Original]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2000/08/20000828/No-Topic-Name/WHAT-THEYRE-WEARING-AND-HITTING-WITH-AT-THE-US-OPEN.aspx |title=WHAT THEY'RE WEARING (AND HITTING WITH) AT THE U.S. OPEN |date=August 28, 2000 |access-date=2021-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127084440/http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2000/08/20000828/No-Topic-Name/WHAT-THEYRE-WEARING-AND-HITTING-WITH-AT-THE-US-OPEN.aspx |archive-date=January 27, 2018 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> for his entire professional career—a racket first introduced in 1983. He played with Babolat natural gut, with all his rackets re-strung before each match (used or not) at 75&nbsp;lbs tension (more or less, depending on conditions). His rackets had weight added to bring them close to 400 g, but the frame proper was a production model manufactured at a Wilson factory on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. The handles were custom-built.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Features/9908NateFerguson.html |title=Q & A with Nate Ferguson, Sampras' personal stringer |publisher=Tennis Warehouse |date=August 1999 |access-date=June 27, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080329104018/http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Features/9908NateFerguson.html |archive-date=March 29, 2008}}</ref>

Post-retirement, Sampras has used a slightly modified Pro Staff Tour 90 and, from 2008, a new version of the original Pro Staff, produced with in-between head size of 88 square inches and heavier weight at 349&nbsp;grams unstrung.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Reviews/KPS88/KPS88Review.html |title=Wilson K Factor KPro Staff 88 Racquet Review |publisher=Tennis Warehouse |access-date=June 26, 2009 |archive-date=June 21, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621094310/http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Reviews/KPS88/KPS88Review.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Since mid-2010,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=329303 |title=Sampras goes to Babolat! (pics incl.) |access-date=2021-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523145910/http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=329303 |archive-date=May 23, 2015 |df=mdy-all |url-status=live}}</ref> Sampras has been spotted at multiple exhibitions playing with a Babolat Pure Storm Tour, along with Babolat's popular RPM Blast strings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tennisworld.typepad.com/the_pro_shop/2010/09/mailbag-pistol-petes-new-pure-storm.html |title=Pro Shop Q&A Tennis Magazine |publisher=[[Tennis.com]] |date=September 3, 2010 |access-date=February 8, 2011 |archive-date=December 21, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101221113639/http://tennisworld.typepad.com/the_pro_shop/2010/09/mailbag-pistol-petes-new-pure-storm.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

"I need a little more pop. ... I need it if I'm going to play some tennis," he said after playing [[Gaël Monfils]] in an exhibition at the SAP Open.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/02/07/sampras-falls-to-monfils-in-exhibition-at-sap-open/ |title=Associated Press article |publisher=[[KPIX-TV|CBS 5 San Francisco]] |date=February 7, 2011 |access-date=February 8, 2011 |archive-date=March 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325133121/http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/02/07/sampras-falls-to-monfils-in-exhibition-at-sap-open/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

During a good part of 2011, Sampras used a racquet that was painted all black, with Tourna Grip and Tourna Damper.

In the late 1980s, Sampras signed a three-year endorsement contract with [[Sergio Tacchini]]. It was extended to five years before Sampras signed with [[Nike Inc.|Nike]] in 1994.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/the-strange-career-of-sergio-tacchini-10202011.html |title=The Strange Career of Sergio Tacchini |magazine=Bloomberg Businessweek |date=October 20, 2011 |first=Louisa |last=Thomas |access-date=September 10, 2014 |archive-date=September 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140914123958/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/the-strange-career-of-sergio-tacchini-10202011.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> He wore Nike apparel and Nike Air Oscillate footwear on court.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://ca.complex.com/style/2011/08/how-tinker-hatfield-got-pete-sampras-in-the-air-oscillate |title=How Tinker Hatfield Got Pete Sampras In The Nike Air Oscillate |magazine=Complex |date=August 12, 2011 |first=Nick |last=Schonberger |access-date=September 9, 2014 |archive-date=July 1, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701051331/http://ca.complex.com/style/2011/08/how-tinker-hatfield-got-pete-sampras-in-the-air-oscillate |url-status=live}}</ref>