"My parents weren't part of those moments enough" - When Pete Sampras turned emotional about missing out on having his parents attend more matches

Pete Sampras once opened up about feeling emotional that his parents weren’t able to share in some of the best moments of his career as much as he wished. He made these remarks shortly after winning the 2000 Wimbledon Championships.

Sampras claimed his seventh Wimbledon title in 2000, defeating Pat Rafter in a thrilling five-set final. After dropping the first-set tiebreak and falling behind 1-4 in the second-set tiebreak, he rallied to take the set and then went on to win the third and fourth sets to secure the championship.

The victory carried special meaning for the American, as his parents, Sam and Georgia, were there to witness him make history. It had been years since they had watched him play, usually staying away due to nerves. This time, however, they flew from Los Angeles to London quietly, without drawing attention, and the paparazzi didn’t realize they were there until the big day.

Later, in a conversation with the media, Pete Sampras shared how much the moment meant to him, calling it his “dream” to have his parents in the stands. He also admitted that he had missed them a lot.

"It was my dream to have them there," Sampras said (via BBC). "They wanted to be away from it but deep down I missed them."

"I still get emotional about it, especially as you see your folks get older. I wish they were part of them a little more often. My parents weren't part of those moments enough for me, I think I carry that a little bit today," he added.

It wasn’t actually Pete Sampras himself but his then-girlfriend, Bridgette Wilson, who would later become his wife, who invited Sam and Georgia, asking them to fly over. They happily accepted her request.

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Pete Sampras' mother and father open up about not attending their son's matches

Pete Sampras pictured with his family | Image Source: Getty

Pete Sampras’ father, Sam, is of Greek descent and worked as a high school teacher and tennis coach, while his mother, Georgia, also of Greek heritage, is a homemaker. Both played a crucial role in shaping their son’s remarkable tennis career, but their absence at many of his matches had raised questions.

After Sampras’ first Grand Slam win at the 1990 US Open, Sam told the media that he and his wife hadn’t attended the match because they wanted all the attention on their son and wanted him to fully enjoy the moment on his own. He also noted that, like his contemporaries and rivals such as Andre Agassi, the American didn’t need to rely on his parents’ presence for support during matches.

"The only picture we want in the paper is Pete’s picture. We want all the glory and happiness to be Pete’s. We didn’t work hard hitting balls over a net. He did. Let him enjoy it," Sam Sampras told Los Angeles Times.

"(But) Pete doesn’t need that. Pete doesn’t need to look in the stands asking: 'Where’s my mother, where’s my father?'" he added.

During the same interview, Georgia Sampras shared her thoughts as well, adding:

"If you love the person, you’re thinking about them and your spirit always is with them. Pete knows that. He knows I adore him and that’s enough. So as long as I know he is happy and healthy, I’m happy. I don’t have to be there and he doesn’t have to have me there."

Interestingly, Pete Sampras didn’t mind his parents’ absence too much, seeing it as an opportunity to navigate tournaments independently.