Pete Sampras celebrates 55th birthday and reveals career-long health battle

Tennis legend Pete Sampras is celebrating his 55th birthday, marking a legacy defined by 14 Grand Slam singles titles, including seven Wimbledon championships and five US Open titles. Known for his aggressive serve-and-volley style and his nickname ‘Pistol Pete’, Sampras held the year-end world No. 1 ranking for six consecutive years.

In his autobiography, ‘Mind of a Champion’, Sampras revealed that he secretly battled thalassemia, a blood disorder causing anemia, during his professional career. He used a psychological strategy of appearing emotionless to hide weaknesses from opponents, but the condition caused significant physical distress. He recalled a specific instance during the 1996 US Open where the exhaustion and illness caused him to vomit on the court during a grueling quarterfinal match against Alex Corretja.