photo credit: Levg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Key Takeaways

• Pete Sampras redefined all-court tennis by combining a dominant serve with exceptional speed and net attacking instincts.
• His shift from a baseline style to a serve-and-volley game under coach Peter Fischer shaped his championship career.
• The 1990 US Open final against Andre Agassi demonstrated Sampras’ ability to control both baseline rallies and net play.
• Unlike many contemporaries who emphasized side-to-side movement, Sampras used a north-south approach to court coverage.
• His movement style and success on fast surfaces, especially grass, influenced both opponents and later court design changes.