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American Pete Sampras was truly one of the greatest men to ever wield a tennis racquet. Blessed with supreme athletic ability and renowned for his forehand and aggressive net game, he had arguably the greatest serve in tennis history. His fluid, effortless delivery produced aces on second serves, and was the key stroke in Sampras' domination of Wimbledon in the 1990s.
Born in 1971, he won the first of his seven Wimbledon titles in 1993, triumphing against compatriot Jim Courier in the final. He defended his title in 1994, defeating big serving Croatian Goran Ivanisevic. In 1995 he completed his three in a row with a four set victory over Wimbledon veteran Boris Becker. 1996 did not go to script for Sampras, who was beaten in straight sets by the red hot Dutchman Richard Krajicek in the quarter final. Krajicek went on to lift the trophy.
In 1997 it was business as usual for Sampras who won his fourth title with a defeat of Frenchman Cedric Pioline in the final. He again defeated Goran Ivanisevic in the 1998 final, in a five set serve fest of aces and unreturnables. The match, dominated by the serve and consisting of short three or four shot rallies, was condemned by some tennis purists as an example of the unattractive aspects of modern tennis, dominated by big men with modern racquets on ultra slick grass.
In 1999 Sampras won his sixth Wimbledon with a truly awesome display against his great rival Andre Agassi in the final. His straight sets dispatch of Agassi was widely regarded as Sampras's greatest Wimbledon final performance, and one of the greatest displays of grasscourt tennis with powerful, accurate serving and sublime netplay.
Sampras won his seventh and final Wimbledon title in 2000, beating Australia's Pat Rafter in the final. Sampras had been battling ill health the whole fortnight, buttressed by painkillers and sometimes appearing to overcome all his foes by sheer willpower alone. Rafter won the first set and held a winning position in the second set tiebreaker before allowing Sampras back into the match. Sampras didn't need a second invitation and preavailed in four sets to cap an emotional tournament.
This was to be Sampras's last Wimbledon win. His star began to fade in subsequent years. He lost to 19 year old future world number 1 and tennis legend Roger Federer in the fourth round of the 2001 Championships. His final Wimbledon in 2002 ended in bitter defeat to Swiss Georg Bastl in the second round. This closed the chapter on the career of one of Wimbledon's greatest players.