Pete Sampras – Net Worth, Endorsements & Earnings
Pete Sampras is on the shortlist of greatest tennis players of all time. The American had the most Grand Slam titles in tennis history when he retired, and he was particularly dominant on fast surfaces such as hard and grass courts.
As dominant as he was, it is a bit tricky to figure out how much money he earned throughout his career. Tournament payouts were just starting to increase during his career, and his personality was never the most marketable.
What is Pete Sampras’ net worth? Thanks in large part to his career earnings on the court, Pete Sampras currently sits at a net worth of about $150 million. Winning 14 Grand Slams helps a lot, as does the 50 additional singles titles he has to his name. He stays pretty low-key in retirement, but still relies on some endorsements, investments, book residuals, and more.
Career Prize Money Earnings
Pete Sampras turned pro in 1988, and by 1990, he was winning major titles. He experienced a lot of change in prize money from his first U.S. Open win in 1990, all the way to his last in 2002.
Here is a breakdown of how much Pete Sampras have earned through prize money during his career.
| Year | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1988 | $41K |
| 1989 | $88K |
| 1990 | $2.9M |
| 1991 | $1.8M |
| 1992 | $2M |
| 1993 | $3.8M |
| 1994 | $4.9M |
| 1995 | $3.6M |
| 1996 | $3.3M |
| 1997 | $5.7M |
| 1998 | $2.4M |
| 1999 | $2.8M |
| 2000 | $2.3M |
| 2001 | $1M |
| 2002 | $1.2M |
It all adds up to $43 million in prize money, which puts him fifth all-time in earnings, despite playing his last match in 2002. His highest payday came at the 2002 U.S. Open, when he earned $900,000 for his effort those two weeks.
When he was not winning grand slams, he made it deep in a lot of the other majors, which helped him accumulate some great prize money overall. It also helps that he finished his career with five Year-End Championships, 11 ATP Super 9/ATP Master Series titles, and various other wins at tournaments around the world.
Endorsements
Racquet Sponsors
Sampras had one of the most dominant serves in the game of tennis during his peak. Not only did he hit the ball extremely hard, but he was able to place it anywhere in the box to give him an edge. It was nearly impossible for opponents to break him, especially when he had an opportunity to follow up his serve and get to the net.
His dominant serve certainly helped Wilson sell a lot of tennis racquets. Ironically, even though they would use paint jobs to show the most current release, Sampras was very hesitant to ever change his setup. By the end of his career, he was using racquet technology that had not aged well. He was still hitting the bar extremely hard, which is scary to think if new technology would have helped. His entire career consisted of him using the Wilson Pro Staff Original.
Post-playing career, Sampras switched sponsorships to Babolat. He has bounced around with different racquets and setups to compensate for his aging. There have even been stretches where he plays with a blacked-out racquet, indicating that no one currently paid him endorsement money.
Clothing Sponsors
Nike usually goes after more flashy athletes, so it might surprise some people that he was with them for a very long time. He signed his first Nike deal in 1994, after spending the first part of his career with Sergio Tacchini.
It was clear from the beginning that Nike wanted to brand him as the polar opposite of Andre Agassi, and the clothing certainly illustrated that. Agassi would get the bright colors with weird designs, while Sampras would stick with classic, arguably boring looks. Almost all of his shirts were a solid color, and he would stick with the standard colors people see all the time.
Other Endorsements
Like other top tennis players, Sampras landed plenty of other deals on the side to help build his wealth. He had sponsorship deals with the likes of Dannon and Pizza Hut, largely playing off of his reputation as a cool, calm, and collected tennis player.
Did he miss out on some additional endorsement opportunities during his career? Most likely, but brands usually viewed him as a pretty safe choice amongst top athletes.
Other Wealth Contributors
Post career, Sampras has dabbled in a wide range of tennis and non-tennis opportunities. He has never been huge about being in the spotlight, so most of what he does is on-brand for him.
Real estate and other ventures have helped him grow his money during his post-playing career. Together with his wife Bridgette Wilson, they have settled down and done a steady job growing their money as they move into the next phases of their lives.
Sampras has not done much in the form of post-career articles or books, but one called “Facing Sampras: Symposium of a Champion” received solid reviews. If he ever wants to, it would be relatively easy for Sampras to open up a revenue stream there as well.
Future Outlook
Sampras shows no signs whatsoever of hurting for money, and his estimated net worth shows that. He earned enough in his career to not feel the need to coach or commentate like a lot of former players, so unless something happens, he will probably continue to keep a low profile.
The most likely news from Sampras will be the occasional charity or exhibition match. He might receive some money for those appearances, but he mostly does it to give back to the tennis community.
