Legendary Tennis Moments: Pete Sampras Fires 130 MPH Rocket Serve That Broke Pat Rafter’s Racquet

Pete Sampras has been one of the fiercest servers in tennis history. The American built his game around a strong first serve and dominated his opponents. Sampras won 14 Grand Slam titles during his illustrious career. However, one incident of his strong serving has become an enduring legend in tennis folklore.

Pete Sampras faced off against Pat Rafter during the final of the Cincinnati Masters 1999. The American tennis sensation showcased his serving range by dominating Rafter. The duo was locked in a close battle and needed a tie-break in the first set. 

During one point in the tie-break, Sampras’ serve went through Rafter’s racquet, leaving the Australian stunned. The American served with immense power, leaving the strings of Rafter’s racquet broken. The Australian had to change his racquet for the next point. 

Sampras ended up winning the final 7-6 (9-7), 6-3, to lift his third Cincinnati Masters title. Despite his title victory, the headlines were dominated by Sampras’ serve that broke Rafter’s racquet.

Pete Sampras and Wilson’s historic $500,000 partnership

Pete Sampras used Wilson racquets throughout his career. The sporting giants signed the American at a young age and the partnership soon blossomed. According to the New York Times, Pete Sampras signed a mega deal with Wilson in 1991. The American superstar signed the contract on a then record $500,000 USD deal to use Wilson racquets.

With Sampras’ success on the court, the deal soon paid dividends as fans were desperate to buy the same racquet. Both Sampras and Wilson made a significant amount of money from this deal. 

Sampras used a Wilson Pro Staff 85 racquet majority of his career. During the olden days, it was not easy to dominate the serving game as much as it is now. In modern times, racquets are much stronger and help build a powerful service game, making his dominant serves at that time even more impressive. Pete Sampras continued to use the same racquet until 2002 when he retired aged 32.

The Pete Sampras net worth is estimated to be above $160 million as of 2024 and this was largely due to such endorsements.