"I told him he's better off when he's my father, not my agent" - When Pete Sampras fired his father Soterios as soon as he turned pro as a teenager

Pete Sampras is one of the most successful tennis players made in the United States, winning 14 Grand Slams over the course of an illustrious career that lasted 14 years. No other man from the country has won more Majors than him, and only three in the Open Era have bettered his tally — Roger Federer (20), Rafael Nadal (22) and Novak Djokovic (24).

Sampras turned pro in the year 1988, at the age of 16. When he entered the ATP Tour, he was under the management of his father Soterios 'Sammy' Sampras. But almost immediately, the former World No. 1 'fired' his father as his agent, stating that he was better off being just his father.

Speaking in an interview with Sports Illustrated in 1997, the 14-time Grand Slam champion spoke about the decision, sharing his belief that he and his father got along better when they did not have to discuss contracts.

"There were too many cooks in the kitchen. I told him he's better off when he's my father, not my agent. We get along much better when he's not involved in contracts and deals," Pete Sampras said.

During the interview, Sampras' coach Paul Annacone, who later went on to coach Roger Federer and Taylor Fritz, also shared his thoughts on the American. According to Annacone, Sampras was unique among tennis players in how he was more like the average person, especially with his tendency to not talk about himself or his accolades.

"[Pete Sampras] doesn't enjoy the things most other players enjoy. He doesn't like to be pampered. He wants to be treated like me and you. He wants to go have a burger and watch the Sixers on TV. He doesn't want people to say yes-yes-yes," Paul Annacone said.

"He's about substance, not about how well he can talk or how flamboyant he is. He's about what he can do when you put him in a competitive field with a tennis racket in his hand. That's what he wants," he added.

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"Pete Sampras walked different, moved different" - American's first coach Pete Fischer

Coca-Cola International Premier Tennis League - India: Day Two

In the interview with Sports Illustrated, Pete Sampras' first coach Pete Fischer also shed light on his early impressions of the American, from the time he met him for the first time at the age of just nine.

Fischer recalled how Sampras walked differently from everyone else even at the time, and how everything about his technique was much more graceful than kids his own age.

"[Pete Sampras] walked different, he moved different. Everything was smoother, more graceful, more coordinated. He had incredible accuracy. His good shots would go 18 inches inside the line, and his mishits would hit the line," he said.

Sampras retired in 2002, with his final tournament being the US Open. Incredibly, it was the last Grand Slam title the former World No. 1 won, defeating Andre Agassi in the final to win his 14th overall and fifth trophy at Flushing Meadows.