This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/24/2016
Pete Sampras is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players ever. He debuted on the ATP tour in 1988 and closed out his career at the 2002 US Open by defeating rival Andre Agassi in the final. A dominant serve and volley player, he earned the nickname "Pistol Pete" for his pinpoint accuracy and mistake-free style. Sampras became the first to break Roy Emerson's pre-Open Era record of 12 Grand Slam singles titles and retired with 14 (7 Wimbledon, 5 U.S. Open and 2 Australian Open); he now sits tied with Rafael Nadal and trails Roger Federer's 17. Presented here is one of Sampras' match-worn polo shirts from his majestic career. It style-matched to the 1991 Wimbledon tournament, although the exact match in which he wore it cannot be confirmed.
The mostly white polo with pastel pattern comes in size L and is made by his longtime Italian apparel partner Sergio Tacchini. The brand logo and name is stitched on the left chest, with the name also sewn on both sleeves. Above the Roman archer figurine on the front, Sampras has added his autograph in faded 5-6/10 black marker. Shirt shows moderate wear, with some brown/rust staining on the back (perhaps from being framed on display at the Newport Sports Museum.
Includes Letter of Provenance from the Newport Sports Museum. Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.