Tennis icon Pete Sampras has shocked fans with a drastically different look – over a decade after his retirement from the world of professional sport.
The 14-time major winner is widely recognized as one of the best to have ever played tennis, with his final Grand Slam coming in 2002 at the US Open, shortly before he gave it all up.
Now, at the age 52, Sampras is notoriously private and undertakes very little TV work – opting to stay out of the spotlight and keep his personal life to himself.
That is perhaps even more the case now, three months on from Sampras’ heartbreaking reveal that his wife Bridgette is battling ovarian cancer.
In a statement to the ATP Tour in October, the American legend said: ‘As most have come to know, I am a pretty quiet and private person. However, this past year has been an exceptionally challenging time for my family, and I have decided to share what’s been going on.
Pete Sampras has been spotted grabbing some coffees from his local Starbucks in California
The tennis legend is notoriously private and hasn’t been seen much since he retired
Sampras won Wimbledon seven times, but looks much different after hanging up his racket
‘Last December, my wife, Bridgette, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Since then, she has had major surgery, pushed through chemotherapy and continues with targeted maintenance therapy.
‘It is hard to watch someone you love go through a challenge like this. However, seeing our boys step up and be such strong supporters of Bridgette, myself and each other has been amazing.’
There has since been very few updates on the condition of the former Miss Teen USA, who went on to become a successful actress, starring alongside the likes of Adam Sandler, Sarah Michelle Geller and Jennifer Lopez.
Now, though, Sampras has been spotted grabbing some coffees from Starbucks in the Beverly Glen Shopping Center in Beverly Hills, California.
Sampras flashed a smile to photographers as he walked away from the Starbucks restaurant
Sampras and his wife Bridgette have two children and have both retired to focus on family life
Bridgette, who is the former Miss Teen USA, is currently battling ovarian cancer
The tennis legend was dressed in blue jeans and a green zip-up Nike jacket, and carried three iced coffees as he left the restaurant.
Sampras was seen flashing a brief smile to onlookers as he walked photographers snapping a rare photo of him.
He and Bridgette have two children from their 23-year marriage – Ryan and Christian – and the family still reside in California.
During his career, Sampras was the best player in the world and has two n Open titles, five US Opens, and an incredible seven Wimbledon wins.
He has 64 career singles titles in total – the ninth best in the Open Era – and earned himself over $43million in prize money throughout his career.
Sampras smiles after beating his bitter rival – and countryman – Andre Agassi at Wimbledon
American tennis legend Sampras is pictured playing a backhand during his heyday in the 90s
He retired officially in the summer of 2003, going on to sporadically appear in exhibition matches in the years that followed.
In November 2010, Sampras revealed the sad news that many of his trophies and memorabilia had been stolen from a public storage facility in California, including an Olympic ring, an n Open trophy and two Davis Cups.
In the months that followed, police were able to recover much of what was stolen.
After the birth of their second son in 2005, both Sampras and his wife Bridgette both stepped away from the limelight in a bid to focus on family life.