Does Pete Sampras have the best first serve of all time? 

Sampras finished year-end No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings for six straight years from 1993 to 1998, dominating with pinpoint accuracy, and often backing it up with some of the finest serve-and-volley points our sport has ever seen.

An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of Sampras’ first serve shows it has no peer when compared to other players who also ended the season ranked No. 1 from 1991 to 2016.

Infosys Nia Data identifies that Sampras’ best season behind his first serve was 1998, where he won a dominant 83.0 per cent of his first-serve points. The following table shows how consistently good Sampras was during his reign as World No. 1 compared to other players ranked No. 1 at the end of the season from 1991 to 2016. 

Pete Sampras: First Serve Points Won

Sampras won Wimbledon seven times from 1993-1995 and 1997-2000, with his first-serve win percentages being a major reason why. 

Pete Sampras: 1st Serve Points Won / Wimbledon Ranking

Serve-and-volley was a favourite strategy for Sampras behind both his first and second serves, with this specific tactic being first recorded at Wimbledon in 1997.

Sampras defeated Cedric Pioline 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 in the 1997 Wimbledon final, serving-and- volleying a massive 81.1 per cent (516/636) of service points for the tournament. He won an impressively high 75.4 per cent (389/516) of those points. The following table breaks down Sampras’ serve-and-volley performance at The Championships from 1997 to the last year he competed at SW19 in 2002.

  Pete Sampras: Wimbledon Serve & Volley Performance 

Sampras’ first serve motion, accuracy, and what immediately followed it was magical. If you are building the best player of all time from separate components, you would do well to pick Sampras’ first serve as the ultimate first strike weapon.

The Climb. Everybody in the tennis world knows it, and those old enough vividly remember their surprise in witnessing the unique celebration. Now a staple of any finals day at a major championship — 14 players since 1987 have scaled the architecture at The Championships — and those triumphant few at Wimbledon pay homage to Pat Cash, the original climber to his family and friends. The Wimbledon champion, who dared to dream and delivered 30 years ago.

Having punched away a forehand volley — his 52nd winner on the world’s most famous lawn — to beat World No. 1 Ivan Lendl 7-6(5), 6-2, 7-5, Cash turned to his team and raised his arms to the sky in celebration of the ultimate prize. After a period of thought on his courtside chair, Cash ran 16 steps across Centre Court and deep into the crowd — a standing-room only area. “For a moment, I had stared at them and waved,” says Cash, 30 years on. “I almost chickened out for a minute, because I could see people lining up already and the presentation party getting ready.” But up the Australian went, and as he drew closer to a television commentary box, below his family and friends, doubts started to creep in.

“I joke about it that I beat three top players to win the Wimbledon title, but all people remember me for now is going up into the stands,” says Cash. “It was pre-planned, but I didn’t think about it too well. I didn’t want to jinx it, so I didn’t think about how to get up there or who to hug first.”

Ian Barclay, his coach for the past 11 years, watches on in horror. “I didn’t know anything about it,” says Barclay, a coach for 50 years. “It frightened the hell out of me, as there was a 30-foot drop, as that area was a standing room only area.” Darren Cahill, who had practised with Cash prior to the semi-finals and final, and has returned to the locker room after losing the mixed doubles final with Nicole Provis, recalls, “I remember thinking, ‘What in the hell is he doing?’ Like everyone, I suppose. But it was great, spontaneous and emotional… very similar to the way Cashy has always lived his life.”

A phoney ‘priest’ with a dog collar, who isn’t of the cloth, but has got through the Doherty Gates and blagged his way onto Centre Court, watched Cash’s climb through his camera lens, taking photos on a polaroid. Cash climbed onto the shoulders of the ‘priest’ to the next level. Shortly after the spectator gave his snaps to Barclay, who, despite the polaroids fading over the past 30 years, treasures the photos to this day.

“When I got there, I didn’t realise there wasn’t any seats to stand on,” says Cash. “It was standing room only. I was regretting it midway up, but I thought I was going to make myself the biggest fool of all time. I was thinking about turning around, going down and back onto the court. But I knew I couldn’t do that, so it took me a while to test out the strength of the commentary box roof.”

Meanwhile, His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent, had left his wicker chair, before walking down the Royal Box steps and out onto the sport’s cathedral. He stood beside the trophy, perched on a table covered by the Union Flag. You can set your watch to the time between match point and the start of the trophy presentation. Since first awarding the trophy to Rod Laver in 1969, no presentation of the Duke’s had been delayed. ‘Buzzer’ Hadingham, in his fifth year as the All England Club Chairman, a man of considerable personal charm and a first-class communicator, was getting twitchy.

The wait is almost over.

Dick Enberg, now 82, was commentating with the late Bud Collins for NBC from the commentary box in 1987 that Cash climbed onto, then over a ledge to the friends’ box. Enberg remembers, “During the course of the final, our NBC director, Ted Nathanson, had trained a camera on Cash’s father sitting in the stands. The rugged-looking character, wearing a cap, reacted by clenching his fist whenever his son made a brilliant shot. When Pat Cash junior and senior bear-hugged, it was a manly embrace — every son hugging their father.”

“That’s what it was all about,” admits Cash. “I had this team. They were really important to me and my Dad, who managed the business side with IMG, was everything to me. Afterwards, the chairman came up to me and said, ‘Enjoy the moment, but promise me you won’t do it again.’ He said it because I kept members of the Royal family waiting.”