‘Flamboyant’ Andre Agassi Irked Rival Pete Sampras as Awkward Nike Soup Created a Cloud of Insecurity Between the Two in 1993

Nike is a prominent sponsor of several players in the world. The American apparel company has endorsed many players in several sports throughout its history. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andre Agassi are just a small sample of players who have been sponsored by Nike. Another tennis great, Pete Sampras, was also sponsored by Nike in his prime. However, Sampras was envious of how much the apparel company favored Agassi over other players at that time. 

Pete Sampras jealous of Andre Agassi

In his memoir, A Champion’s Mind: Lessons from a Life in Tennis, Sampras talked about his life as a tennis player. In one segment, he discussed his sponsorship with Nike, which began in 1994. However, Sampras felt that Nike didn’t cater to him as well as it should have. Rather, they showed partiality towards his rival, Andre Agassi.

He remembered a moment in 1993 when the CEO of Nike, Phil Knight, wanted to stir up some drama. He arranged a meeting before the French Open with Agassi, John McEnroe, and Jim Courier. Agassi obliged and made a snide comment about Sampras rising to the top. He said, “Nobody should be ranked number one who looks like he just swung from a tree.”

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The comment gained traction, and Sampras was also asked about it. However, he maintained his calm and collected mindset and shrugged it off with no further thought. Agassi felt a little guilty since his rival made no rebuttal and faxed him an apology. This move made Sampras believe that Agassi was on Nike’s radar. “Because Andre was so flamboyant, he seemed to get an inordinate amount of Nike’s attention,” wrote Sampras.

Pistol Pete was not quiet throughout. He once blew up at a Nike executive when it came to the situation of creating drama. The 14-time grand slam champion said that he wasn’t one to cry or create a scene. But he did have his moments which weren’t doctored.

“I’m not doing any of this on purpose, or to project an image other than what I am. So what more do you want from me, as an athlete? You tell me Nike is all about performance, so what more can I do?” he said as he showed his frustration with the apparel company. 

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Throughout his life, Sampras has maintained his image of a calm and collected individual. Even after bad defeats, the Maryland native kept himself centered. So far, he has never had an outburst unprompted. 

Do you agree with Pete Sampras’s view about Nike’s preferential treatment of Agassi? Let us know in the comments.