Pete Sampras said that he feels violated after he had learned that someone had stolen his memorabilia and trophies, which were so valuable as to be priceless. The thieves got away with more than 80 items. Pete Sampras told ATP World Tour that he had decided to go public because he was hoping that someone who heard the news would be able to pass onto a tip as to the thieves identity so that he could get his items returned safely. He also mentioned that he had done everything that he could, and that it would take luck and good fortune to get his stuff back.

Sampras was moving to another house and had most of his memorabilia in a storage facility in Los Angeles, where it was placed around three months ago. However, his storage unit was robbed along with another in the same facility, with trophies from his various tennis achievements stored inside including most of his tournament title runs, 24 runner-up trophies and six trophies for being number one at the end of the year as well as many other priceless items from his history in the sport of tennis that are irreplaceable.

The tennis community has responded to Sampra's plight with strong support, trying to replace some of the items that were lost including the 1994 Australian Open trophy, which was the fourth time he had won a Grand Slam out of fourteen total, and the ATP is attempingt o replace six world number one trophies for him. The thieves also took important photographs and letters including Sampras with President George H.W. Bush and President Bill Clinton as well as a two letters that were written to him by President Bush.