Pete Sampras: Roger Federer Is Still The Best
By Tennis Week
Pete Sampras praises Roger Federer for carrying the torch as tennis' top player and dismisses suggestions that Federer's time at the top is about to be extinguished as merely a media creation, which will only serve to fire Federer up even more as he aims for his record-breaking sixth straight Wimbledon crown next week.
The 14-time Grand Slam king shot down suggestions Federer is on the decline.
"He’s created this monster of winning so many tournaments and so many majors and doing it with ease," Sampras told senior circuit communications director David Law in advance of his debut in Brazil to play the BlackRock Tour of Champions in Sao Paulo this week. "As great as Roger is he’s going to have his losses and his bad days, it’s just human nature to go through some lulls. The media need a story and something to grab onto, like he’s lost his edge. He hasn’t lost his edge. If he goes through the next few months and he’s losing a lot and he doesn’t contend for tournaments then maybe but I don’t see that happening. I think when push comes to shove in the majors, he’s still the guy that’s most likely to win them. He‘s lost a couple and if anything that’ll do him some good, it’ll get him going and fired up. He’ll be just fine."
Sampras said he sees some of the qualities he exhibited in winning Wimbledon seven times in an eight-year span from 1993-2000 to five-time Wimbledon winner Federer. Both Sampras and Federer are outstanding athletes who combine quickness agility and leaping ability to play explosive all-court tennis.
"When I look at Roger, I'm a fan," Sampras said. "I mean, I'm a fan of how he plays, what he's about, just the fact that I think he's a class guy on and off the court. He's fun to watch. Just his athletic ability, what he's able to do on the run. I think he can and will break every tennis record out there. He's taken the torch and down great things not only on the court but the way he handles himself is a true credit to the sport. He's a humble champion, he's not brash or abrasive. He's my sort of player. He makes it look very easy, he's smooth, he doesn't show up his opponent. Some people call that boring, but to to be the best player in the world and stay there is the hardest thing to do in sports."
In an exclusive video interview on BlackRockTourOfChampions.com, Sampras promised Federer that he would be there if and when Federer breaks his record of 14 career majors.
"There is a burning desire in Roger to break my record, and when he does it I would like to be there," said Sampras, who return to London for the first time since the 2002 Wimbledon when he plays in the BlackRock Masters Tennis at the Royal Albert Hall in December. "I said Roger to just make sure it’s in New York or London! Australia is a long way to go! If it worked out like that, I would fly there. I would just let him enjoy it as it’s his moment but (I would want to be there) just to respect the record and what he was able to do and to just say ‘congratulations’."
The Swiss stylist became the first man to reach all four Grand Slam finals in a calendar year for two years running in 2007 and after dispatching Novak Djokovic to capture his 12th career major championship and move within two Grand Slam titles of equaling Sampras' all-time at the U.S. Open last September, Federer spoke about the invigorating thrill of the chase that is now his primary pursuit.
"It's exciting — very exciting," Federer said. "I used to not like it so much with people saying 'He is the one who can break it. He will break it. He's so talented...' and stuff like that. It was so far away and it's hard. It wears on you. But to have caught up so quickly to Pete is a big bonus early on in my career, to be honest. And now it's fun for me to try to get there and hopefully get to 15 [major titles]. It's a big challenge for me. The focus is becoming more and more the Grand Slams even though I don't like to say that. For me every tournament counts and is real important, but for me it's coming down to the majors more and more."
Sampras, who returned to Flushing Meadows in 2003 to take a farewell lap around Arthur Ashe Stadium, said his first choice would be to see the Swiss win his 15th major tournament at Wimbledon next year.
"I think if I were to step back on that court at Wimbledon it would bring up a lot of emotion. just because of what the place meant to me and how big it was to the sport of tennis," Sampras said. "It was such an important place to me as an athlete, it was our Super Bowl. It had such a big effect on me as a kid and seeing Borg and McEnroe play and seeing Becker win there at 17 and 18, it had a huge effect on me. Now, at 36 years old, to go back there with my kids one day would be very emotional. As much as I’m a full-blooded American and I love the US Open, there’s just a certain romance that I’ve always had with Wimbledon. I didn’t always express it with words but I think internally I just felt a great connection with the place, the court and the arena. I felt like that was what tennis was all about for me and I look forward to going back and enjoying that experience."
The man who finished as the year-end No. 1 for a record six straight seasons said he is at peace with the fact Federer is closing in on his record.
"I jokingly tell Roger that he could have let me enjoy the record for a few more years!" said Sampras. "But, I am at peace with it because I did everything that I could in my generation. I have so much respect for Roger as a player and as a person. He’s a great guy. Getting to know him a little bit, we hung out quite a bit in Asia and travelled together, and we got along really well. We both have a dry sense of humour and there’s a side to Roger that I didn’t really know. All I knew was that he was a really nice person but there’s an out-going side that people don’t really see. He’s funny, he’s articulate, he likes to tell stories. I have respect not just for his game but for the way he carries himself on and off the court. He’s a great role model for kids all around the world. He’s great with sponsors, the media, the kids, the tournaments. When you’re the best player in the world there’s a lot asked of you and I think I tended to keep everyone at a distance whereas I think he’s a little more open about it and a little more embracing. Just the fact that we get along great and I respect him is the reason I’d want to be there to see him break the record."
In a clash of former World No. 1 players, Sampras will take on Thomas Muster in his opening match of round-robin play in Sao Paulo.
The American will face Muster on Saturday, with earlier matches against home-favorite Fernando Meligeni and Marc-Kevin Goellner in Group Thomaz Koch.
The event marks the first trip Sampras has ever made to South America, but so far, he likes what he sees.
"I have only been here only for a day, but as far as I can see, Sao Paulo is a beautiful big city," Sampras told Law. "I am looking forward to the event and to the competition. Hopefully we will have a full house. I have heard the crowd here is very enthusiastic. I will probably be a little rusty in the first couple of matches, because I injured my back some weeks ago, but I can see myself as one of the favorites."
In Group Carlos Kirmayr, another former World No.1, Marcelo Rios, will take on Russia’s Andei Cherkasov, Brazilian Jaime Oncins and Peru’s Jaime Yzaga.
For more information on Sao Paulo, please visit Grand Champions Brasil.
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