Wimbledon - Sampras hails Federer as best ever

Eurosport - Mon, 06 Jul 10:35:00 2009

Pete Sampras paid a surprise first visit to Wimbledon for seven years to watch Roger Federer overtake his record for grand slam wins, and then hailed the Swiss as the game's best-ever player.

TENNIS Pete Sampras Wimbledon 2009 - 0

Sampras, returning to the club where he won seven titles in a decorated career, arrived unannounced from the US hours before the final showdown and made his unexpected entrance to the club as Federer and American Andy Roddick were knocking up.

Federer's exhausting five-set victory game him his 15th grand slam title, against 14 for Sampras, and the American said the Swiss had settled the debate about the game's greatest.

"The critics say (Rod) Laver, and (Rafa) Nadal beat him a few times in majors, but he's won all the majors, he's going to win a few more here, so in my book he is.

"Roger's a friend, he's a great player, and he is a good guy. He's got 15 now; he can get 17 or 18 majors. If he just keeps it going and stays healthy, he could go to 18, 19, actually.

"The guy's a legend and now he's an icon. He's got 15 majors, that's a lot of majors, that's a lot of work. He's a credit to the game."

Sampras entered the Royal Box with Roddick leading 2-1 in the opening set, waved to acknowledge the crowd's applause and took his place in the front row, a few seats away from other former champions Bjorn Borg and Laver.

Over four breathless hours later, Federer had secured his place at the top of the slams pile and made certain of returning to the world number one spot.

"He's a great guy, he's humble, which I like," Sampras said.

"He's sort of effortless; he doesn't seem like he's working that hard out there.

"He plays at that level so easily, he serves big, he's got a great forehand, his backhand's solid, he's got everything and he's got the belief."

Sampras, sporting a grey suit, light blue shirt and tie, was joined by his wife Bridgette Wilson. They were welcomed by officials at the players' entrance at the All England Club and he was also greeted by women's champion Serena Williams.

Sampras won the Wimbledon title three straight years from 1993 before winning it four times in a row from 1997.

He had not returned to the club since his second-round exit against unseeded Swiss George Bastl on Court Two seven years ago.

The American retired after winning his 14th grand slam title at the 2002 US Open.

Reuters

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  1. It is impossible to really determine a greatest ever.­ For that reason the BBC referred to Federer as the­ greatest grand slam champion.

    From Cris S, on Mon 6 Jul 1:10AM

  2. who says laver and rafa are better than federer are­ idiots who doesnt know the game.

    From Zahidin A, on Mon 6 Jul 12:57AM

  3. If he were paid to attend it would probably have been­ widely announced and "leaked" that Peter­ Sampras would be there for the event preceded by huge­ media-coverage including re-caps of Pete's­ victories and a documentary on Sampras and Wimbledon,­ likely sponsored by Nike. Since Pete showed up late for­ the match, one might argue that it was a spontaneous­ decision to attend while a contender would claim,­ "deliberately spontaneous". How exactly would­ you prove it? My point of view? Pete Sampras rightfully­ took his last major stand as the greatest ever at his­ most beloved tournament knowing that after today he­ will be forgotten and Federer will be the sole claimant­ to the "greatest ever" argument. Pete did it­ to promote himself and because he truly loves tennis. I­ don't believe sponsors paid him to be there.

    From Cris S, on Mon 6 Jul 12:52AM

  4. I have a bet with a friend. He says that Pete Sampras­ was paid by a sponsor to attend this Wimbledon. I­ completely disagree and think Pete is just a classy­ guy. Who do you think is right? A lot is riding on­ this.

    From Eric, on Mon 6 Jul 12:40AM

  5. Rod Laver is probably still the greatest ever. Roger­ Federer however, has the titles to prove it, and the­ only true measure against eons and eras can be­ accomplishment. And Federer has than in spades and­ deserves all the praise which he in fact has earned.­ And anyone who believes he is humble or not humble, I­ really ask what does that truly matter against­ accomplishment. Ali is possibly wrongly considered the­ greatest sportsman of all time but he did so against a­ backdrop of arrogance, determination, enormous­ self-belief, luck, and in an era when America was­ struggling for a post slavery identity that was­ inclusive of it's "all men being created­ equal" falsity. Federer lives in simpler times and­ if he is coyly arrogant, so be it, he has earned that­ right.

    From Cris S, on Mon 6 Jul 12:37AM

  6. Roddick has always been an arrogant egoist with a huge­ chip on his shoulder. That has almost always counted­ against him despite his humble and gracious remarks in­ previous runner up finals. Today he finally displayed­ both the kind of heart and humility necessary to be­ considered a sportsman and ambassador of the game. Even­ so, Roger Federer is the only true Champion on this day­ and despite Roddick's heroic playing nothing should­ take away from history being written in our lifetimes.­ And that is thanks to Federer; if anyone really­ remembers Roddick's heroism it will be with an­ anecdote to say that despite it all Federer outplayed­ and out-mastered even the very best Roddick has ever­ produced in his modestly decorated career.

    From Cris S, on Mon 6 Jul 12:32AM

  7. quentin tarrantinos a good un ive seen him win a few­ times,never gets any praise tho

    From Frank N, on Mon 6 Jul 12:23AM

  8. Roddick was the true champion today he was superb .. he­ could and should have won ,, he was very unlucky ,, but­ that is sport ,, all sport ,, i like federer very nice­ man ,, i have learnt to hold Roddick in very very very­ high esteem during this last 2 weeks ,, he is like most­ professional Pros's a gentleman , , not all PROs­ are professionals if you know what i mean ,,, good luck­ to the future both of them !!!

    From Robert G, on Mon 6 Jul 12:01AM

  9. #Hassan: exactly where and when has RF displayed any­ sense of humility? he's a great player, but­ 'humble" is the last word i'd use to­ describe this arrogant and vain player.

    From , on Mon 6 Jul 12:00AM

  10. fantastic

    From paullennyk, on Sun 5 Jul 11:37PM

  11. What a true gent Sampras is and a credit to sport in­ general. All the Champions are great but played­ different opponents under different circs with various­ degrees of equipment.

    Sampras was merely saying,­ 'your go and have the limelight, I am now retired­ and have moved on. What I did was great and can never­ be taken away from me'

    I also have massive­ admiration for RODDICK who is just the nicest of guys­ who warrants more credit.

    From Buzzby Buzzby, on Sun 5 Jul 11:09PM

  12. when did laver beat federer?­ hahahahahahahahaha..

    roger the greatest!

    From dadoprso20, on Sun 5 Jul 11:07PM

  13. The God Federer...Simply the Best!!! Laver wat??? Nadal­ waaaaaaaat???Give me a break...

    From pedrorotax, on Sun 5 Jul 11:06PM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Andy Roddick is the greatest loser of all time. COME­ ON. He takes all the stupd and demoralising questions­ with such dignity and plays with his heart. Also, he is­ a massive candidate for the defeat-interviews. please­ watch Australian Open 2007 SF Interview of Roddick

    From ozlenhakan, on Sun 5 Jul 10:35PM

  15. Federer will take some beating now - this guy could win­ 20 slams! Go Roger!

    From Kenneth O, on Sun 5 Jul 10:27PM

  16. Clarification, (hope it gets clear with the below kind­ of writing):

    Sampras said:

    The critics say­ Laver...

    ...and Nadal beat him a few times in­ majors...

    ...but he's won all the majors, he's­ going to win a few more here, so in my book he is.

    So­ he doesn't say that the critics said Laver beat­ him. He simply points out that the critics mention­ Laver to be a greater tennis player and they mention­ the fact that Nadal has beaten Fed in some majors,­ doesn't make him the greatest...

    From Casalpusterlengho, on Sun 5 Jul 10:21PM

  17. Comment 2, where does it say that Laver beat Federer.­ Sampras was talking about who was the greatest, he then­ aded that Nadal had beaten him!

    From James B, on Sun 5 Jul 10:18PM

  18. Did Laver beat Federer? No he didn't. Laver played­ when the depth of men's tennis was less than the­ women's was around the time of Navratilova and­ Evert, so, though Laver was good, it's a different­ game now. Who is the greatest? Not Borg, not McEnroe,­ and Sampras's clay play weak, as was his deep­ backhand. I think Nadal will eclipse Federer, but for­ now Fed is best.

    From webbski, on Sun 5 Jul 10:13PM

  19. wait 10 years and federer will hail someone as best­ ever .. the world is going too fast .. nowadays, kids­ are more complete than ever .. signature: old fart

    From ozlenhakan, on Sun 5 Jul 10:01PM

  20. Roger Federer is truly the greatest tennis player of­ all time, and a true world class champion. Only­ champions surmount adversity like Federer did after his­ losses to Nadal in the French Open in 2008, Wimbledon­ 2008 and the Australian Open 2009. The adversity he­ faced after the 6-0 loss to Nadal in the final set of­ French Open 2008 was enough tear the heart out of any­ competitor. It takes some guts for any champion to come­ back from those types of losses, and Federer has­ written his name in the book of tennis immortality by­ conquering his demons, his dips in form right from the­ French Open 2009 to Wimbledon 2009. Only the greatest­ champions in any form of sport can do that. Nadal is a­ fierce competitor, and one hopes he recovers fully so­ that this great rivalry can take off again. There are­ no more words left good enough for Federer, he should­ do what the Williams sisters have been doing, which is­ to concentrate on the Grand Slams and to conserve his­ best form energy in what is likely to be the latter­ part of his career. Tennis fans everywhere should­ rejoice, and for one who has followed his career since­ he was 17, I feel Federer is a shining example to all­ youngsters in how to approach the game of tennis and­ keep their sense of composure and humility.

    From Hassan, on Sun 5 Jul 9:56PM
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