'Roger Federer is the Greatest' Says Pete Sampras After Record Broken
With his 15th title the Swiss champion overtakes Pistol Pete's tally of grand slam victories, and the American predicts more to come
You had to feel a bit sorry for Pete Sampras. He flew several thousands of miles, not only to see his record of 14 grand slam titles beaten, but also more or less to have to admit that the guy who did it was now the greatest ever, not him.
Of course the former Wimbledon champion could still point out that he has won the men's singles title seven times whereas Federer still only has six, but Sampras indicated his hurt with a flash of dark humor by calling out "you only allowed me seven years".
Another questioner asked him to admit that he wouldn't resent someone like Federer superseding him – not something which should ever be taken for granted with an athlete – and Sampras again played the role.
"Sure, Roger's a friend and a good guy and a great player. He's got 15 grand slam titles now, and he could get 16, 17 or 18 – he's a stud. And he's only 27."
But still that was not enough. So surely Federer was the greatest ever then? Sampras paused. "I have to give it to him," he said, also saying something inaudible in which the name "Laver" could be detected. "He's won all the majors now, and he will win a few more. So in my book he is." It may have been a relief for Sampras when he was asked to talk about the match. "It was tremendous," he opined, although much of the time he had looked as though he were sinking into the chair to recover from his journey.
"Andy [Roddick] played great and had his chance. But Roger is a great champion. The fifth set was great tennis, and Roger deserved it. It was an epic."
For Roddick the question which may have been so difficult for Sampras to answer, was just about the easiest. Did you lose to the world's greatest tennis player, he was asked? Roddick doesn't usually like press conferences much, but this response, though pithy, emerged without the need for painful thoughts. "Yes."
Pain always emerges when Roddick is beaten. When do you think you'll start feeling better as opposed to how you feel now, he was asked. "I don't know. I'm a tennis player, not a psychic," he shot back. Was Federer the only player he wouldn't have beaten playing as well as he did? "I don't know. That's such an irrelevant question at this point," he glared. "It's completely hypothetical and guessing. I don't know."
When asked to describe what he did today, he replied, even more tersely: ‚"I lost. But when it was rephrased he was more forthcoming. "Well I took some satisfaction in December and in November when we started to move forward," he said, referring to the effect which his new coach Larry Stefanki had had on his game. "It was to give you an opportunity to win tournaments like this. I feel like I did give myself that opportunity today. It didn't work out, but you know I definitely did give myself a look."
Asked about the qualities which made Federer so tough, he added: "He had trouble in picking up my serve today for the first time ever. But you didn't even get a sense that he was frustrated by it. He kind of stayed the course and toughed it out. He gets a lot of credit for a lot of things, but not that."
Roddick, you sensed, after the best performances of his career, was frustrated. "Liberate this man - well done, Andy," called out the veteran American journo, Bud Collins. And with that Roddick said "Thank you" and left.
Of course the former Wimbledon champion could still point out that he has won the men's singles title seven times whereas Federer still only has six, but Sampras indicated his hurt with a flash of dark humor by calling out "you only allowed me seven years".
Another questioner asked him to admit that he wouldn't resent someone like Federer superseding him – not something which should ever be taken for granted with an athlete – and Sampras again played the role.
"Sure, Roger's a friend and a good guy and a great player. He's got 15 grand slam titles now, and he could get 16, 17 or 18 – he's a stud. And he's only 27."
But still that was not enough. So surely Federer was the greatest ever then? Sampras paused. "I have to give it to him," he said, also saying something inaudible in which the name "Laver" could be detected. "He's won all the majors now, and he will win a few more. So in my book he is." It may have been a relief for Sampras when he was asked to talk about the match. "It was tremendous," he opined, although much of the time he had looked as though he were sinking into the chair to recover from his journey.
"Andy [Roddick] played great and had his chance. But Roger is a great champion. The fifth set was great tennis, and Roger deserved it. It was an epic."
For Roddick the question which may have been so difficult for Sampras to answer, was just about the easiest. Did you lose to the world's greatest tennis player, he was asked? Roddick doesn't usually like press conferences much, but this response, though pithy, emerged without the need for painful thoughts. "Yes."
Pain always emerges when Roddick is beaten. When do you think you'll start feeling better as opposed to how you feel now, he was asked. "I don't know. I'm a tennis player, not a psychic," he shot back. Was Federer the only player he wouldn't have beaten playing as well as he did? "I don't know. That's such an irrelevant question at this point," he glared. "It's completely hypothetical and guessing. I don't know."
When asked to describe what he did today, he replied, even more tersely: ‚"I lost. But when it was rephrased he was more forthcoming. "Well I took some satisfaction in December and in November when we started to move forward," he said, referring to the effect which his new coach Larry Stefanki had had on his game. "It was to give you an opportunity to win tournaments like this. I feel like I did give myself that opportunity today. It didn't work out, but you know I definitely did give myself a look."
Asked about the qualities which made Federer so tough, he added: "He had trouble in picking up my serve today for the first time ever. But you didn't even get a sense that he was frustrated by it. He kind of stayed the course and toughed it out. He gets a lot of credit for a lot of things, but not that."
Roddick, you sensed, after the best performances of his career, was frustrated. "Liberate this man - well done, Andy," called out the veteran American journo, Bud Collins. And with that Roddick said "Thank you" and left.
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