Appreciate Federer, like Sampras does
All-time grand slam leader will be happy when star breaks his record
 | Roger Federer has been knocked for being too boring, but he turned heads when he showed up at a fashion show with Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, left, a friend of his. |
Diane Bondareff / AP |
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 | Record performances Take a look at players who have won and put themselves in the record books at the U.S. Open. NBCSports.com |
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NEW YORK - Some advice, sports fans: Be sure to appreciate Roger Federer, to relish his brilliance with a racket, to understand exactly what a rare treat a champion of his caliber and character is.
Don’t just take my word for it.
Listen, instead, to someone who knows a lot more about tennis, someone who figures it is a matter of when — not whether — Federer will break Pete Sampras’ records of 14 Grand Slam titles.
Listen to Pistol Pete himself.
“I did all I could do in the ’90s, and I really thought the 14 would be tough to beat. Little did I know Roger would come along and dominate the way he has — and that could last a while longer,” Sampras said Monday in a telephone interview from Los Angeles.
“If there’s a player and a person that I’d like to see break this, it would be Roger. He’s a great guy. Lets his racket do the talking. One of those humble champions I like.”
Still only 26, Federer collected his 12th Grand Slam title Sunday at the U.S. Open by beating Novak Djokovic 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-4. Among the 40 or so congratulatory text messages Federer received afterward was one from his pal Tiger Woods, whose career is in many ways defined by his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’ record for golf majors.
How quickly could Federer pass Sampras?
Consider this: In 2004, 2006 and 2007, Federer won three of each season’s four majors.
“It’s exciting. Very exciting. I mean, I used to not like it so much. All that, ‘He’s the one who can break it.’ Or, ‘He will break it. He’s so talented,’ and stuff. And you’re like, ‘Ooof, my God, I’m so far away.’ It’s just hard, and it wears on you,” Federer told a group of reporters Monday at a Times Square restaurant.
“So to have caught up so quickly to Pete is a big bonus for me, already early on in my career. ... And the focus is becoming more and more the Grand Slams.”
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So, to his credit, is the man whose mark is being pursued.
And Sampras, who was 31 when he won the 2002 U.S. Open for his last major title, doesn’t expect Federer to stop at 14. Or 15.
“I won’t be disappointed — it’s more respect than anything. Would I like my record to last forever? Of course. But records are made to be broken,” Sampras said. “He’ll win a ton more. Motivation will be his biggest hurdle, but he could win 17, 18 majors the way he’s going, if he’s healthy.”
If there’s a knock on Federer, it’s pretty much the same as the only one people could come up with when Sampras ruled tennis.
He’s kinda boring, they say. Doesn’t berate linesmen on the court the way Connors and McEnroe did, doesn’t raise a ruckus off it the way Becker and Borg did. Hasn’t married an actress (Brooke) or a tennis star (Steffi) the way Agassi did. (Well, actually, Sampras did marry an actress.)
Not surprisingly, Federer and Sampras think that sort of criticism is unwarranted.
“That’s really searching for something to say. Will he make headlines with his antics like some past champions? No, but that’s not what he’s about. That’s why I like watching him,” Sampras said. “I know what that’s like. I wasn’t exciting enough. I didn’t do enough on the court or off the court.”
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