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Pete Sampras has called Roger Federer a great player and a great champion. He has also shared that he has now gotten used to Federer breaking his records.
However, the 40-year-old thinks that there is still one record that is out of the reach of Federer. That is Sampras’ record of ending six straight seasons as the world number one.
Giving an interview on Friday, Sampras said, "The only record I think I'll have left will be No. 1 for six years which I think will be tough for anyone to break."
Federer has finished a total of five years as the top ranked player. He ended four straight years as world number in 2004-07 and then in 2009.
The American acknowledged, “Personally I've gotten used to Roger breaking my records."
By winning the 2009 Wimbledon title, Federer broke Sampras’ all-time record of 14 Grand Slams. The American retired from professional tennis after winning his last Major championship at the 2002 US Open, at a time when Federer had not won even a single Grand Slam. The Swiss Maestro grabbed his first Grand Slam at the 2003 Wimbledon Championships and went on to win his 16th Major at the 2010 Aussie Open.
Now Federer is aiming to equal two more of Sampras’ records by winning this year’s Wimbledon Championships. If the Swiss legend beats home favourite Andy Murray in the final on Sunday, he will level the American’s record of seven Wimbledon titles and most weeks as the world number one. Sampras remained at the top of the world rankings for a record 286 weeks and Federer is only one short of it with 285.
Sampras continued to say, "I've always felt Roger's the sort of guy that, if I'm going to see my records broken, I'd hope that it's someone like him. I like his game. I like what he's about. Just a very classy player. And we're friends. Maybe makes it a little bit easier that it's someone I genuinely like and consider a friend."
The former world number one thinks that Federer is the favorite to win the final on Sunday and equal his records.
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