Pete Sampras says “he could have beaten Roger Federer”

The 14-time Grand Slam champion says Federer doesn't see true serve-and-volley players and he doesn't think anyone could beat him on grass in his prime.

"I think one thing Roger doesn't see on grass is a true serve-and-volleyer, someone that's willing to come in and put pressure on him, make him pass, return," Sampras said during a recent conference call. "With these big serves, I don't think anyone really scares him. I think my game would make Roger a little more uncomfortable. I would come in on both serves, put pressure on his backhand, and go from there.

"Do I think I could have beaten Roger in my prime? Sure. I don't think anyone could beat me in my prime on grass. I felt unbeatable in the mid-'90s. But he'd be a tough guy to break, especially when he's hitting 50 aces like he did at Wimbledon. It would have been a great matchup."

Roger & Mirka Blessed With Twin Girls

Roger Federer has become a father after his wife Mirka gave birth to twin girls on Thursday.

In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Federer said: "I have some exciting news to share with you. Late last night, in Switzerland, Mirka and I became proud parents of twin girls".

"We named them Myla Rose and Charlene Riva and they are both healthy and along with their mother they are doing great.

"This is the best day of our lives."

Basel (home town) Honours Roger Federer (Ehrespalebaerglemer)

World No. 1 Roger Federer has been named 'Ehrespalebaerglemer', an award given to outstanding citizens of Basel. A small crowd of 200-300 fans, friends & family members attended the ceremony on 17/07/2009. The plaque sits alongside those honouring other local heroes in the historic city centre of Basel.

“It's a nice honour for me to receive the plaque and I will walk past it, I am sure, just a few more times,” said Federer. “It's going to be a proud moment, maybe also to show my kids in the future.”

Federer made history as he won a record breaking 15th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, an epic victory over Andy Roddick.

Fighting back: Rafael Nadal Aiming to Return

Rafael Nadal, who started training on monday in Majorca, after being sidelines with tendinitis in both his knees for nearly two months.

Rafael Nadal told media in Majorca "Even if I return at 100 per cent, you have to be realistic, the rest of the season is going to be difficult because after stopping for one month, almost two, you lose the rhythm of the competition."



He lost his French Open and Wimbledon titles, as well as his world No 1 spot also added "I have still one advantage over Roger Federer in that I am only 23 years old."

Nadal says he might play at the Montreal Masters, where he is the defending champion, which gets underway on Aug 8.

Wimbledon 2009: Roger Federer – What Legends Say?

Roger Federer won his 15th grand slam by defeating Andy Roddick in the Men's Singles final at Wimbledon, reaction from the sporting world of Legends.

Rod Laver: "Roger's got too many shots, too much talent in one body. It's hardly fair that one person can do all this - his backhands, his forehands, volleys, serving, his court position... the way he moves around the court, you feel like he's barely touching the ground, and that's the sign of a great champion."

Pete Sampras: "I'm a fan of how he plays, what he's about... 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."

Bjorn Borg: "He simply does not have any more weaknesses left in him. It is such a pleasure to see him play. To me, Roger Federer is the right model for anyone aspiring to be a tennis player. It is such a pleasure to just watch him play. His shot-making has got better and I doubt there is any shot he cannot make in any part of the court."

Jimmy Connors: "In the modern game, you're a clay-court specialist, a grass-court specialist or a hard-court specialist... or you're Roger Federer."

John McEnroe: "He's the most gifted player that I've ever seen in my life. I've seen a lot of people play. I've seen the Rod Lavers, I played against some of the great players - the Sampras, Becker, Connors, Borg, you name it. This guy could be the greatest of all time. That, to me, says it all."

Mats Wilander: "I'd like to be in his shoes for one day to know what it feels like to play that way."

Tim Henman: "I don't think there's anyone that hits the ball like that. Sure, if you take Roddick's serve and Andre Agassi's returns and my volleys and Lleyton Hewitt's speed and tenacity, then you've probably got a good chance against Federer."

Tiger Woods: "What he's done in tennis, I think, is far greater than what I've done in golf."

Tracy Austin: "I've never enjoyed watching someone playing tennis as much as Federer. I'm just in awesome. Pete Sampras was wonderful but he relied so much on his serve, whereas Roger has it all, he's just so graceful, elegant and fluid - a symphony in tennis whites. Roger can produce tennis shots that should be declared illegal."

Serena Williams: "Roger is obviously a pinnacle athlete across all sports and he just does a great job. He's so graceful out there. I love watching him play. I learn so much from him."

Andy Roddick: "It's almost impossible. That's one of the most impressive stats that we'll see in tennis." (Federer's 21 consecutive grand slam semi-finals).

Wimbledon 2009:Finals(Men's)

Roger Federer has been crowned Wimbledon champion for the sixth time after an epic victory over Andy Roddick on Sunday. The day when Andy Roddick’s serve was broken just the once, in the 77th game of a 77-game Wimbledon men’s final. That one break of Roddick’s was all that Roger Federer needed to take the fifth set 16-14, to become the first man to win 15 grand slams, and to regain the world No 1 ranking.


Federer’s 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14 victory meant that, the greatest number of games ever played in a men's final. After his victory in a five-set battle that lasted four hours and 16 minutes, the debate was reignited over whether the 27-year old is now beyond doubt the best tennis player of all time.

The All England Club will lament having witnessed a men's singles final so commendable that the fans wound up chanting the name of the man who did not win: "Roddick! Roddick! Roddick!" they roared.


When Roddick came out to serve at 14-15, it was the 11th time that he had got up off his chair to serve to stay in the match. Roddick had won his previous 37 service games. A forehand error from Roddick’s racket brought up match point for Federer. Another forehand mistake from Roddick, and the match was over.


Federer’s reaction to victory was to leap into the air. Roddick’s reaction, after an embrace with Federer at the net, was to fling his racket on to the grass, and to then sit down on his changeover chair, and to put his head in his hands as he waited for the prize-giving ceremony.


"Roddick, I think, is going to be so difficult to beat again," Federer said, proving he's outrageously talented and occasionally prescient.

"Sorry, Pete," Roddick would say moments later toward Pete Sampras in the front row of the Royal Box. "I tried to hold him off.". "I lost," Roddick summarized inaccurately.The first question to a brooding Roddick went: "Did you just lose to the world's greatest tennis player ever?" Roddick, in a word: "Yes."


"You know, he was having trouble picking up my serve today for the first time ever," Roddick said. "He just stayed the course. You know, you didn't even get a sense that he was even really frustrated by it.

Longest game

Set

14-16 Roger Federer v Andy Roddick, 2009
13-11 Jaroslav Drobny v Ken Rosewall, 1954; Ashley Cooper v Neale Fraser, 1958

Most games

77 Roger Federer v Andy Roddick, 2009
62 Rafael Nadal v Roger Federer, 2008

Time

4hrs 48mins Roger Federer v Rafael Nadal 2008
4hrs 16mins Roger Federer v Andy Roddick, 2009; Jimmy Connors v John McEnroe 1982

The longest ever Wimbledon match...

Pancho Gonzales’s first-round encounter with Charlie Pasarell in 1969 was so long it prompted the introduction of the tie-break. After 5hrs 12mins and 112 games, Gonzales won 22-24, 1-6, 16-14, 6-3, 11-9.

Wimbledon 2009: Daily preview (Day 9) Men’s

Last year Roddick suffered his earliest exit at Wimbledon when he was beaten in the second round by Janko Tipsarevic. This year he will play British favorite Andy Murray for a place in the final. The sixth seed booked his fifth Wimbledon semi-final with a 6-3, 6-7 (12-10), 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 6-4 victory over Hewitt that took two hours and 55 minutes.


Roddick served 43 aces in the match, with a top speed of 140mph. Not only did he serve aces, he served them when they mattered. It had been an ominous start from the American who won his first service game to love, including a 139mph ace, then promptly broke Hewitt’s serve.

Tommy Haas, the oldest man in the draw, brushed aside Novak Djokovic, the No.4 seed and the youngest man left in the tournament 7-5, 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-3 in the quarter finals. He is 31 and has learned the value of fitness, training and preparation.


The German took a distinctly old-fashioned approach to playing on grass – he kept attacking the net. That was when he was not staying back and using his stunning backhand to unpick the Serb’s defenses. Djokovic was playing in the modern way – thumping ground strokes and explosive power.

Roger Federer is in such confident form at the 2009 Championships that even gun does not faze him. Wimbledon's five-time champion cruised into the semi-finals with a 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) victory in an hour and 43 minutes. It was Federer who proved supreme when it came to serving. Never faced a break point and was only once threatened by having his delivery taken to deuce.


Karlovic, came into this quarter-final contest having served 137 aces in his first four matches. He had also won all of his 79 service games and faced only four break points. These statistics in only the fourth game of the opening set, breaking the unbreakable serve by tackling the Karlovic power head on.

Andy Murray as the number three seed beat Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 on Centre Court. The authoritative victory over the former world number one puts Murray through to his first Wimbledon semi-final. Murray was winning his serve with ease, and Ferrero had to work much harder to hold on to his serve.


Last month at Queen’s where Murray wrapped up a simple straight sets victory. True, the Spaniard had a couple of jitters at the outset, and he pushed a half-volley long to give Murray an early chance to break. But nonetheless the Spaniard was playing a canny game.