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.

Roger Federer, Still What to Achieve?

Roger Federer has now won 14 Grand Slam titles,that 14 wins in the last 24 Grand Slams, tied with Pete Sampras (took 45) for the most in men's tennis history, and he likely won't be stopping there.

We can ask how he stacks up to the other all-time greats, but that's just a guessing game. Here's a better question: What hasn't Federer accomplished yet?

Olympic Singles Champion - Andre Agassi

Roger have dominated big tournaments but haven't won Olympics. He was a semifinalist in 2000, lost in the second round in 2004 and made the quarters in 2008.


Agassi is still the only male to have won all the Slams and a gold medal in singles for his career. Maybe the 2012 Olympics in London will be Federer's lucky charm all matches will be played at the All England Club.

Calendar year Grand Slam - Rod Laver

Laver won the French, Wimbledon, US and Australian crowns in the one calendar year, 1969. Incredibly, it was his second time, having first managed it in 1962.


Roger who has made 20 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals, it's certainly a possibility.

Real Grand Slam - Margaret Court

With 11 Australian singles, and five doubles, titles to her name Margaret Court (nee Smith) is arguably the greatest female player in the tournament’s history.


Federer has a ways to go to reach that mark,averaging over two per year, another five years oughta do it, right?

French-Wimbledon sweep - Bjorn Borg

Borg won both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year, thrice. Nadal has done it, too last year.


Now that Federer has step one in the books, he can turn his attention to another test of tennis endurance, two Slams in one month.

All-time ATP wins record - Jimmy Connors

Connors finished his 22-year career with 1,241 wins on the ATP Tour. Federer is now at 650. This isn't exactly an accurate benchmark, though.


The ATP didn't exist until 1972 — after Connors had already hit the scene — so many of the game's greats are out of the running.

11 straight years with a Grand Slam final - Ivan Lendl/Pete Sampras


Lendl and Sampras both made it to at least one Grand Slam final in 11 consecutive years, an open-era record. Federer has done it in seven so far and shows no signs of slowing up.


Sure, that 20 straight Grand Slam semifinals run is pretty impressive, but let's take it one step further, Rog, and do it over a long period of time.

Career doubles Slam - Roy Emerson

Emerson is the only male player to have won singles and doubles titles at all four Grand Slam tournaments. His 28 Grand Slam titles are an all-time record for a male player.


Federer has had doubles success with countryman Stanislas Wawrinka, winning gold at the Beijing Olympics. Maybe it's time for a new challenge?

Grand Slam Diversity - Steffi Graf

Steffi Graf won an incredible 107 career WTA singles titles and 11 career doubles titles. She captured an astounding 22 Grand Slam singles titles in a 13-year span. She won seven times at Wimbledon, six at Roland Garros, five at the U.S. Open and four at the Australian Open.


Roger's halfway there, already owning five Wimbledon and U.S. Open titles each. One more Aussie and three more French will get him there.