Sampras now in the boat Borg vacated at Wimbledon last year.
Posted by tennisplanet on June 11, 2009
No matter how gracious and magnanimous Sampras may make himself out to be after co-holding No. 14, deep down he wants to at least not get trumped.
Just pulling up is bad enough, but Federer has dropped a truck load of salt into that wound by winning Roland Garros of all the freaking titles.
And that is not even the end of the ordeal. No. 15 will be the knock out punch to banish any hope Sampras now has to be even mentioned at the GOAT meeting.
But just like the slump Federer was in for sometime that forced McEnroe to declare that ‘Sampras may be sleeping a lot better these days’, this Roland Garros title does not guarantee No. 15.
There were a lot of factors at this win that still leaves the door open for Sampras to continue dreaming of co-hosting the top summit. Certainly Sampras would have liked the No. 14 to come anywhere except at the FO.
But maybe that hard pill is what he needed to swallow as compensation for still being at the top – jointly.
Sampras may be in luck, for in Nadal’s absence - which may be longer than even Nadal expects - Murray, by default has emerged as a worthy foil to what Federer has planned from now on.
Clearly Wimbledon is the ideal hunting ground for Federer to add to his Slam total for obvious reasons, although US Open may not be too far behind. With both Murray and Djokovic still to match their hard court showing on grass and with Nadal out or weakened, this may be as close to Roland Garros title Federer can ever get to.
Murray’s best showing at three appearances at Wimbledon has been the quarters – last year (losing to Nadal in straights). With a great start this season, the home crowd expectations, six straight wins over Federer, Murray has to be the new obstacle for Federer this year.
So Sampras is still hanging by a thread with the red dirt still showering continuously. He would love to vacate this boat just like Borg and have something to hold on to – at least statistically.
boxingary said
Rios: never won a Grand Slam.
Muster: never won a single match at Wimbledon.
Moya: never appeared in 2 consecutive GS quarterfinals.
Rafter: never appeared in 2 consecutive GS quarterfinals.
BUT THEY WERE ALL ABLE TO TAKE AWAY SAMPRAS’ #1 RANKING.
He is SO trumped, TP…
O said
Haah, TP, you first put Roger in that Borg boat, touting his retirement, and now you fit Pete in that boat? I think Nadal might actually fit into that boat by retiring early. He safeguarded Pete’s record, but no one can do that anymore.
Dee said
I don’t think Sampras is that kind of person, unlike some people who congratulated Soderling for beating Nadal so he can keep his record.
http://ubitennis.quotidianonet.ilsole24ore.com/2009/06/02/186034-robin_soderling.shtml
Dee said
This is actually very interesting
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/whats-common-between-aamir-khan-and-roger-federer/94516-8.html
Gracie said
Fed picking up #14 on clay seemed perfectly fitting and does give him a slight edge over Sampras, IMO. But if (as many tennis writers are speculating this week) Roger should take this momentum and manage to win another Wimbeldon title just two weeks later, when it took Sampras two years to break the new record he’d set by winning his #13, THAT would be like big chunks of coarse salt in that wound, ground in deep with heel of Fed’s Nikes. Ouch.
It’s hard to speculate where Nadal’s game will be in a few weeks, but I agree that Andy Murray will be a formidable obstacle. Murray has really grown on me and I have a lot of respect for his game. I’m wondering how some of the rest of you are feeling about him now that he’s found a level of professionalism on the court. OK, looks aside, that is. Heh.
I think he’s a serious contendor at the AELTC. I’d love to see him win there….in another year or so!
Jenny said
Gracie says:
‘I’m wondering how some of the rest of you are feeling about him now that he’s found a level of professionalism on the court. OK, looks aside, that is. Heh.’
Hi Gracie, Good question. I agree Andy has found a level of professionalism and of course looks aside. I can only answer for me. Do I like him? I’m rather bland about him actually. I’ve always said he has a great game tennis-wise and I’m sure he will win slam[s] in the future. However, I still stand by my clay court reserve on him, he’s fast, but he doesn’t have ‘clay feet’, his weaker clay game was exposed by Gonzalez who is about 3 levels higher than his previous opponents at RG. When I’m watching tennis, I want my breath taken away as Roger did so many times in the early days, and when Fena’s on fire or when Nalby’s creating his smooth angles. As good as Andy is, and he has proven results, his tennis just doesn’t do that for me, I like passion and intensity.
MIKE__ said
“I like passion and intensity” but no mention of Nadal? For me, he takes passion and intensity to near boxing levels and always gets me emotionally involved. He’ll never approach Fed or Sampras in terms slams but he’s special in so many other ways. “The candle that burns twice as bright, burns half as long”.
MIKE__ said
I like Murray too but IMO, he’s only a true contender at the US and AO. He’s got a rock-solid game but he still lacks a truly devastating weapon (mental toughness included) and footwork on slippery surfaces required to win multiple slams and go down as an all-time great (6 + slams). I see him as more of a Djokovic (somewhat physically fragile) and will probably end his career with 2-4 slams. Let’s see how he handles the high hopes and intense pressure at Wimbledon.
Jenny said
‘I like passion and intensity” but no mention of Nadal?
Of course, Nadal too.
MIKE__ said
Bueno.
Andy said
In my view, Fed passed Sampras in Jan of 2007 when he won his his 3rd AO. That win gave him at least 3 titles at each of Wimby, the USO and the AO. At that time, he had also made it to a FO final and a semi-final, losing to possibly the greatest clay court player ever both times. This already incredibly impressive FO success, together with his clay titles here and there at other tourneys, very clearly DWARFED the “average at best” clay results of Pete.
Up to the 2007 there may have been an argument for Pete over Roger, but since then (with Roger’s continued success at the FO and his bulking up of his overall record), in my view its become somewhat of a landslide in favour of Roger.
I don’t know who the GOAT is, BUT I do know that there is simply NO WAY that it is Pete Sampras.
Banti said
Sampras’s game was enough to take out any GOAT contender prior to the FED/Rafa era hands down. You honestly think Borg would have won a single match against Pete in Wimbi playing in the same era given the same variables? Not a chance. How about on a hard court? You think the 5′ 5″ , 120 lb Laver would have a chance agaist Rafa right now? lol.
I also think, were looking at the two best players that have ever played the game with Roger and Rafa at the moment. Tennis has never been played at this level. Taking racket technology aside, their pure talent, physical strength, speed , and overall skill on the court when they play at their best is unmatched to any past player. I’m sure sooner or later a new stronger, faster, athlete will come along that will surprise us i’m sure, but I wouldn’t hold your breath for that.
MIKE__ said
I think Sampras is in the acceptance phase now. He’s handled it with class, but yes, it must really suck to have “unthinkable” records shattered in seven short years and completely eliminated from the GOAT equation
Laver got to savor his GOATness for a GENERATION, 40 YEARS, and he’s STILL LICKING THE BONES OF HIS TWO CALENDER SLAMS.
SG said
Sampras has known for a while that the record would fall. Federer fans can say what they want. Laver’s two calendar slams are the gold standard for tennis greatness. He is the GOAT, has been for 40 years. Fed has one shot to get the the GOAT label and that’s to win a “Roger Slam”. Hold all 4 titles at the same time. With Rafa gone at Wimbledon, he’ll be 1/2 way there. No one, not even Murray, will stop Federer at Wimbledon. The US Open is his best surface so I figure he has about a 75% chance of defending that title. The question will be the 2010 Aussie. Can he win that one. If he can, the GOAT debate will be ended.