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| Pete Sampras |
Newport Beach (California): Seven-time Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras expects Roger Federer to beat Rafael Nadal in Sunday’s final.
The 34-year-old American, who won a record 14 Grand Slam singles titles, made the prediction in a telephone conference call regarding his return to the sport for seven days this month in the World Team Tennis league.
“Roger is pretty much unbeatable on grass, pretty much unbeatable anywhere except on clay against Nadal,” Sampras said.
“Roger will have his way with him on grass in the final. Nadal will compete well and hard, but I don’t see him prevailing.”
Sampras said he will always miss playing at the All England Club, his hunger for the sport he left behind after winning the 2002 US Open never stronger than when he is forced to watch Wimbledon.
“I think I always will miss it, the feeling of playing on the court, the daily life at Wimbledon,” Sampras said.
“I’ll miss it at 34, 44 and 54... These are the two weeks I really do miss the sport, because I was so successful.”
Sampras has become one of Federer’s biggest supporters, saying he will cheer on the Swiss star even if it means helping him erase his own Grand Slam records.
“When I look at Roger, I’m a fan of how he plays, what he’s about. And he’s fun to watch,” Sampras said. “I think he can and will break every tennis record out there. He’s the only great player out there. Nadal is a great player but Roger is above him.
“I don’t see anyone threatening the No. 1 ranking. He’s too consistent and too good. He has a fear factor over everyone out there, like I did at some times but even more.
“He’s on his way to breaking not only the No. 1 record but the Grand Slam record. He has not only the demeanour but the ability to do it.”
Watching Federer makes Sampras wonder what it would be like to play against him today were both in their prime. “I think we both would have our hands full,” Sampras said. (AFP)
DAY X RESULTS
MEN’S SINGLES, QUARTER FINALS: Rafael Nadal (2, Esp) bt Jarkko Nieminen (22, Fin) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
MEN’S DOUBLES, QUARTER FINALS: Fabrice Santoro (6, Fra)/ Nenad Zimonjic (6, SCG) bt Jonas Bjorkman (2, Swe)/Max Mirnyi (2, Belr) 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
WOMEN’S SINGLES, SEMI-FINALS: Justine Henin-Hardenne (3, Bel) bt Kim Clijsters (2, Bel) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4); Amelie Mauresmo (1, Fra) bt Maria Sharapova (4, Rus) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.
WOMEN’S DOUBLES, QUARTER FINALS: Yan Zi (4, Chn)/Zheng Jie (4, Chn) bt Liezel Huber (7, RSA)/Martina Navratilova (7, US) 4-6, 6-4, 6-0; Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP)/Paola Suarez (Arg) bt Eleni Daniilidou (10, Gre)/Anabel Medina Garrigues (10, ESP) 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 9-7; Yuliana Fedak (Ukr)/Tatiana Perebiynis (Ukr) bt Anna-Lena Groenefeld (5, Ger)/Meghann Shaughnessy (5, US) 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-4.
MIXED DOUBLES, QUARTER FINALS: Max Mirnyi (2, Blr)/Zheng Jie (2, Chn) bt Daniel Nestor (5, Can)/Elena Likhovtseva (5, Rus), 6-2, 6-3; Andy Ram (9, Isr) /Vera Zvonareva (9, Rus) bt Frantisek Cermak (16, Cze)/Anna-Lena Groenefeld (16, Ger) 6-3, 6-4; Bob Bryan (US)/Venus Williams (US) bt Leander Paes (4, Ind)/Samantha Stosur (4, Aus) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.
BOYS SINGLES, QUARTER FINALS: Thiemo de Bakker (1, Ned) bt Artur Chernov (12, Rus) 6-2, 6-2; Michal Konecny (Cze) bt Robin Roshardt (15, Sui) 3-0, (Robin ret.); Pavel Chekhov (6, Rus) bt Luka Belic (6, Cro) 6-4, 6-4; Marcin Gawron (Pol) bt Nikola Mektic (Cro) 6-3, 6-4.
