Sampras: Federer worthy of my record - 網球 Tennis

Sampras: Federer worthy of my record
http://iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/19/sports/TEN-Sampras-Federer.php

The Associated Press
Thursday, June 19, 2008

LONDON: Pete Sampras remains confident that Roger Federer will beat his
record for most career Grand Slam singles titles.

In fact, Sampras plans to be sitting among Federer's most vocal supporters
when he does win a 15th career major － even if that requires a lengthy flight
to Melbourne, Australia.

Federer has 12 Grand Slam titles, two behind Sampras' record.

If Federer won a sixth straight Wimbledon title next month and a fifth
consecutive U.S. Open title in September, he would be aiming for No. 15 at
the Australian Open in January.

"There is a burning desire in Roger to break my record, and when he does it
I would like to be there," Sampras said Thursday. "I said to Roger, 'Just
make sure it's in New York or London. Australia is a long way to go. (But) if
it worked out like that, I would fly there.'

"I would just let him enjoy it as his moment but (I would want to be there)
just to respect the record and what he was able to do and to just say,
'Congratulations.'"

Despite Federer's loss to No. 2-ranked Rafael Nadal in the French Open
final, Sampras is confident the Swiss star will bounce back at the All
England Club.

"He's created this monster of winning so many tournaments and so many majors
and doing it with ease," Sampras said in Sao Paulo, Brazil. "As great as
Roger is, he's going to have his losses and his bad days. It's just human
nature to go through some lulls."

That doesn't mean he has lost his edge, Sampras said.

"In the majors, he's still the guy that's most likely to win them," Sampras
said. "He's lost a couple and, if anything, that'll do him some good. It'll
get him going and fired up. He'll be just fine."

The 36-year-old Sampras was speaking from BlackRock Tour of Champions, where
he makes his debut Thursday in Brazil against Thomas Muster.

But Sampras will find it hard not thinking of Wimbledon, which begins
Monday, and where he captured half of his career majors.

"I think if I were to step back on that court at Wimbledon it would bring up
a lot of emotion," Sampras said. "Just because of what the place meant to me
and how big it was to the sport of tennis."

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