Peak Adjoining Generational Matchups - Sampras vs. Federer

• Peak Adjoining Generational Matchups - Sampras vs. Federer
  Posted by masterclass on 03 May, 2014 12:30
• Let's have some fun.  The premise is simple.  Take two good or great players who barely played each other (1-3 times) because of the generational difference and pit them against each other near each other's peak.   Feel free to add your own Peak Matchup!  Then discuss!
  
  In this case, we will match up the American Serving Sensation, Pete Sampras, with the Swiss Maestro, Roger Federer.
  
  Their lone meeting, Wimbledon 2001 - 19 year old [#15] Roger Federer def. 29 year old [#6] Pete Sampras, 7-6(7), 5-7, 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-5.
  It was Federer's first match ever on Wimbledon's Center Court, and he was pitted against Sampras, the 4 times defending and overall 7 time Wimbledon champion. 
  Watch young Federer withstand the pressure in a tight match throughout, pointing the way to the great player he would later become.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSIx60skGJM
  
  Now from this match, let's rewind 6 years and fast forward 6 years, with both at/near their peak,  1995 Sampras vs. 2007 Federer, how would they do against each other in each other's time and conditions?    Feel free to discuss.  I'm including the sample scenario below to aid the discussion. In your own Peak Matchup submissions, you can do what you want.
  
  For example, let's say they could play each other at each major in 1995, who will win?
  
  AO:  Federer  (It's a shorter trip for Federer from his holiday villa in the Maldives, Pete was exhausted)
  RG:  Federer  (French cuisine doesn't agree with Sampras, gets a stomach ache and looks sick most of the match)
  WC: Sampras (Wimbledon 90's grass, Sampras rules)
  US:  Sampras (US Open - Sampras is at home on the faster Decoturf)
  
  For example, let's say they could play each other at each major in  2007, who will win?
  
  AO:  Federer  (Global warming,  too hot down under for Pete, mate. Federer cools off after practicing in the desert of Dubai)
  RG:  Federer  (Federer speaks French - c'est la vie - smokes a Parisienne cigarette, and wins the crowd)
  WC: Federer  (Wimbledon's change to green clay infuriates Sampras, talented Federer plays on anything)
  US:  Sampras (Roger distracted by the lights of Broadway, believes his Kingly persona will get the job done.  It doesn't. )
  
  Respectfully,
  masterclass
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• #1 Reply
  Posted by masterclass on 06 May, 2014 18:10
• Every time I see this match it still amazes me.  What a tight match.  Most people thought that the reigning King of Grass would pull it out after he pulled even in the 4th set.  After all, he was the 4 time defending champion, 7 times total,  playing baby Federer playing his first match on Wimbledon's famous Center Court.  Sampras may have been past his prime a bit, his ranking slipping to 6th, but he was obviously still a force on grass having won it the year before against the marvelous Pat Rafter.  The way young Federer hung in there the entire match, returning superlatively, especially off the backhand wing, as the match went on, and then broke the great Sampras serve to win it at the very end with 4 quality returns of serve, 3 on the Sampras first serve, 2 returns for outright winners, surely foretold Roger's equally great future at SW19. 
  
  One had to expect a letdown after teen Federer won this match, and he probably did, though Tim Henman was excellent on grass as well, but how could he not have after beating one of the greatest grass court players tennis had seen?  After all, Federer had only just won his first title earlier in the year at Milan.  It would still be two years before Federer won his first major, at Wimbledon, but one obviously could see the writing on the wall. 
  
  But King Pete wasn't done yet either.  He made the final at the US Open that same year, and a year later,  Sampras would win his 5th US Open and finally go out a 14 time Slam champion.  From one point of view, it's sort of a shame they were not part of the same generation, to see how they would have battled each other in London, New York, and elsewhere, but from another viewpoint, each surely deserved their own place in the sun. 
  
  Here is Pete's 2002 win over Andre Agassi at the All American final at the US Open in New York.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puPvG4jmSUU
  
  Respectfully,
  masterclass
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• #2 Reply
  Posted by Clay Death on 06 May, 2014 18:16
• what an awesome thread general masterclass.
  
  this will require careful thought. I saw that battle many times over the last few years. tennis channel loves showing it every year.
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