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#Post#: 14308--------------------------------------------------
Peak Adjoining Generational Matchups - Sampras vs. Federer
DIR By: masterclass
Date: May 3, 2014, 12:30 pm
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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.
HTML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSIx60skGJM
HTML 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
#Post#: 14454--------------------------------------------------
Re: Peak Adjoining Generational Matchups - Sampras vs. Federer
DIR By: masterclass
Date: May 6, 2014, 6:10 pm
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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.
HTML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puPvG4jmSUU
HTML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puPvG4jmSUU
Respectfully,
masterclass
#Post#: 14456--------------------------------------------------
Re: Peak Adjoining Generational Matchups - Sampras vs. Federer
DIR By: Clay Death
Date: May 6, 2014, 6:16 pm
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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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