Becker, McEnroe pay tribute to Sampras

Two of Pete Sampras’s fiercest rivals have paid tribute to him at his retirement ceremony.

Boris Becker, who won Wimbledon twice as a teenager during the mid-1980s before Sampras began his all-conquering run at the All-England Club, said: “Before you were around, I used to own that place.

“What an honour for me to be here. I was part of a generation of great players that produced the very best. Enjoy life, Pete.”

And John McEnroe, who clashed with Sampras during his career and rarely had a kind word to say about him at the time, said: “You are the greatest player I’ve ever played against.

“We respect you, and that’s the greatest compliment you can get.”