Sampras backs Federer to shatter titles record

Pete Sampras has backed Roger Federer to break his record number of grand slam wins in the “next couple of years” and hopes to be there when it happens.

Federer, 27, has accrued 13 major titles so far, one short of the 14 won by Sampras, who is in London this week playing at the Tour of Champions’ BlackRock Masters.

The Swiss was expected to at least equal the record this year, but endured a disappointing season, adding just one more grand slam at the US Open and losing the Wimbledon final – and with it the world number one spot – to Rafael Nadal.

Sampras, however, has tipped him to come back stronger in 2009.

“There’s a lot left in him,” the American said of Federer.

“I think he’d like to get back to number one and he’s looking forward to breaking my record soon. He can win as many Wimbledons as he wants – he’s got the game.

“Roger’s probably going to break it over the next couple of years. I’ve been pretty accepting that he’ll break it.

“He’s a credit to the game, he’s a friend and there’s nothing I can do about it apart from sit back and watch him do it and respect it.”

Asked if he will be present, Sampras replied: “I’d like to out of respect to him and his record. And if it’s Wimbledon there’s a good chance I’ll be there.”

Five years Federer’s junior and already with five grand slam titles, Nadal perhaps has the better chance of setting a new record by the time he retires.

But Sampras has questioned how well the Spaniard’s body can cope with the pressures of top-level tennis.

“It will be interesting to see what happens with Nadal next year,” said the 37-year-old.

“The amount of work he has to do to stay on top and stay healthy – I think that’s where Roger has a bit of an advantage because he it takes a lot less energy for Roger to stay on top than Nadal.

“Rafa’s strung so tight and the guy is an absolute animal.

“He puts so much effort into each point that eventually something will break. There’s a certain grind that he goes through, unlike Roger who is a lot more fluid and wins matches a lot easier.

“But when you’re the best player in the world and people are gunning for you year after year, that’s when it takes its toll and it’ll be interesting to see how he handles that.”

Sampras knows all too well the demands of staying at the top, surprising many by retiring at the relatively young age of 31.

The six years since then have been up and down, he admits, and despite once swearing he would never play seniors’ tennis, after a while he found life without the game too empty.

“When I won that last (US) Open (in 2002) that was the last fuel I had in my tank,” he said. “I had nothing left. I was gone. I really was.

“I gave it some time to really make sure I was done. But once Wimbledon came and went the year after I won the US Open, I knew it was time to move on.

“For three years I didn’t do a thing. I put on some weight, wasn’t feeling too good about myself, playing golf, playing poker and doing all these fun things.

“But you wake up and think ’What am I going to do today’?

“To be 31 and retired is great but at the same time a man works and I’ve always been a worker.”

And he admits he still dreams of playing one more time at the All England Club, adding: “I miss the place. I’d love to play on Centre Court again.

“There’s no other place like it in the world and it’s where I made my name and my career.”