The anguish of Pete Sampras

Poor old Pete. When he won that late career US Open to notch #14 he must have felt a secure legacy.

That said, this pesky Swiss kid had already screwed things up a bit by beating him at Wimbledon to prevent him getting his eighth Wimbledon. Still, no worries, that record of 7 was surely solid, after all he was two clear even of the mighty Borg.

Fast forward just 7 years and that Swiss kid had just taken his Slam record by getting to 15, and doing it in front of Pete and his wife, Bridgette (who looked even more sour than Pete) in a match he'd looked certain to lose. Bloody Andy Roddick and his crap backhand high volley!!!! Still, it looked like Federer was under pressure from a strong new generation and the Wimbledon record was surely untouchable.

It got nasty when in 2012 the Swiss guy matched the record of 7. Now Pete wasn't turning up to these things, it wasn't nice seeing the career accomplishments being matched before he'd even got grey. Happily this looked very like Federers version of his own 2002 last hurrah and successive rescues by Djokovic, and the collapse of Federers fitness in 2016 made him sit comfortably.

Now it's all gone wrong. 14 looks pretty meek in 3rd place after Nadal got to 15 and Federer has gone over the horizon with 19. Even worse he's gone to 8 Wimbledons leaving Pete tied with some guy who played with Henry VIII. How could it all go so wrong so quickly?

Ah well, at least there's his record of 6 year end #1 rankings. Now that's obviously never going to get matched........

Pete's is 6 consecutive and it doesn't really feel like Fed is that far ahead with 19.

19/14 is 35% beyond. I don't call that close. Also maybe spread out is more difficult?

Anyway, I'm just playing. This is the sort of thing I'd do if Wise_Analyst and the other original 606 Sampras fan protagonists were still about. Oh for a shot at those guys right now!

Ah Pete's face during the W '09 final - like thunder. 

I recall an interview from him a few years ago citing 7 W titles as the achievement that he was most proud of, and the one record that he would not like to relinquish.

That was before Fed got to 7...

Maybe a lesson there for Federer? You never know when the next star may rise (and that pesky Nadal is still hanging around ); he should try and fill his boots whilst he can.

Good OP. I must say i stopped comparing Fed to Pete a long time ago. A very different world and skills set. The main difference is one was always boring to watch the other is as astonishing to watch 14 years on as he was in 2003.