Federer Defeats Sampras In Exhibition At Madison Square Garden

March 12, 2008

(Long Island, N.Y.) In a battle against world number ones of different era, current top-ranked tennis player Roger Federer defeated former world number one Pete Sampras 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (6) at a sold out Madison Square Garden in New York.

Pete Sampras who will turn 37 this August owns the record for most number of Grand slam events won in professional tennis with 14 championship trophies in his belt, winning the last one on his last professional game at the flushing meadows in New York in the 2002 US open while the 26 year old Swiss master Federer in pursuit with 12 Grand slams for his brilliant career. Sampras also holds the most number of seasons finished as the number one player in the world after holding that honor for six straight years. Federer has been the world number one player for the last 200 weeks.

Playing in front of an estimated 19,690 adoring fans at the Garden which included Golf superstar Tiger Woods, business tycoon Donald Trump, Regis Philbin and Anna Wintour sitting at front row, both Federer and Sampras produced magnificent shots and groundbreaking strokes which mirrored their respective successful careers at the professional level. Federer won the first set with relative ease after he held serve using four consecutive smashing aces and a two handed fist pump to celebrate. Sampras produced shot making trickery reminiscent of the Pistol Pete of old to claim the second set after winning the tie-break 7-4. But in the end, the youthful exuberance of Federer overwhelmed Sampras as the Swiss champion claimed the match and the $1 Million prize after he captured the deciding third set tiebreaker 8-6.

”I don’t think winning or losing was really the issue tonight. I think we both tried to do our best and have a fun night, and that’s what it turned out to be. It turned out to be this thriller match, This is maybe why so many people came out: You don’t often get the No. 1 in his prime playing against maybe the greatest player of all time,” Federer said.

Sampras for his part earned a little less than the million Federer won but more importantly won the hearts of his adoring fans. In one instance after Sampras won a point on a serve and volley tactics, a spectator rang out the chorus “You still got it, Pete!” The first and only meeting between the two at the professional level occurred at the 2001 Wimbledon where Sampras won 7 of his 14 slams. The youthful Federer edged fading Sampras on that match which was viewed by many as a changing of the guards among tennis legends. “It was a great night for tennis; Roger’s got more important things to worry about than playing me. I was happy I took the second set so we could give the crowd more tennis, I was a little disappointed I didn’t come up with the win.” Sampras said.

Posted by News LI Editor · Edited by Brianna - Filed Under Sports