|
July 6, 2004
Don't call me Swisstol Pete
By icNetwork
ROGER FEDERER insists he is not ready to be compared to the grass-court greats like Pistol Pete Sampras. The
Swiss world No.1, now with two Wimbledon titles under his belt at the
age of just 22, refused to even contemplate the prospect of matching
the achievements of the seven-times champion American. In
the aftermath of the four-set defeat of Andy Roddick that secured his
second consecutive title, Federer said: 'I would like to but it's not
my priority to beat Pete's record or anybody's record here at
Wimbledon. I just hope I can do as well as I can. 'I
feel I've done as well as I could by winning twice because to have won
two or three years ago would have been too early in my career.So far I
feel I've done the maximum and I hope I canwin it again. 'I
don't set goals for 10 years' time and say I want to stay No.1 for 10
years. It is not realistic because I know if I have one injury I will
lose it straight away and it's the same for Grand Slams. 'I
set my goals at the end of the season for the next season and this year
was winning the Wimbledon championship, the Olympics and being No.1 in
the world. 'I have already
achieved two of the three although one is still going on because I want
to finish the year asNo.1,butnow I want to play well at the Olympics
because it was such a great experience at Sydney 2000.' He has opted to stay in the Olympic Village: 'I did it in Sydney and it was great. I stayed with the wrestlers so I was safe.' Beaten
finalist Roddick says that Federer already has a Sampras-like aura
among other players in the locker room and the Wimbledon champion
admitted he has followed Sampras by making himself more single-minded
Federer said: 'Pete wasn't very often in the locker room.He arrived and
left and I do a little bit of the same. 'I
was a player who liked to hang around the locker room and players'
lounge before and spend time and speak with everybody but now I am more
selfish. 'I come and leave very quickly and would rather spend time with my entourage.
'Maybe
people have a different look at me now, either because they think I am
playing great tennis or they think 'I want to beat you', but it has
changed a bit.' Roddick certainly
had his chances to beat Federer, but was gracious in defeat and paid
tribute to the champion's shot-making skills. He said:'Not only is he
fast but when he gets to the ball he can have no play on it, and he'll
make something out of it. 'I
think he's unparalleled as far as that skill goes. A couple of times he
picked them off his shoe laces, they're coming just over the net and
you're hitting another volley. 'He's great at doing that and keeping himself alive in points.' The US Open champion also highlighted Federer's previously under-rated fighting qualities and mental strength. He
added: 'The thing with Roger is that he just makes it look so easy. But
he's really brought it together over the last year mentally. The
talent's always been there. 'Maybe there were some questions about the mental side before. But if you think that now, I'd have to question that.' Federer will be back in action today against Germany's Thomas Behrend in the first round of the Swiss Open. The
champion, who is fulfilling apre--Wimbledon promise to play in Gstaad,
took exception to British critics' views that Tim Henman had blown his
chances of ever winning at the All England Club. Federer said: 'It
isn't true. He still has a few years left and people should be happy he
puts himself in contention every time because one time everything could
work together. 'I think he has
still got a chance. Just because he lost to Mario Ancic in the
quarter-finals this year and everybody got surprised I don't think it's
reason enough to say he will never make it. 'I still see chances for him because I think he's a great player and he has time to change something if he feels he needs to. 'But even with the game he is playing now I think he can win Wimbledon.'
Federer
is fulfilling a pre-Wimbledon promise to play in Gstaad and was pleased
to hear that, should he win, he will not be presented with another cow
to mark his victory as he was last year. 'I'm
happy. I have two cows - because the cow had a calf. I went to visit
her but I think the excitement was bigger from my side than her side.' He joked: 'I hope they don't give me a sheep, a pig, a donkey or anything this year.'
|
