Sports / Tennis |
Federer sets sights on equalling hero Sampras's record(Reuters)Updated: 2007-07-09 09:00 LONDON, July 8 - Roger Federer has set his sights on equalling his hero Pete Sampras's record of 14 grand slam titles after picking up his 11th at Wimbledon on Sunday. "I'd love to equal his record," he told a news conference. "Pete Sampras is maybe the greatest player we've ever had. It takes me five Wimbledons and three Australian Opens and three U.S. Opens to just get close to him. So it just shows you what a great player he was." Like Sampras, the only grand slam title to have eluded him so far is the French Open -- which Wimbledon runner-up Rafael Nadal has won for the last three years. A Roland Garros title is on Federer's 'to do' list and he said that at 25 he still had several years in which to keep trying for that one and a few others that he has his eye on. "I haven't won Paris, Davis Cup, the Olympic Games, many other tournaments I'd like to win again," the world number one said. "But, you know, if I don't win them all, it's okay, too. I'm having a great run." That run included picking up his fifth successive Wimbledon trophy on Sunday, equalling Bjorn Borg's record, which the Swiss stopped Sampras also matching in 2001 when he defeated the American in the fourth round. But Sampras still has two more titles from the All England Club to his name, winning seven in 1993-95 and 1997-2000. "To be on the same level as Pete Sampras, my former hero in a way, is already very nice, but I'm not there yet," acknowledged Federer.
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