Eternal Blogs

nice video to gear up for the Australian Open starting next week

courtesy: ESPN

Mar 10, 2008
Madison Sq Garden, NYC

The Netjets showdown helped me realize the dream of seeing Sampras play live and they completed the fairy tale by choosing Roger Federer to be the opponent. The players, a decade apart, enchanted the 19000 New Yorkers and made them relive the magical moments of tennis history. 7 years after the Swiss had denied Pete’s claim on his fave Wimbledon title, they were amusing themselves and the audience around the world. For me, it was the perfect clash and howsoever artifical the match may had been accused of, the sheer delight of seeing Sampras’ serve his legendary aces and serve & volley games was worth every penny and every moment spent. Its cliched to say he has still got it and people love him. He sparked wonders on the audience, something he failed to do during his professional career. He has the ability to defeat many players in top 10 even today, his only ache might lie in 5 setters and busy tours that pofessionals need to do. His age might be failing him but his talent does not. He may not be as fast on court as ever but his magic remains. The Fed showing due respect to the record holder kept the match alive. His body serves and swift moves awed the audience who kept on cheering Sampras with ‘Lets go Pete’ roars during the match. No one returned blase that night including me. It was a memorable night and once in a life-time experience to be part of the audience who was the ultimate winner in the thumping music and famous faces filled arena. It was a night of ardor for the game, reverance for Pete, love for Federer and being a part of New York.

The very proof of a tiring week is that I am 5 days late in posting this blog. Two of my sporting heroes were clashing and given the fact that they belong to two different eras, this could be possible only on a exhibition match 4 years after Pete Sampras bid his adieu to world of professional tennis. I still remember his last defeat at Wimbledon in hands of Roger Federer that brought an end to a streak of seven unbelievable title victories. He had cried, as he often did on court. He could just manage to win one more US Open Title in 2002 and that was it for him. People had already started questioning his consistency, capacity and fitness.

I did not think much of the 3 exhibition matches Fed and Pete were going to play. I will admit that I did not for once think Sampras had a chance and I am pretty sure 99% people did not either. But the legend showed that he can never be written off. He is so truly a champion. Swiss took the first match in 2 sets in an hr. Sampras did play commendably and brought back the memories of his reigning era. In the second match, he carried off winners after winners and left his opponent trying hard to earn every point. Both sets went to tie breaks. Even this would have been enough for the fans like me who had been missing his fierce serve and volleys since 90s. But he had something else in mind, he wouldn’t go without a victory. In Macao on Nov 24th, he stunned his 10 years junior, prevailing world no. 1 and the Swiss hero – Roger Federer in a 7-6, 6-4 match. And it was not that Swiss did not put his best, but the champion was bettered by the veteran. This is the most exciting news I have read in past few months. I still find it so bewildering that Sampras can pull such a performance at his age. He is just the BEST!!

I would also admit that I have been one of the believers that Federer might be actually better than Sampras (as people have been arguing over and over again) but hell, no! Sampras is the all time legend and undoubtedly so now. In his era, he had better rivals than what Federer is having. If you read about his life history a bit, you’ll be amazed at the kind of victories he has had. I am not at all saying that Roger Federer is not good anymore but lets not really compare. Sampras is Federer’s idol – and this says it all. One would never really know who is better because they would never compete at top of their careers. Federer is the emperor and he IS going to break Sampras’s record. There is nothing that can be picked on him. He is going to be on all the record books and he deserves it completely.

But, I am just missing the Sampras era…those late night matches on TV that I watched in my student life. His unexampled rivalry with Agassi, that 4 set 7-6, 7-6, 7-6, 7-6 US Open 2001 semi final match, his unnerving determination, his aces on second serves, his piercing forehands, the way he cried on court after winning his 7th Wimbledon and 13th career title, his heart-wrenching defeat in Wimbledon in 2001….his final bye at the US Open…

God just doesn’t make them like him anymore…

Damn, only if I could see him play live ever…

Finally the day for all the fans of the great Federer. He has beaten his supposed arch rival at the moment – Nadal. The news has literally made my day!

The French Open has become all the more interesting now and I wish so damn much that Fed continues his newly gained form. The critics who had started jabbering after he was struggling on clay and Nadal beat him on the battle of surfaces, I think this will shut them up till the upcoming grandslam.

Just a few days back, the legendary Sampras (watch his amazing 360 degree shot video here) backed him up: “He is the best player in the world. He is going to go on and break all my records,” Sampras told reporters. “He can win 16 grand slams.” Thats a big thing to come from the veteran who speaks seldomly in press. The interesting thing is Fed is playing without a coach. I am at loss for any words, I am just waiting for the French Open finale and to see a history being written.

There are few perfectionists, there are fewer heroes and there’s a still higher rare category of champions like Federer.