Roger Federer was very similar to Pete Sampras as a teenager – Massu
faced five times, and he lost four (2001 Vienna, 2006 Indian Wells, 2006 French Open and 2006 Madrid Masters) and won one (2002 Long Island): He competed with a lot of generations and he was always at the top.
He was beating players who were retiring when he was younger, he beat the guys of his same age and now he beats the younger guns. He wins on all the surfaces, he was a champion in all the Grand Slam tournaments. He is a man that plays tennis well, both as a person and as a professional.
I met him when he was playing at junior level. I am two years older than him, but we faced each other. We once competed in Bonfiglio, Italy, a very important tournament. It was in 1997 I was 17 years old and he was 15. At the time I was the world No.
2. He beat me and he ended up being amazed because he was playing very similar to Pete Sampras. As a matter of fact, he was using the same racket. There I realized the talent he was. On the professional tour, I faced him sometimes and his amount of variety always surprised me.
He is a player who won Wimbledon playing serve and volley and then came back to win it playing from the back. And physically he moves like he is 20 years. I think he is aware of what he is achieving and so he gets emotional lifting trophies.
He is the greatest tennis player of all time, but he could even be among the best sportsmen of history. ALSO READ: Rafael Nadal: Worse players than David Ferrer won a Grand Slam title
