Roger Federer vs Pete Sampras: Wimbledon fourth round, 2001 (Extended Highlights)

the fourth round of the men's singles at wimbledon in 2001 pitted two of the greatest exponents of the game against each other in what would be their only competitive match at 29 years of age america's pete sampras was the number one seed and aiming to become the first man ever to win eight wimbledon singles titles roger federer was only 19 and seeded 15th the swiss was a former junior wimbledon champion with huge potential but it was his first appearance in the fourth round and his first appearance on centre court on paper it was difficult to see how he could put a stop to sampras's 31 match winning streak we joined the contest at the conclusion of a keenly fought first set it's locked at six games all and it's three points apiece in the tie break would experience triumph or were we to see her glimpse of the future your commentators are peter fleming and david mercer [Applause] [Music] almost handcuffed him at the last minute got out of the way and placed the ball perfectly oh that's a great shot right under the sidelines [Applause] yes just barely [Music] uh just wide this time [Applause] so the decision to stay back on the second serve perhaps cost him a little and now sampras has the mini break he needs two points he has two service points to come [Applause] well federer having gone cross court several times goes up the line his first passing shot winner of the match and it ties the tiebreak up at five all who's gonna have the first set point come on the champion pumped up and what a second serve 121 miles an hour 6'5 sampras 121 and nearly on the center line [Applause] [Music] [Applause] maybe not and of course cyclops uh the line monitor machine is there sampras hasn't realized it's time to change ends he's uh he's fired up today he certainly is well it's certainly not a ball that the umpire could overwhelm very very close mohammed is our on par for this match he's one of the full-time umpires on the men's circuit [Applause] federer's first set point several uh ugh [Applause] so federer now has his second set point on his own [Applause] the champion will have to come from behind as federer takes the set [Applause] sampras fought back and leveled the match taking the second set by seven games to five as we join the third set it's four games all sampras is serving and interest levels are rising [Applause] halfway ball not quite a half volley not a full ground stroke [Music] [Applause] federer was right on that return looked almost as though he had too much time [Applause] thirty fifty samples cutting things a little fine 14 15. oh 40 30 let's serve almost wide enough but almost isn't good enough against a man who returns as well as federer [Applause] and a further illustration that federer has all the shots in the book we've seen him play with great power and they're the gentle little dink just making it awkward for sampras [Applause] [Music] familiar scenario isn't it 13th break point of the match oh he's missed it oh my god [Applause] okay there these five games to four thirds set one set on new balls please sampras was to now lose this match that could be the shot that cost him the title well federer seized on that sam press era he held serve to take the third set six four when we pick up the action in the fourth set it's six games all and the start of another tie break so pete sampras must win a fourth set tie break refused to keep alive the dream of being the first man ever to win eight rumbling singles titles [Applause] 120 mile an hour second serve from southwest on that point two points played two fantastic ones almost lost his concentration seeing that sampras wasn't even chasing that ball all he had to do was dump it back into the court [Applause] 129 miles an hour to the corner it's very quick probably the equivalent of 135 up the middle it's the radar gun that judges the speed we all know it's records quicker down the center like that 136 [Applause] for great champions die hard he stepped it up in this tie break ah [Applause] [Music] and for the first time you feel as if the moment has got to federies played two very sloppy points well i'm not sure if it's the moment or the opponent the energy that pete sampras has sent out in this tiebreaker is just monumental oh [Applause] not able to get that chip down low enough to bother if he used to have any chance in this tiebreaker this point is vital [Applause] he's facing four set points and that serve 134 miles an hour every first serve in the tie break has been flat out okay so the champion had stamped his authority on the match once more we rejoin the action in the final set at four games all fedra to serve 15. wow [Applause] coming in at only 91 miles an hour sampras took a step in and took control thirty fifteen uh perfect feel [Applause] sir [Applause] he's made it there was the moment of inspiration [Applause] federer dwell in this moment as long as he wants [Applause] a very difficult question there this man came up with the answers advantage sampras [Applause] oh [Applause] [Music] federer was not going to give sampras a target on that point make him work harder advantage federer ah [Applause] federer producing nerves of steel when it mattered most we rejoined the set with sampras serving to stay in the match at 5-6 [Applause] oh [Applause] [Music] left second [Applause] that's served not far from the center line but still not good enough he's going to serve at 112 he needs to either get it into the body or slide it out wide [Music] [Applause] two points from putting out the champions [Applause] 15 30. 15 14. thank you the so champions has lost like a champion in a fabulous match but maybe the baton in tennis is past to a new generation federer can hardly believe it the emotion of the moment but having beaten the greatest grasp or player of all time is too much room 19 years of age in his first ever appearance on the center court of wimbledon he has played a magnificent match to defeat the seven times champion in five extraordinary an absorbing contest which marked the end of one golden era and the start of another after winning seven wimbledon crowns pete sampras never made it through to another wimbledon final roger federer was knocked out by britain's tim henman in the next round but the rest is history in 2009 the swiss maestro won his sixth wimbledon title and overtook sampras with a new record tally of 15 grand slam titles and it was this fourth round match at wimbledon in 2001 which saw the changing of the guard in men's tennis and marked the start of roger federer's ascent to the throne

Channel: Wimbledon

Views: 8,707,356

Keywords: roger federer, federer, roger federer wimbledon, federer wimbledon, roger federer sampras, federer sampras, federer sampras wimbledon 2001, roger federer pete sampras 2001, wimbledon, wimbledon 2001, pete sampras wimbledon, pete sampras vs roger federer

Id: pEPdLJhq6-k

Length: 25min 27sec (1527 seconds)

Published: Mon Sep 25 2017