Pete Samprastennis legend and winner of 14 Grand Slams, considered Rafael Nadal “mentally, the best player” he has seen, although he acknowledged that it is “very difficult” to determine who is number 1 of all time, since between the Spanish and the Serbian Novak Djokovic it would be like choosing between “a Ferrari or a Lamborghini”.
“Everything you do (Christmas) is exceptional. Roger (Federer) and I had a period of dominance on grass, but winning the same big 14 times is incredible. And mentally, what a player! Probably the best I’ve ever seen“, evaluated Sampras, in an interview published this Saturday in the L’Équipe magazine.
Sampras, today, a luxury spectator.
However, for the American today at 51 years old and practicing golf, answering who is the best tennis player of all time “is impossible”. “Novak has done incredible things in the last ten years, he has good numbers against most players, he is the one with the record of being number 1. He has won everywhere. He has all the records except for the Grand Slam “, he referred.
Sampras, closer to Federer
Sampras admitted his disbelief that his record of 14 majors was surpassed by three players (Federer, Nadal and Djokovic) in the space of 17 years.. “In my time, we retired around 30. Mentally, I couldn’t take it anymore at 31 (…) To have been so regular for so many years. They are monsters of this sport.” Among the three, the tennis player assumed that he is closest to Federer, because he has a personality close to his.
“With Novak I have already had dinner and we talk to each other from time to time. And with Rafa, although we have not spent much time together, I have great respect for everything he has achieved,” he stressed.
Sampras retired young.
“I would send my cell phone to the sea”
Sampras also spoke about how tennis has changed since the 1990s, when it had its golden age fueled by a historic rivalry with André Agassi, and welcomed the fact that there is now more talk about mental health, although warned of the evil of social networks that come through cell phones.
“If I were active today, I would send the mobile to the sea. It’s a gadget that makes you anxious. It works if you get lost in La Pampa, if not, it leaves you vulnerable and accessible (…) Today the boys have one at ten years old. That can influence mental health,” he concluded.
Sampras spoke with the weekly magazine of L’Equipe.
