Samprasfanz

Tuesday, March 11, 2008
BY DAVID WALDSTEIN
Star-Ledger Staff

NEW YORK No one will ever know how hard Roger Federer was trying, or how much his desire for a competitive match may have outweighed his hunger for victory, but taken at face value, it was definitely an exciting night of tennis.

Federer and Pete Sampras, two of the best to ever swing a racket, transformed a sloppy exhibition match into a spirited duel of champions that went all the way to an extended third-set tiebreaker before it was finally settled in Federer’s favor.

The two stars, who have a combined 26 Grand Slam titles between them, electrified a sellout crowd in a two-hour spectacle as tennis made a successful return to Madison Square Garden. Playing in front of 19,960 tennis-thirsty area fans who spurred the players to overcome their nerves and rustiness and ultimately provide a competitive final two sets, Federer held on to win 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (6).

“The winner was tennis,” said the ever gracious Federer. “Tennis is back at the Garden and maybe it’s something we can do more of in the future. This is what matters, not the result.”

While Federer clearly showed some of the effects from his recent slump and related bout with mononucleosis, falling behind 5-2 in the third set before rallying for a narrow victory, Sampras showed he can still compete at a very high level, especially when his serve is clicking and he can follow it to the net.

But he continues to dismiss any suggestions that he will make a comeback. Asked if he could go to Wimbledon and beat No. 2 Rafael Nadal, Sampras couldn’t give any answer, other than to say it would just be a fantasy.

“I can’t really answer that,” he said. “Maybe ask Roger. All I can say is, I can be competitive.

“But we’ll never know.”

Federer indicated Sampras could win any single match, but questioned whether he would have the stamina to tie together the seven matches necessary to win it all.

Last night, Sampras had the match on his racket in the third-set tiebreaker, leading 6-5, but Federer won a mini break and then served it out for the victory.

The match was played in front of a riveted capacity crowd that included celebrities such as Tiger Woods, Donald Trump, Luke Wilson and Chloe Sevigny, while John McEnroe and Livingston’s Justin Gimelstob handled the broadcast for the Tennis Channel.

It was the first tennis match at the Garden in almost eight years, since the women’s season-ending tournament in 2000, and the first men’s match here since 1996, and the building was spiffed up for the event, with a blue-carpet court and U.S. Open-style plants and tables at some of the concession areas.

It was primarily good-natured between two champions who have become friends in their recent exhibition series, which Federer now leads 3-1. It featured some spectacular passing shots by Federer, but also many awful unforced errors and brutal mishits in the first two sets, as well as some sportsmanship rarely seen in the high-stakes world of tournament competition.

In the second set Federer gave back a point after it was clear he got the benefit of a bad call. Both players showed signs of rust, and perhaps a little bit of uncertainty in the strange surroundings of a full house at the Garden, where the crowd rooted for the underdog American against his vaunted Swiss opponent.

“My heart was pounding out of my chest,” Sampras said. “I was a little bit nervous at the beginning. The energy was electric. It was an incredible crowd. I thought I had it there for a split second, but he showed why he’s the best player in the world.”

While the result may say something about Sampras’ lingering ability, it may also speak to Federer’s overall fitness level and match readiness in his recovery from mono, and surprising losses in the semifinals of the Australian Open and the first round in Dubai.

But if anyone thinks we are witnessing the leading edge of a great champion’s decline from his amazingly durable and lofty perch, Sampras put that to rest.

‘When it comes down to the big events, I think this is the guy you’re going to see standing with the trophy,” Sampras said at a news conference yesterday morning in Manhattan. “Every great player in all sports go through a few tough losses here and there. I certainly did that.

“Let’s keep it real here. This guy is incredible and he’ll bounce back just fine. I have no question about that.”