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Sampras: The greatest of all time

July 9, 2000

Pete Sampras is the greatest player of all time.

The 28-year-old American proved it when he won a record 13th Grand Slam singles title in the Wimbledon final today.

Sampras was gunning to go one better than Australia's Roy Emerson and he succeeded with a 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Emerson's fellow countryman Pat Rafter on Centre Court.

The history-maker also equalled the all-time Wimbledon record of seven men's singles titles achieved by William Renshaw in the 1890s.

Sampras burst into tears when he completed his triumph in a rare show of on-court emotion. He waved to his parents and then made his way through the crowd to give them each a hug.

His dad Sam, who was watching him at Wimbledon for the first time, looked so proud and his mother whispered in her son's ear 'I love you too much'.

He collected the trophy and the £477,500, but breaking the record in front of his mum and dad was what meant the most to him.

He told the crowd: "I'm so pleased my parents were here to see this today. I love them and thank them for giving me the opportunity to play this great game on the best court in the world. It is a great moment in my life.

"Wimbledon is my home from home. It hasn't been easy the last week or two but I've had a lot of support".

Sampras has suffered with a shin problem for over a week, but after beating 12th seed Rafter, the pain clearly melted away.

Rafter won a tight opening set when Sampras, after holding two set points, conceded it on the Australian's fourth by double faulting.

But he came back to level with a wrong-footing forehand volley.

The first break came in the fifth game of the third set and it went, tellingly to Sampras. He was serving big, but double-faulting as well, but he still came through. His backhand service returns winners were forcing his opponent to struggle on his serve.

But it wasn't until he took his tenth break point in the crucial fifth game in the third set that the tide turned Sampras' way.

Sampras broke Rafter for a 3-2, then 5-2 lead in the fourth before he served out after 172 minutes in a match twice delayed by rain.

 

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