"Andre Agassi saying I'm better than Pete Sampras, I'm surprised" - When Roger Federer opened up on being called the 'best player' Agassi ever faced
Roger Federer was left pleasantly surprised by Andre Agassi's kind and complimentary remarks after their thrilling clash in the 2005 US Open final.
Federer entered the New York Major as the top seed and defending champion, progressing to the title match with wins over the likes of David Nalbandian and Lleyton Hewitt.
The Swiss squared off against seventh seed Agassi in the summit clash, beating the American 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(1), 6-1 to clinch his second US Open title and sixth Grand Slam title overall.
Following his win, Roger Federer was made aware that Agassi had made a flattering statement, dubbing him the "best tennis player" he had ever played against. The Swiss expressed his delight at the compliment and emphasized his immense respect for Agassi.
Reflecting on the evolution of their rivalry, Federer highlighted his satisfaction in competing against Agassi, particularly due to the American's initial dominance over him.
"Well, nice. He's given me many nice compliments over the years, so I really appreciate that. Yeah, I'm amazed I could hang with him throughout the last few years with him. You know, he got me a few times early in my career where he made me look like a little schoolboy," he said in his post-match press conference.
"Now that I could turn it around, it's, for me, fantastic. So, sort of we can have an even battle, you know. It's really nice. I look up to him, you know, because he's been around for so long, and for his results. So a lot of respect from my side," he added.
Federer was also asked whether Agassi's words had led him to believe that he was indeed the best player. However, the Swiss remained humble, admitting to being taken aback by Agassi's assertion, as it implied that he was better than Pete Sampras.
Nevertheless, he took pride in being compared to the legendary players Agassi had faced in his career and expressed his determination to improve himself further.
"Hmm ... well, he just played me, you know, so I don't know. If it changes if you ask him in five years' time, you know him saying that I'm, let's say, better than Sampras, you know, I'm little surprised, you know. But, you know, he says what he thinks is right, you know. I don't think he would be lying in here," he said.
"Yeah, I appreciate it very much. It's fantastic to be compared to all the players he's played, you know, throughout his career. We're talking about the best, you know, some are the best in the world or of all time. To be compared to those is great, you know. And it's still going, so I still have chances to get there and to improve," he added.
A look back at Roger Federer and Andre Agassi's rivalry
Roger Federer and Andre Agassi locked horns in 11 tour-level encounters. They squared off against each other for the first time in Basel 1998, where Agassi claimed a 6-3, 6-2 win over the Swiss.
The American went on to dominate their next two encounters as well, beating Federer in the fourth round of the 2001 US Open and the 2002 Miami Masters final.
Subsequently, Federer flipped the script in their rivalry, triumphing over the American in their next eight meetings. The Swiss emerged victorious against Agassi at the 2003 year-end championships, beating him in both the group stage and the final. He then beat the American in the Indian Wells semifinal and the US Open quarterfinal in 2004.
The duo faced off four times in 2005, with Roger Federer claiming victory in the Australian Open quarterfinal, the Dubai semifinal and the Miami Masters semifinal. The Swiss then beat Agassi in their last-ever encounter, the 2005 US Open final.