"Roger Federer was too similar to Pete Sampras to beat him" - When Andre Agassi admitted to being 'wrong' about Swiss icon's ability to defeat Sampras
Andre Agassi once shared his perspective on Pete Sampras and Roger Federer's legendary Wimbledon encounter. Agassi disclosed that he initially doubted Federer's ability to beat his compatriot due to one particular reason.
Federer, who has often credited Sampras as a major influence on him, had an opportunity to face the American in the fourth round of the 2001 Wimbledon Championships. After a closely contested battle, the then-19-year-old pulled off a stunning 7-6(7), 5-7, 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-5 upset to end Sampras' hopes of winning his fifth consecutive title at SW19.
Reflecting on the thrilling contest, Andre Agassi admitted that he didn't believe Roger Federer could triumph over Pete Sampras, mainly due to the similarities in their playing styles. During a 2013 press conference, the former World No. 1 acknowledged how wrong he had been, since Federer had gone on to establish himself as an all-time great.
"It's funny you say that because when I watched Federer play Pete for the first time at Wimbledon, I said, There's no way he's going to beat Pete. You can't play like Pete and beat Pete. He was too similar to Pete to beat him. Obviously as I was wrong with Pete. He's gone down as one of the greats ever," Agassi said.
Agassi also opened up about experiencing a similar feeling while watching Grigor Dimitrov compete, given that the Bulgarian's style of play closely mirrored Federer's.
"I look at Dimitrov, and I think, You can't play like Federer and be better than him. I've seen it before. He excites me, as well," he added.
"Pete Sampras and Roger Federer have a way of making you feel like if you don't play a perfect match, you're going to lose" - Andre Agassi
In addition to the similarities in their playing styles, Andre Agassi also observed parallels in Pete Sampras and Roger Federer's ability to intimidate their opponents.
During a press conference at the 2005 Australian Open, the eight-time Grand Slam champion asserted that while both Sampras and Federer were similarly relaxed on the court, their weapons differed.
"They have a way of making you feel like if you don't play a perfect match, you're going to lose. They both do that. So that's similar. But I don't -- they're both very relaxed on the court as far as how they play the game. They both play it very easily. But I don't feel like their weapons are the same," Agassi said.
Andre Agassi also highlighted the difference between his own playing style and Roger Federer's, emphasizing that he "played the game much differently" while joking that the Swiss had "hairier legs."