The Championship Wimbledon 'Roger is the best'

Pete Sampras hailed Roger Federer as the greatest player of all time on Sunday after the Swiss superstar surpassed his Grand Slam record with a sixth Wimbledon title.

Federer claimed a 15th major with an epic 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14 win over America's Andy Roddick in a 4hr 16min final which featured the longest concluding set in a men's final here.

"In my book, he's the greatest of all time. He has his critics and people point to Rafael Nadal beating him, but for me he's the greatest. He is a legend and an icon," said Sampras, who won seven Wimbledon titles in his career.

"He is a great champion and a good guy. He's very humble, which I like."

Sampras predicted that Federer, who is still only 27, can go on and set more Grand Slam records.

"He can win 17, 18 majors at least. He's only 27 and he can do it if he stays healthy."

The American, who played his last Wimbledon in 2002, flew in overnight to see Federer launch an assault on his record of 14 which Federer equalled when he won a first French Open in June.

"He is effortless when he plays. He serves big, has a great forehand and his backhand. I'm a fan of how he plays, what he's about... he's a class guy on and off the court.

"He's fun to watch. Just his athletic ability, what he's able to do on the run. I think he can and will break every tennis record out there."

Australian legend Rod Laver, the only man to win two calendar Grand Slams, praised the Swiss star's ability on the court.

"Roger is one of those players who keeps the ball in play, has miraculous forehands and backhands," said the 71-year-old.

"It was a great final. Andy is a threat with that serve of his but I think he was very tired by the end."

Bjorn Borg, a five-time Wimbledon winner, predicted many more titles for Federer.

"He can play for three more years at least. If he stays away from injury and is eager to win there will be many more finals," said the Swede.

Borg added: "He simply does not have any more weaknesses left in him. It is such a pleasure to see him play. To me, Roger Federer is the right model for anyone aspiring to be a tennis player.

"It is such a pleasure to just watch him play. His shot-making has got better and I doubt there is any shot he cannot make in any part of the court."

News By: Afp, London

Roger Federer the best ever

Safina blasts way in final

Dinara Mikhailovna Safina is one of Russian professional tennis player.she is ranked World No. 1 by the Women's Tennis Association in 27 april,2009. She has been two times runner-up in two Grand Slam singles tournaments and won the women's doubles title at the 2007 US Open with Nathalie Dechy. Her one of best achievement at 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing where she got silver medal in women's singles. She is the younger sister of former World No. 1 men's player Marat Safin.
Dinara Safina blasted her way into the French Open final for the second year in a row on Thursday by outgunning Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-3, 6-3.

Safina lost in the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart to Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia and Samantha Stosur of Australia.Some of her opponents say that she is not worthy of being the world No.1 until she does so.

Cibulkova, at 1.61 metres a full 21 centimetres smaller than her opponent, got off to the perfect start breaking Safina's serve in the opening game and holding her own for a 2-0 lead.Safina bounced back immediately through winning five games in a row including two breaks of serve to reassert her authority.

It was clearly a case of Safina's power-hitting down both flanks against Cibulkova's movement about court and tactical guile with most games going to several deuces.

The youngest of the four semi-finalists at 20 years old, Cibulkova staved off a set point to hold her own serve and she had Safina muttering away to herself in the next game after she opened it with a double fault.

But the Russian steadied the ship and took a one-set lead in 49 minutes thanks to a barrage of shots that had Cibulkova scampering about from side to side in a effort to stay with her.

The Slovak held serve to open the second set and then had two break points in the following game, but failed to take them as two unforced errors allowed Safina to get back to deuce.

The Russian held and three games later she grabbed a vital break of serve when an under-pressure Cibulkova netted a tame backhand.

Safina though struggled once again on her following serve and had to save three break points before moving into a 4-2 lead.