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Federer moves closer to Sampras' record
Published on Tue, Jul 10, 2007 at 13:20 in 
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THE PRIZE: Roger Federer poses with the trophy at the Champions' Dinner at London's Savoy Hotel.
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New Delhi: Pete Sampras won seven titles at Wimbledon but even the great man couldn't do what Roger Federer achieved on Sunday.
Federer now forms an exclusive club of two with the original Ice-Man Bjorn Borg. Both of them have won five straight Wimbledon crowns and when Federer won his fifth title Borg was watching from the stands.
The Swiss world No. 1 did not forget to thank Borg after his victory.
"I don't speak Swedish good enough but what can I say. Thanks for coming," Federer told Borg.
As his name came up for a fifth time on the honours board and he followed the now familiar routine of lifting the trophy at Wimbledon, Federer knew this one meant just that little bit more.
"I mean, it was a huge occasion for me, huge pressure. Bjorn Borg was sitting there, Jimmy Connors sitting there, John McEnroe sitting there, Boris Becker sitting there. You know, for me it's a big moment for me. Then in the end, to lift the trophy, it's a very, yeah, special memory. I'll have it for all my life," Federer said.
There was plenty in his performance that revived memories of Borg like staying composed under pressure and sublime shot-making from the baseline.
But there was some "un-Borg-like" moment, on centre court too when Federer lost his cool.
"Losing your temper is different. I can show you once if you like. You don't want to see that. I was just frustrated because already I got broken first up and then to be broken this way was for me very irritating. Umpire told me, too, he saw the ball was out and he couldn't believe it was in so for me it was kind of a shock," he said.
But can Federer do what even Borg couldn't? A sixth straight title in 2008 isn't an overwhelming certainty because just like a fiesty left-hander called John Mcenroe did back then to Borg, there is another one emerging to challenge Federer's supremacy on grass
"This year around, he's changed his game a little bit. Plays maybe a bit more aggressive and knows the game of grass much better. That's why I think he's not only just a good clay-courter, he's a good all-round player. And that's what's going to happen anyway in the future, that everybody will be able to play on all different surfaces because it's slowing down so much," Federer said about losing finalist Rafael Nadal, who stretched the champion to five sets.
Federer is now just three short of matching Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam titles.
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