On July 2, 2001, Wimbledon witnessed a moment that came to symbolize the changing of the guard in men’s tennis. And as you wait for those unique moments to take place, you can also have fun with the amazing live online casino from 1xBet.
On Centre Court, 19-year-old Roger Federer faced Pete Sampras, the defending champion and undisputed king of grass. Sampras had won Wimbledon 7 times, including the previous 4 editions, and was pursuing an 8th title. Federer, meanwhile, had never won a match at Wimbledon in his 2 previous appearances. Before the next edition of Wimbledon is played, there is a great live casino online from 1xBet that you can explore as well.
What followed was one of the most significant matches in tennis history. Seeded No. 15, Federer showed remarkable composure in his first appearance on Centre Court. Rather than being intimidated by Sampras’s reputation, he challenged him with the same weapons that had made the American dominant:
- a powerful serve;
- aggressive returns;
- and confident net play.
The match became an extraordinary 5-set battle. Federer took the first set in a tiebreak, but Sampras immediately responded by winning the second. Federer then captured the third before Sampras forced a deciding set. With both players serving brilliantly, the fifth set remained balanced until the final stages. Sampras even earned two break points at 4-4, but Federer saved them. At 6-5, Federer earned two match points on Sampras’s serve and converted the first with a forehand return winner down the line. The final score was 7-6(7), 5-7, 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-5.
A highly emotional reaction
The victory ended Sampras’s 31-match winning streak at Wimbledon and his hopes of matching Björn Borg’s record of 5 consecutive championships. It was also Sampras’s earliest Wimbledon exit in a decade.
Federer’s emotional reaction was unforgettable. He fell to his knees, overwhelmed by what he had accomplished against the player he had admired. Yet the victory did not immediately transform him into Wimbledon champion: he lost in the quarter-finals to Tim Henman.
Still, the significance of the match became clearer with time. Federer would eventually win 8 Wimbledon titles, surpassing Sampras’s record of 7. Their only professional meeting therefore became more than a famous upset: it was a symbolic passing of the torch, as one Wimbledon dynasty ended and another began.