July 6, 2009
Laver the legend reckons Pistol Pete has the edge on Federer
The days of wooden racquets and tight shorts are long gone but the esteem with which Rod Laver is held burns as brightly as ever.
Laver, a guest of the All England Club this year, happily looked on with awe at the ferocity and brilliance of yesterday's men's final. Not one for looking at the past through rose tinted spectacles, Queensland-born Laver suggested the changes brought about by the new racquet technology has brought "more excitement" to the game he still adores.
"I think it's good, you see a lot more rallies. When we played there was serve, volley and go pick some more balls and start again 'cause in those years we didn't have ball boys very often. You had to get your own," recalled four-time Wimbledon champion Laver.
Nobody brings more joy to the Court than Roger Federer and Laver freely admits how he marvels at his exhibition of grace and guile before every challenge.
"You almost think about table tennis when you start thinking about the way Roger Federer plays with the racquet, you know," said Laver, who had some advice for those wishing to fully appreciate the Swiss master's immense talent.
"I think the public should just watch his feet, just watch Roger and not the ball and you'd see how great a player he is to pull off some of the shots. When he's half volleying winners off the baseline, you know, you just marvel at his ability to do that."
"To analyse his game is hard too. It's amazing what sort of shots he can come up with from impossible situations."
"It's a great feeling of being able to watch the talent that he has and the opponents he beats comfortably, where other players have such a tough time to beat a player like a Karlovic. You know he's just naturally talented and can change when he has to change."
"It's great that tennis has someone like Roger. We always look at Roger, he and Tiger Woods are good friends, fighting to see who can have the best number of Grand Slams in golf and tennis. That all helps the game of tennis."
The debate over whether or not Federer is the greatest player of all time still remains for some and a humble Laver admitted he had no answer as to how he would combat his skills. But he did suggest that on grass with both at their prime Pete Sampras might just have the edge.
"In some ways I think I might take Sampras, only because of his serve. He's got a big serve, volleying ability. He's a little more versatile when it comes to the power game."
"You know Roger, he certainly could get the ball at his feet. But to return a big serve like that, not many players are used to a person serving that hard and getting close to the net and volleying with success. Depends who's in form on the day."
Laver also revealed how he enjoyed hitting with Sampras with a wooden racquet, which the American handled rather well though he's not sure if the majority of today's combatants could do the same.
"I think they'd be shocked when they moved away from the other racquets. I played with Pete Sampras one day and he broke a string and didn't have another one. They gave him a wooden racquet. He started playing with it and was playing okay. He said he wasn't getting the speed off it but he certainly had the timing."