Evening. After the last thread, feelings of sporting triumphalism are again permissible on this one, which can be used for tennis talk, or to drift off-topic. It would be much appreciated if the Gloom Room thread below could remain on-topically gloomy. The current thread is provided for those who cannot contain their joy in past sporting victories any longer, or who would like to step outside the Gloom Room for a few moments, in a fleeting moment of optimism.
In recent weeks, I've posted some iconic or simply memorable tennis images, many of which were sought out at the suggestion of various members of the Tribe.
A picture that seems particularly topical, in light of the series of exhibition matches recently played between Roger Federer and Pete Sampras, is this one one taken of Federer in 2001, after he defeated Sampras, the defending champion, at Wimbledon in the fourth round. Sampras had won the past four Wimbledon titles, from 1997 to 2000 and, prior to that, had also won three in a row, from 1993 through to 1995 - his total of seven victories only interrupted by Richard Krajicek's win in 1996 (that year, Krajicek defeated Sampras in the quarterfinal, 7-5, 7-6 (3)), 6-4).
The Federer-Sampras score in 2001 was 7-6 (7), 5-7, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-5. It's the only time that these two met in competition during their professional careers.
In the quarterfinal round that followed, Tim Henman defeated Federer in four sets, 7-5, 7-6 (6), 2-6, 7-6 (6). This occurred before Federer's TMF days, so wasn't surprising at the time. Henman himself (thrice before defeated by Sampras at Wimbledon, twice in a semifinal) went on to be beaten over five sets in the rain-interrupted semis, by that year's eventual winner, Goran Ivanisevic - the Croat's only, but most significant, win over Henman in five career meetings. He himself had overcome Marat Safin in four sets to reach that memorable semifinal, and had lost to Sampras three times at Wimbledon, in a semifinal and two finals (the only time Ivanisevic beat Sampras in SW19 was on his way to the 1992 final, won by Andre Agassi). The now-retired Henman somehow retains a 6-7 career record against Federer, and won three of the following four encounters between the two, before losing all of the next six...
Now, please feel free to talk about whatever you wish to.
-- Rosangel