It was also a much happier ending at Wimbledon for Federer than last year, when he lost one of the greatest matches in tennis history against his Spanish nemesis Rafael Nadal. There was no chance of a replay this year after Nadal withdrew from the tournament before it began with knee problems.

But this year’s final, a very different spectacle in terms of rhythm and tactics, certainly deserves a place on the short list of great Wimbledon matches, as well.

“It was an epic, it really was,” said Sampras, looking and sounding weary with the jet lag and his long day in the front row that he shared with the other former tennis greats Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg and Manuel Santana.

“He’s a friend, a great player, a good guy,” Sampras said of Federer. “Fourteen is a lot in the ‘90s. He’s got 15. He could get 17, 18 majors when it’s all done. He’s a stud.”