Federer beats Sampras in exhibition match

Former world number one Peter Sampras shook off the rust of retirement and came agonisingly close to beating current world number one Roger Federer in an exhibition tennis match yesterday. Federer won a compelling match at New York's Madison Square Garden 6-3, 6-7, 7-6.

The 14-times Grand Slam champion got off to a slow start with Sampras losing his first service game and dropping the first set 6-3. The former world number one's service percentage improved deeper into the second set with Sampras at one stage winning 16 out of 18 points. The American won the second set tie-breaker.

Federer, still recovering from glandular fever, is two away from Sampras' record of 14 career Grand Slam singles titles.

After the match, Federer referred to Sampras as "my childhood hero." It was the fourth Federer-Sampras exhibition; Federer won two of their three encounters in Asia late last year.