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Pete Sampras shakes hands with a young Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2001 - Source: Getty Images -
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His defeat by the little-known Federer is arguably the biggest shock in the men's competition at the world's most famous tournament since Boris Becker won the title as a 17-year-old unknown in 1985.
American Sampras, holder of a record 13 Grand Slam titles, was last beaten at Wimbledon in the quarter-finals of the 1996 championships, by Dutchman Richard Krajicek who went on to win the title that year.
"I am very disappointed," Sampras said. "I lost to a really, really good player today. He's definitely got a great future."
"It wasn't to be. I came up a little bit short," said Sampras who had never lost a five-set match at Wimbledon before.
Federer, seeded 15th and 10 years Sampras's junior at 19, showed little respect for the top seed in his Centre Court debut and their first ever meeting.
For three hours 41 minutes he played Sampras at his own game, serving superbly, returning beautifully and charging the net at every chance. He pressurised the American into a series of unusual errors.
Sampras, who had won the title for the last four years, had two break points at 4-4 in the deciding set but was unable to convert them.
Federer earned two match points on Sampras's serve in the 12th game and won the match on the first with a forehand service return down the line.
He fell to the ground and buried his head in his hands, scarcely able to believe his achievement, as Sampras slouched back to his chair.
Federer, a first-round loser in the last two Wimbledons, earned a meeting with either sixth seed Tim Henman or American Todd Martin, the number 23 seed, in the last eight.
Sampras, normally a picture of calm, allowed himself for once to be ruffled by several decisions.
Federer won the first-set tiebreak 9-7 on his second set point after Sampras, smarting over a disputed call which had allowed the Swiss to stay in the set, put a backhand into the net.
Federer, the 1998 Wimbledon junior champion, hit two double faults in the fourth game of the second set to give Sampras a breakpoint. But Federer served his way out of trouble.
TWO ACES
Sampras had to come back from 0-40 down in the seventh game of the set. He hit two aces and a service winner but the fighting Federer earned a fourth break point and Sampras had to pull out another ace to survive.
Serving for the set at 6-5, Federer wobbled briefly. He hit two double faults as Sampras went 0-40 up.
Federer saved the three break points but Sampras earned another and the Swiss man mishit a smash to give away the set.
After an exchange of breaks early in the third set, Federer broke for a 5-4 lead when Sampras himself overhit a smash. Federer served out for the set, finishing off with an ace.
The fourth set went with serve and into a tiebreak which Sampras won 7-2, helped by some crucial errors from Federer.
Until last week, when he beat British wild card Barry Cowan in the second round, Sampras had not been taken to five sets at Wimbledon since the 1998 final when he beat Goran Ivanisevic.
But the 29-year-old Sampras said his career was far from over. "There is no reason to think I can't do it any more," he said. "I plan on being back for many years."
