Federer: ‘I don’t know if I can ever top this’

WIMBLEDON, England — Roger Federer certainly is not ready to stop at a record 15 Grand Slam titles.

Still, he figures his recent run of success is about as good as it gets: a first French Open title to complete a career Grand Slam and tie Pete Sampras with 14 major championships, followed immediately by a sixth Wimbledon trophy for No. 15 overall.

“I don’t know if I’ve had a more happy period in my tennis life. I don’t know if I can ever top this,” Federer said Monday at the All England Club, less than 24 hours after beating Andy Roddick 16-14 in the longest fifth set in major final history.

“These last months, with all the records on the line, and coming through both times,” said Federer, who also returned to No. 1 in the rankings. “Knowing what it means to me, it’s quite amazing.”

After attending the Wimbledon Champions Dinner on Sunday night, Federer managed to squeeze in two hours of sleep — 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. — before rising Monday.

“Sleep is so overrated,” he said with a smile. “Then you wake up, and you’re like, ‘Man, you did it again.’”

This one did not come easily: Federer was not able to break Roddick’s serve until the 77th and last game.

It was a welcome change for Federer, who lost a 9-7 fifth set to Rafael Nadal in the 2008 Wimbledon final.

Nadal didn’t defend his title at the All England Club, citing sore knees. That came after a loss in the fourth round at the French Open, where Nadal won the previous four titles.

Federer was asked whether it mattered that Nadal wasn’t around this year at Wimbledon.

“No. Not at all. Sure, people might see it this way, and I wish I could have played him again,” Federer said.

“Rafa was part of the French Open — I didn’t play him there in the final, and it didn’t take anything away, in my opinion. Some people are always going to say, ‘You should have beaten him to do that.’ I disagree,” Federer continued. “(Bjorn) Borg walked away from tennis at 27 — does that take anything away from John McEnroe or the legacy he had? No. You only have to beat who’s across the net, and that’s what it takes, and you can’t always play the other biggest rivals. But I’m sad for him that he didn’t even get a chance to defend Wimbledon.”

Sampras attended Sunday’s final, sitting in the front row of the Royal Box near Borg and Rod Laver, who each won 11 majors.

After the match, Sampras repeated what he’s said before: He thinks Federer could wind up with 18 major titles or more.

“It definitely seems possible, you know,” said Federer, who turns 28 next month. “I’ve reached, what is it, 16 out of 17 Grand Slam finals in a row now? So you’d figure I’d definitely have a shot in the next few years. I’m still young, in tennis terms, I think. It’s only after 30 the clock starts ticking.”

He discussed how back pain that sidelined him for about six weeks this season took a toll, mentally and physically, particularly limiting him when it came to chasing down opponents’ shots.

It is part of why Federer entered May without a title in 2009.

“I had to play too offensive. Because the offense, you can control. The defense you cannot control. So I would play way too offensive, and against the top guys that was too risky. And that’s why I would lose,” he said. “Yeah, it’s only since, I think, before Rome (in late April) that I felt like the old guy again.”

That “old guy” sure went on a roll: Federer beat Nadal in the final at Madrid, then became only the third man since 1970 to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season.

Federer was asked Monday how winning No. 15 compared to winning No. 14 a month earlier.

“The 14th for me was really special, and obviously, with the combination of Paris being the first, it was so fitting. And it was even more fitting breaking the record here at Wimbledon. I couldn’t have hoped for another place for that to happen,” he said. “I just thought being on the same level with majors as Pete, that was kind of important to me, and not really breaking his record. I almost feel a little bit bad, to be quite honest.”