Looking back at the careers of tennis legends, there are surely some similarities. But it is their peculiar habits that define them individually. The same is the case with Pete Sampras and Roger Federer. Both have engraved their legacies on the court, however, the way they both did it was completely different. And this is something that no one would know except for their coach, Paul Annacone.

The former coach of Pete Sampras and Roger Federer broke down the dynamics of how differently the two tennis legends had a victorious outlook in the Swiss Maestro’s biography.

Could Pete Sampras and Roger Federer be legends if they were like each other? 

On the surface level, the two tennis stars have one of the most glorious tennis careers of all time. However, the stark difference between their approaches was revealed by their former coach, Paul Annacone in the Roger Federer Effect by Simon Chambers and Simon Graf.

In an excerpt of the book, Annacone stated, “If Pete Sampras traveled like Roger, he would have been nothing. He could never have done that.” This was because Federer had a hustling lifestyle.

He added, “If Roger had Pete’s life, he would have been bored to tears and never wanted to play tennis.” And this was because Sampras liked to keep it easy.

He reminisced about how tiring activities kept Federer engaged and made him even more productive. Annacone stated, “They keep him very much at ease. They keep him enjoying his life.” He added, “I never saw him lose a match because he was tired.” This eventually changed his perspective on how each player is different.

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All in all, he concluded that even if the two were strikingly different, the two had their own personalities. He added, “They’re just very different. And neither of those things are right or wrong.”

Similarly, Annacone has adhered to this perspective when it comes to 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens. 

Is Sloane Stephens ever going to be like Serena Williams and Federer? 

The truth is quite obvious and Sloane Stephens herself has focused on managing her both on and off-court life. Her former coach, Annacone, praised her for her astounding gameplay. He pointed out in a Spotify podcast that she is undoubtedly a great player, but she can not be the next Serena Williams or Roger Federer. Annacone further revealed that the insane consistency and dedication of such legends of the sport can only be emulated by a select few, and Stephens was not in that category of players.

Who do you think is going to be the next Serena Williams or Roger Federer?

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