ESPN Tennis

Updated: September 7, 2009, 8:59 PM ET

Federer hungry to add to records

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By Greg Garber
ESPN.com
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NEW YORK -- Roger Federer is so far ahead of the field these days -- he's got 15 majors and all the other men in the field (including Rafael Nadal) have 13 -- he's playing less against specific opponents than the entire body of tennis history.

After surpassing Pete Sampras' all-time record at Wimbledon with his 15th major title, Federer's next target is Bill Tilden. Here at the National Tennis Center, Federer is attempting to become the first man since Tilden to win six straight U.S. Open titles.

From 1920-25, Tilden did not drop a match and set a standard that only now, 84 years later, is being approached.

"That's what I'm here for, trying to equal Bill Tilden's record," Federer said earlier his week. "I've never met Bill Tilden, never saw him play, so it's kind of hard to relate to him, except through records.

"It's fantastic to be compared to someone who played a long time ago."

This has been happening a lot lately.

For the past several years, it has been fashionable to call Federer the greatest male player ever. This is always dicey proposition, given the radically different eras that have preceded him.

Case in point: Rod Laver. Federer, after winning the French Open and Wimbledon, is trying to become the first player to win three major titles in a row in the same season since Laver won the Grand Slam in 1969.

Well, Rod, could you have taken Roger?

"Oh, that's a tough one," Laver told ESPN.com recently. "I'll tell you, I'd like to get a wooden racket in his hand."

He was laughing when he said it.

"It's a different time," Laver said. "As much as people want to do it, different eras can't be compared."

That said, Laver won all four majors in 1962 and 1969. Federer has won three of the four majors three different times, in 2004, 2006 and 2007. Gustavo Kuerten handed him his only loss in a Grand Slam event in 2004, at Roland Garros. Federer reached the 2006 and 2007 finals at the French Open -- as close as any other man has come to completing the Slam in the Open era -- but lost to Nadal both times.

This year, Federer broke through with his first victory at Roland Garros, but because he lost the Australian final to Nadal, the best he can do this year with a sixth straight U.S. Open crown is 3-for-4. Federer's near-misses underline just how difficult Laver's flawless 26-for-26-match run actually was.

"Look at the tough match Roger played in the Australian," Laver said. "He caught Nadal on fire. Anybody can come up against that.

"I was thrilled to accomplish it. But at the same time you put it in perspective. There's so much that goes into it. I was healthy and had no other major issues. It was good fortune, good timing to make it."

Andre Agassi was on hand when Federer joined him in a select group of six men who have won career Grand Slams.

"It was just a pleasure to watch," Agassi said earlier this week. "It would have been a crime had he not ever won in Paris. For him just to remove that as some sort of possible thorn, I think is right. He should have won four or five French Opens, if it wasn't for one sort of freakish kid from Mallorca.

"He would have won possibly two Grand Slams, all four in the same year, two years in a row. What he's done in separating himself from the game should be recognized."

As so often happens in sport, Federer's true greatness wasn't fully appreciated until he fell off his pedestal last year. The fans of New York embraced him when he was, for once, not favored to win here. This year, having gotten past the tears in Australia and a smashed racket in Miami, Federer is visibly more relaxed.

Immediately after Wednesday night's second-round win over Simon Greul, Federer jogged through a crowd and did a television interview. And then he spent nearly 10 minutes signing autographs and interacting with the fans. He actually seemed to enjoy it.

His wins over Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic on the way to the title in Cincinnati were vivid, vintage Federer, circa 2004. Laver was 31 when he completed his second Slam; Federer just turned 28 and, unless he can defy gravity, nearing the end of his prime. Sampras, however, won his last major at the age of 31. Will Federer, knowing he can now win at Roland Garros, come into the 2010 season with a new momentum to complete the Grand Slam?

Laver's not sure. It depends, he said, on Federer's motivation.

"When Open tennis started, and the professionals were allowed to play the majors, I got a whole new lease on life," Laver said. "The thrill of competing at Wimbledon once again, well, that's the desire you need to play.

"There has to be some reason to do it -- other than wanting to win all four in one year. Sometimes you get a little flat playing year in and year out. Whether it's within his family or for his children, he needs to find the desire to compete, to win those big matches."

Federer knows his history -- almost too well. He burns to make more.

"I like being the winner of any tournament in the world," Federer said matter-of-factly. "That's why when I enter, I try to win it.

"If I enjoy playing tennis, why should I stop just because I've beaten the all-time Grand Slam record? I don't think, if you ask all the other 100 players in the draw, that their goal is to win 16 Grand Slams now. You set different types of goals. Mine are at a very, very high level. That's just the difference."

Greg Garber is a senior writer for ESPN.com.