Heir vs. Heir Apparent: Federer Takes On Sampras

World number one Roger Federer (Switzerland), who has raked in 7.43 million dollars in prize money after winning seven tournaments this year, is set to visit Korea for yet another spectacular match.

Federer is given the royal treatment in every country he visits. But to the Korean staff’s surprise, he was unbelievably down to earth and easy to deal with.

Many superstar athletes that have visited Korea have made headlines with their meticulous directions on the littlest details, even when it came to ordering a simple meal.

But Federer’s requests were straightforward and simple. All he would ask for were typical pre- and post-game meals and nothing more.

At 5:50 pm on November 20 he will play his one time idol, Pete Sampras, in the Hyundai Card Super Match held at Jamsil Indoor Stadium. He was brimming with anticipation about the upcoming match in an interview yesterday.

At age 13, he frequented tennis courts as a ball boy and dreamed of tennis greatness. He said “Ever since I was a child, I would watch, imitate, and emulate Sampras’ backhand. And now it’s part of my own arsenal. It feels unreal to be facing that same Pete Sampras on the court, and I am extremely excited.”

With 12 Grand Slam singles titles under his belt, Federer is two wins shy of tying the record set by Sampras.

The battle between Sampras and his heir apparent is sure to be a crowd pleaser. And with special performances by popular girl bands like Wonder Girls and Girls’ Generation planned, the 1000 tickets available, priced at 150,000 won each, will surely sell out fast.

kjs0123@donga.com