Tennis: Wimbledon remains the Holy Grail

Roger Federer is overcome by emotion after winning the Australian Tennis Open. Sean Garnsworthy / Getty Images

MELBOURNE - Two questions continue to burn after Roger Federer downed Marcos Baghdatis to win his second Australian Open tennis title.

Will the Swiss superstar eventually eclipse Pete Sampras' benchmark 14 majors? And will he complete the "Roger Slam" at this year's French Open and hold all four of the sport's major trophies simultaneously?

Not since Rod Laver in 1969 has one man been reigning Australian, French, Wimbledon and US Open champion all at once.

But while few would bet their house against Federer achieving the feat, he was adamant the French Open, however nice it would be to win, was not the be-all and end-all.

Wimbledon remains top priority.

The 24-year-old will still be a contented man even if, like Sampras, a French Open title is the gaping hole on his resume when he retires.

Federer accepts the spotlight will burn brightest when he arrives at Roland Garros as the first man since Sampras in 1994 with an opportunity to complete the sweep of Slams.

But he is not prepared to move heaven and earth to do it, and makes no apologies for that.

"I enjoy winning tournaments. I enjoy playing well at Slams. Obviously, I know the importance of winning the French, what it would do to my career.

"But, again, Wimbledon is the one for me. And if I keep on winning Wimbledon and not the French, I'm very happy about that, too.

"So that's no problem."

Not that Federer doesn't give himself a shot at triumphing on the Parisian clay, the surface on which he grew up learning the game.

Federer will consider asking his Australian coach Tony Roche, whose only Grand Slam singles title came at the 1966 French Open, to join him a week earlier this year as they try to plot a path to Roland Garros glory - and, most particularly, a way to beat claycourt king Rafael Nadal.

Nadal upstaged Federer in four sets in last year's semifinals and eventually amassed nine claycourt titles for the season before missing the Australian Open with a foot injury.

"He [Roche] is definitely coming for that trip again, I'm very happy about [that]. I think he also knows the importance of the French and of the clay," Federer said.

"I think the more time I spend with him, the more information I get about playing on clay.

"Just being together and working together, it's very interesting.

"I thought I played the right way last year at the French. Maybe I didn't play as great as I was hoping to, but I still gave myself a chance.

"I thought the match against Nadal was decent ... he was better on the day. Best player by far on clay last season. He totally deserved the French. I hope he'll be back by then and I get a chance to play him again."

But even if winning the French is not an obsession, Federer is aware he is closing in on tennis history.

He has moved past Don Budge, Jack Crawford, Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg into 11th place on the Grand Slam honour roll to be exactly halfway towards matching Sampras' 14 majors.

"I left my idols behind me now. That means something. I'm very pleased. But they still stay my heroes - Becker and Edberg," Federer said.

"Definitely on a great roll at the moment. I don't forget that it's been a tough road for me.

"I amaze myself every time I do well. It's been so consistent, too, winning so many slams, seven out of the last 11. It's quite incredible.

"I try to keep it up, stay healthy and keep enjoying it because that's what I'm doing, and I think that's what makes me play well."

Federer admitted it was frightening to compare his uncannily similar career thus far to Sampras', but insisted he wasn't in desperate pursuit of the American's record.

"We were almost born on the same day, just a few days apart and exactly 10 years [difference]," he said.

"[At the same age] he has one or two tournament victories more, the same amount of slams, just a couple of weeks more No 1.

"It's quite scary actually. If you compare it, it's basically the same.

"We won Indian Wells, Key Biscayne back-to-back, we won the Masters also twice each.

"I'm on the same road, but I've got to maintain it and he's the happy guy who already did everything.

"I've got to do everything still, so it's a long road. It would be great just to challenge it, but it's not my priority.

"It's really to have fun and enjoy the tour and try to win as many tournaments as possible and just enjoy it with the fans."

Federer is happy being the people's champion, but there is no doubt he is on course to becoming the greatest champion the game has seen.

SLAM RECORDS

Sampras Slams

1990 US Open
1993 Wimbledon
1993 US Open
1993 Australian Open
1994 Wimbledon
1995 Wimbledon
1995 US Open
1996 US Open
1997 Australian Open
1997 Wimbledon
1998 Wimbledon
1999 Wimbledon
2000 Wimbledon
2002 US Open

Most Slams

14 Pete Sampras
12 Roy Emerson
11 Bjorn Borg
11 Rod Laver
10 Bill Tilden
8 Jimmy Conners
8 Ivan Lendl
8 Fred Perry
8 Ken Rosewall
8 Andre Agassi

Roger Slams

2003 Wimbledon
2004 US Open
2004 Wimbledon
2004 Australian Open
2005 US Open
2005 Wimbledon
2006 Australian Open

- AAP