• Hit for Haiti

Federer admits to awkward moment

ESPN staff
March 15, 2010
After a tense moment, it turned out okay in the end as Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi shared a hug © Getty Images
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Roger Federer has admitted the verbal sparring between Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi left him feeling a 'little awkward'.

Federer teamed up with Sampras to take on Agassi and Rafael Nadal in a Hit for Haiti charity event at the BNP Paribas Championship at Indian Wells. Organisers are looking to raise over $1 million for the victims of the Haiti earthquake and over 16,000 fans were treated to some exhibition tennis and plenty of banter.

At 4-4 in the set, the banter got a little heated as Sampras mimicked Agassi's style of walking - leading Agassi to hit back by calling his old rival a poor tipper.

This seemed to rankle with Sampras who fired the ball in Agassi's direction and Federer has admitted the intense moment left him feeling uncomfortable.

"There was definitely an awkward moment, a bit of a heated moment," Federer said. "It's a bit unfortunate, but that stuff kind of happens. It's a pity if that's what grabs the limelight and not the event itself, you know."

All four players wore microphones and world No. 1 Federer admitted it may have been a mistake.

"You're sitting there and you're thinking: 'What now?' I can't say. I wish we wouldn't play with the microphones on, to be quite honest," he said. "I don't think it was that crazy bad, but it was a bit awkward because you didn't know. Was it just fun, was it not fun? What was it, you know?

"I thought maybe we have to give both guys like a timeout or something. We didn't have to go that far. They weren't that bad."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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