• Wimbledon

Sampras expects Federer to bag Wimbledon title No. 7

Roger Federer won his sixth Wimbledon title in 2009 © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Murray confident and more focused than ever
  
• Article: This could be Murray's year
  
• Features: Murray poised to be the smiling assassin
  
• News: Murray to open up against Spaniard
  
• News: Murray vows to keep on roaring
  
• Profile: Roger Federer | Andy Murray

Pete Sampras has backed Roger Federer to equal his record of seven Wimbledon titles at the All England Club this year, but fears the pressure may prove too much for Andy Murray.

Former world No. 1 Sampras saw Federer eclipse his record of 14 grand slams when the Swiss claimed his sixth Wimbledon crown two years ago, but the world No. 3 goes into the grass-court slam without a major title in his possession for the first time since 2003.

But despite falling in the quarter-finals to eventual finalist Tomas Berdych last year, Federer should be regarded as the favourite, says Sampras.

"When Wimbledon comes around, you have to put Roger as the man to beat on that surface," he told ESPN. "He played extremely well in the French Open final and lost to one of the greats of all time on clay. I see him oozing with confidence."

Federer has not won a major title since the 2010 Australian Open, but Sampras, whose former coach Paul Annacone is now Federer's trainer, has seen improvements in the Swiss' game.

"I see different things, especially in the final of the French, that Roger is trying to do - be a little more aggressive, take the ball earlier, which is obviously tougher to do against [Rafael Nadal] on clay. And I like what I see.

"He wants to improve, and he still enjoys it. I think Paul has helped him with the mental side, just talking about strategy. Paul knows what it's like, he knows what a great player goes through, and it's really helped Roger in my mind."

Meanwhile, Murray's victory at Queen's has ramped up the pressure on the British No. 1, and Sampras admits the weight of expectation may prove too much for the Scot. Sampras believes Murray has the talent to break his grand slam duck, but admits the fourth seed needs to learn to control his emotions better.

"He's dealing with a lot more than the other guys, in terms of the pressure of the country and the media on every move and on everything he says," Sampras said. "It's tough enough playing these guys, then you add all that. It's nothing that any other player has experienced. I hope Andy can shut that noise out and play his tennis.

"I do see him get agitated sometimes. Every now and again, you see him yelling at his box. He's an emotional guy, and that's what makes him tough - he's in every point. He's a little temperamental, which is fine. It's just that in this sport, you have to have a short memory. You play a bad point, you move on.

"I look at him as one of the favourites, but maybe not quite the same as the other guys. On a given day, if he plays well and gets the crowd support, he could very well have some destiny on his side."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.