Degrees of Seperation - H.L Doherty to Roger Federer - do it in less than 6 Jumps?

I wondered what the smallest number of jumps you can do from H.L Doherty (number one around the turn of the 20th Century) to Roger Federer. Include the matches played.

1. H.L Doherty played Brookes (1905 Wimbledon final)

2. Norman Brookes played Tilden (1919 US Open - Tilden won 1-6 6-4 7-5 6-3 - Brookes was 41 years old against a 26 year old Tilden - great players still show greatness late in their careers)

3. Tilden played Pancho Gonzales (in 1952 - Gonzales won 6-1, 6-2 - Tilden 59 years old!)

4. Gonzales played Connors (in 1971 - Pacific Southwest final - Gonzales won 3–6, 6–3, 6–3 at 43 years old!)

5. Connors played Sampras (in 1992, Atlanta Quarter finals - 7-6(4), 6-2 to Sampras - not a bad score by nearly 40 year old Connors)

6. Sampras played Federer (Wimbledon 2001 - Federer won in 5 sets).

Can anyone do it in fewer than 6 steps?

I'm at work now so I don't have time to give exact matches. But I figured I'd have some fun and move the Six Degrees in another direction.

H L played Brookes.

Brookes played Tilden.

Tilden played Bobby Riggs
http://www.tennisfame.com/famer.aspx?pgID=867&hof_id=140

Riggs played Billie Jean King

King played Navratilova

Navratilova played Graf

The only match that needed to be verified was the Tilden-Riggs match and I provided a link for that. I think we all know the others happened.

H L to Serena Williams

Here's another one.

H L played Brookes.

Brookes played Tilden.

Tilden played Bobby Riggs
http://www.tennisfame.com/famer.aspx...867&hof_id=140

Riggs played Billie Jean King

King played Navratilova

Navratilova played Women's doubles with Serena Williams in Tokyo in September of 2002.

pc1 said:

...

Navratilova played mixed doubles with Serena Williams in Tokyo in September of 2002.

Click to expand...

LOL, who was the man in that one? And who were the poor, hapless opponents?

HL won Wimbledon.
So did Roger.

That is two degrees of separation.

EDIT: Someone call Kevin Bacon and let him know he needs to find yet another gig.

slice bh compliment said:

LOL, who was the man in that one? And who were the poor, hapless opponents?

HL won Wimbledon.
So did Roger.

That is two degrees of separation. Someone call Kevin Bacon and let him know.

Click to expand...

Oops. I meant Women's doubles. lol. I'll edit it.

I was thinking that Martina might play some mixed doubles in recent years so I could find a way to get it back to the men's circuit and I messed up. Lol.

It's cool, man, I thought it was funny.

Okay, so heres another route.

HL beat Brookes.
Brooks made tennis shoes worn by Jimmy Connors.
Federer looks like he could be the son (or at least nephew) of Jimmy Connors.

Three degrees of separation.

slice bh compliment said:

It's cool, man, I thought it was funny.

Click to expand...

Thanks my friend.