(By Tood Woodbridge)
IS ROGER Federer the best of all time? It's a hot topic at present.
I have always erred on the side of caution when asked who is the greatest. I think it is disrespectful to the champions of the past to compare.
Having played in a successful doubles partnership with Mark Woodforde, I understand what it is like to be compared.
Some say we were the best. Others liked John McEnroe and Peter Fleming. Look back further to John Newcombe and Tony Roche, but then don't forget Frank Sedgman and Ken McGregor, the only team to win a Grand Slam in doubles, and so the argument goes.
As I have too much respect for all the great teams before us, I think it fair to say that you can beat only whom you come up against at the time and leave it at that.
Yet recently I had reason to say Federer is the best singles player to have played the game.
Just before Christmas, I had the opportunity to interview American Jack Kramer about his life in tennis. A life that's included being a multiple grand slam winner, member of a winning Davis Cup team, a promoter, commentator and an official -- the father of professional tennis has covered every facet of the game.
For an hour and a half he gave me fascinating insights into the game.
Kramer, 86, was visiting Australia for the 45th time as a surprise guest at the 80th birthday celebrations of Sedgman.
Kramer was responsible for the professional game as we know it today. After winning the US and Wimbledon championships in 1947, he saw there was no future for himself in the amateur game.
With a young family to take care of, and no money in the game to support it, he had a vision to turn the game professional. He set about his idea at the beginning of the 1950s.
He signed Sedgman in 1953 to a 100-match series against Pancho Gonzales. In 1954 Lew Hoad signed up, followed by Ken Rosewall the next year.
It wasn't until 1969 when tennis became open that Kramer's vision became a reality. We in the current era have much to thank him for.
Nearing the end of our chat, I broached the subject of Federer and asked if he compared with the greats of Kramer's era.
Federer is tied with Roy Emerson on 12 grand slam titles and looks set to pass him on Sunday week. You would think Pete Sampras's record of 14 titles looks likely to tumble soon, too.
Having played against and watched every champion since the 1930s, I thought there was no one better credentialled than Kramer to answer the question.
Kramer said Don Budge, Gonzales or Hoad might have been the equal of Federer if they had been able to use Federer's racquet.
Yet he had never seen any player do more with a ball than Federer.
Federer, Kramer said, was the only player he had seen with the complete package; he is a fantastic offensive player, a super server and can play defence.
We all have our dream match-ups we would have loved to see play against each other in their prime.
Mine would be Rod Laver and Federer playing on Centre Court at Wimbledon.
Kramer's is Gonzales taking on Federer using the same racquets.
Kramer finished the interview by saying Federer was simply the best player he had seen play the game.
With credentials as good as his, who are we to argue?
