So after the 3 match exhibition we are still no nearer to finally resolving the debate as to who is the greatest of all time.

Federer won the first two matches of this money spinning exhibition series but, perhaps surprisingly, Sampras came through the third and final encounter 7-6(8), 6-4.Federer said he thought Sampras could beat the top five players on a fast surface, in return Sampras predicted Federer could beat his record of most Grand Slam wins “if not next year, pretty soon.”

“He’s a great, great player. He’s got things in his game that I couldn’t do,” Sampras said.

Of course exhibition and practice matches are of little consequence. Back in 1995 when Sampras was the undisputed number 1 player in the world he travelled with the US Davis Cup team to Moscow to face Russia in the final on his least favourite surface - clay. Sampras allegedly lost several practice matches 6-0 to little known doubles specialist Richie Reneberg. It wasn’t until the tie that Sampras came into his own.

He wasn’t even supposed to play the singles; those places were due to go to Jim Courier and Andre Agassi, two allegedly superior clay-courters. It wasn’t until Agassi had to withdraw due to a chest injury that Sampras got his chance.

He was up against the gutsy Andrei Chesnokov and the match was an epic, Sampras coming out victorious 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4. After the final point Sampras collapsed to the floor. He was dragged off the court, arms strung over two U.S. trainers, his feet leaving tracks in the clay. It was later revealed that he had suffered full body cramp at the climax.

He made a miraculous recovery the next day and teamed up with stalwart Todd Martin to win the doubles rubber thus taking the USA to a 2-1 lead. When Sampras appeared on the Sunday feeling stiff again nothing could have prepared his opponent, the sixth best player in the world, Yevgeny Kafelnikov for the tennis lesson he was about to receive.

Sampras proceeded to play what he called “the best match on clay I’ve ever played in my life.” Powered by his characteristic unreturnable serve, deft volleying and huge forehands he routed Kafelnikov 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(4), leading the USA to a 3-2 victory and lifting the trophy for a 31st time.

So Sampras beating Federer in one exhibition match is no real surprise to me, in my opinion these exhibitions are nothing more than money makers for the sponsors. The real proof in the pudding is the consistency of the top player’s week in week out that separates the men from the boys.

As for the debate on who is the greatest, I believe that will continue to be debated until Federer finally grabs the French Open title or surpasses Sampras’s record of 14 Grand Slams. Whatever the final outcome, there is no doubt that both will be fondly remembered in the annuls of tennis history.