The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Paris

Roger Federer goes into 2008 with his position as the greatest player of all time virtually assured but with the sport he represents so well fighting an unexpected battle to preserve its integrity. Superlatives for Federer were exhausted a long time ago and 2007 saw the elegant and modest Swiss rack up statisics so formidable that his rivals must already be anticipating the new year with dread.

Successful defences of his Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open crowns took the 26- year-old's Grand Slam tally to 12, just two shy of Pete Sampras's record of 14.

His 53rd career title came with a fourth Masters Cup triumph and he finished 2007 as the world number one player for the 200th consecutive week.

"I'm really happy. It's been in some ways a breakthrough year for me," said Federer, who finished the year with eight titles, a 68-9 record and whose triumph at a rain-sodden Wimbledon was his fifth in succession.

His win in the Shanghai season-ending tournament was even more remarkable after he had suffered three uncharacteristic defeats - twice to David Nalbandian and once to Fernando Gonzalez - as the year wound down.

In February, he eclipsed Jimmy Connors' 30-year record (160) for most consecutive weeks as world number one while at the US Open he became the first player in history to reach all four Grand Slam finals in back-to-back years.

Sampras, who lost a three-match exhibition series in Asia to the Swiss in November, has no doubt that his records will crumble.

"The major record, he's got so much time," said Sampras who held the top ranking for a record 286 weeks and finished as world number one for a record six consecutive years.

"He's 26 and he's got the next four years to be at the pinnacle of his career so I see him breaking that, if not next year, pretty soon."

As always, there is a spanner in Federer's Grand Slam works in the shape of Rafael Nadal.

The Spaniard finished the year again at number two having captured a third French Open title beating Federer in the final for the second successive year.