WIMBLEDON, England -- Roy Emerson proclaimed Pete Sampras the greatest player in tennis history after his record-breaking 13th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon.

The Australian, who had held the record since 1967, said he couldn't think of anyone he would rather see succeed him as king of the slams.

"Sampras is the greatest of all time, and I have to give him a pat on the back for getting there." -- Roy Emerson

"Sampras is the greatest of all time, and I have to give him a pat on the back for getting there, because the tournaments are a little deeper these days," Emerson said Monday.

Emerson, who said he planned to congratulate Sampras, missed the final because he was traveling from Switzerland to London on Sunday. He listened to parts of it on radio.

"You'd love a record to last forever," he said. "This one has lasted a long time."

Emerson won six Australian championships, and two titles each at Wimbledon, the French and the U.S. nationals before the open era allowed professionals to play the majors. In those years, all the majors except the French were played on grass.

Sampras has won seven Wimbledons, four U.S. Opens and two Australian Opens over much more competitive fields. The U.S. and Australians these days are played on hard courts.

If Sampras had played in Emerson's time, the Australian thinks the American would have been just as overpowering.

"He would have been awfully difficult," Emerson said. "Particularly on grass, where the serve is so dominant."