In 2001, though, he stunned himself and the tennis world by beating Pete Sampras, the greatest grass-court player of all time, in the fourth round at Wimbledon.
He is indisputably the greatest grass-court player in tennis history and arguably the best player, period, his clay-court misadventures notwithstanding.
For that reason I would have to say that Sampras, with his seven titles, is still the greatest grass-court player ever.
It was thus a jolt to realize after losses Tuesday by Lleyton Hewitt, Bernard Tomic and Matthew Ebden that for the first time since 1938, there will be no Australian man in the second round of the world's greatest grass-court tournament.
But after a year of building the Dean juggernaut, from a staff of seven to what he has often called "the greatest grass-roots movement in the history of American politics," Mr. Trippi refused to be sidelined, and walked out after what aides described as an emotional staff meeting here.
Campaign spokesman Jay Carson understandably didn't want to comment on the quality of The Times's coverage, but he did have something to say about what the e-mail barrage represents: The Dean crusade (my term, not his, and meant as a compliment) is "the greatest grass-roots campaign in modern history," he said, and he continued: "These people write letters, they make phone calls, they give money.
Just look at the great grass here".
They will also help build what the garden calls great grass tunnels by weaving grass through large bamboo A-frames.
