To Roger Federer's way of thinking, labels such as “greatest ever” or “legendary” are only applicable when a sporting career is finished.

Others may eulogise him as the most complete player to swing a tennis racket and statistically he is the most successful man when it comes to winning big prizes. In his own mind, the job is far from done.

Fashion statements were de rigueur at Wimbledon 2009 and, just as Serena Williams did a day earlier, Federer chose the chest of his post-final T-shirt to make a statement. Not for the suave Swiss the “Carry On Centre Court” innuendo of Serena and her “Are you looking at my titles?” His shirt said simply: “There is no finish line . . .”

A long night of congratulations and celebrations, interrupted by just two hours’ sleep, had passed when Federer added to those five words. “Far from done,” insisted the winner of a record 15 Grand Slam singles titles, the last of which was achieved in front of a positive Mount Rushmore of tennis greats he does regard as legends seated in the front row of the All England Club’s Royal Box.

“There is still a long way to go,” he said. “Of course you look up at people I regard as legends, like [Rod] Laver, [Bjorn] Borg and of course Pete [Sampras], who made the journey specially for me, and you realise it is very special. It was a strange feeling because they are great champions who have made tennis so big, so I suppose I am now in an elite group. But I don’t regard anything as complete and therefore it’s best not to spend much time thinking where I stand in those terms. There will be plenty of time for that when I am done with the game and for now I like to view others as legends and greatest-evers.”

All week in the aftermath of Federer’s victory, debates have mounted about who is the greatest sportsman the world has known. He has a distinct list of candidates, which, of course, involves the three men he rubbed shoulders with in front of Wimbledon’s honours board after his triumph. His close friend Tiger Woods, one of the first to congratulate him by phone, is another.

“For me probably the greatest of all is Muhammad Ali,” he said. “I’m only 27 so I did not see any of his fights live but I respect him as one of the modern world’s most influential figures. He is up there with Obama and Mandela. He transcends sport. Then there is Michael Jordan. When I was young Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg were my heroes but I loved basketball and Jordan was my idol. He was a true legend. Football has always been a very important sport for me. Pele was obviously a true great but Maradona stands out for me because of his wonderful skills and control.

“Then, from Formula One there is Michael Schumacher, who was so dominant in his sport. Looking at track and field, Edwin Moses not losing a race for nine years and nine months is unbelievable. Maybe some people bracket me with these guys but I don’t. It’s never been my goal to beat the tennis greats’ records. I have enjoyed playing, and breaking them, but not so they could not have them any more. To me that is only a part of the true story.”

What is irrefutable is Federer’s role in the resurgence of men’s tennis. Only a decade and a half ago the cover of Sports Illustrated featured a huge question mark under the words: “Is Tennis Dying?” A few months earlier two Americans, Sampras and Jim Courier, had waged an Independence Day war of big-serving attrition in the Wimbledon final and one British tabloid headline read: “Bored On The 4th Of July”.

Courier summed up the current picture. “This is a very special time for tennis,” he insisted. “The quality of play as well as sportsmanship is remarkable and the individuals in the upper echelon of tennis are not just worthy champions, they are fantastic ambassadors for the sport. These are role models for any parent to point to. The sport is in safe hands and a lot of fun to watch these days. And for that, all tennis people should be thankful.”