HONG KONG - World number one Roger Federer and seven-times Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras will clash in a three-city Asian exhibition tour in November, organisers said Wednesday.

Five-times Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras of the US serves during his fourth round match against Swiss Roger Federer in Wimbledon in 2001. Federer won that match in five sets, effectively signalling the beginning of the end of Sampras' reign as world number one. Now, Federer and Sampras are set to meet again in a three-city Asian exhibition tour. [AFP]

Swiss maestro Federer and American master Sampras, considered among the two greatest players of all time, will meet in Kuala Lumpur, Seoul and then at the soon-to-be-launched Venetian Macau resort.

The two met at competitive level only once in their careers, in the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2001.

Federer won in five sets, effectively signalling the beginning of the end of Sampras' reign as world number one during which he won a record 14 Grand Slam titles.

"It will be a dream come true for me to play Pete again," Federer said in a recorded video message at the series' launch in Hong Kong.

Sampras, who retired from top-flight tennis in 2002, said he expects Federer to beat his 14 Grand Slam titles. The Swiss currently has 10.

"Playing Roger will be so special. He's dominating his generation as I had dominated mine but he's doing it much better than I ever did," he told reporters in a telephone interview from Los Angeles.

"I've been number one for a long period of time. He's probably going to break that record, he's on his way to winning more than 14, at least 17-18 majors the way he's playing," he said.

The series kicks off in Seoul on November 20, moves to the Malaysian capital on November 22 and concludes at the 15,000-seater Venetian Macau arena on November 24.

The Sampras-Federer showdown is part of a series of sporting exhibition events to mark opening of the Venetian, which will be the world's largest hotel and casino, this summer.

Highlights include a match between English Premier League champions Manchester United and China's national side and a basketball tournament featuring NBA sides Orlando Magic and the Cleveland Cavaliers