BBC SPORT | Special Events | 2001 | Wimbledon 2001 | Ivanisevic snatches Wimbledon thriller Monday, 9 July, 2001, 14:30 GMT 15:30 UK Ivanisevic snatches Wimbledon thriller Ivanisevic broke down after securing victory Men's singles final, Wimbledon: Goran Ivanisevic (Cro) beat Pat Rafter (Aus) 6-3 3-6 6-3 2-6 9-7 Goran Ivanisevic took his first Wimbledon title at the fourth attempt with a titanic five-set win over Pat Rafter on Centre Court. After almost exactly three hours, Rafter netted a forehand return to end one of the great Grand Slam finals. In front of the most raucous crowd a Wimbledon final has ever seen, the players delivered a wonderful see-saw battle. Inspired winners mixed with nerve-shredded errors to a backdrop of football-style chants and cheers on every point.

Someone has to lose and I'm the loser once again Pat Rafter In a stomach-churning final set the match went one way then the other, each player greeting a game won like the championship itself until the tumultuous finale. The Croatian missed three match points in the 16th game of the last set before digging deep to become the first wild-card in the history of the tournament to win the title. "I don't know if someone is going to wake me up and tell me I haven't won again," said an emotional Ivanisevic afterwards. "This was my dream all my life. I came here and nobody thought about me, but here I am holding the trophy." Rafter came so close to a first title Rafter was gracious in defeat despite his second Wimbledon final defeat in two years. "It was one of those matches which could have gone either way," he said. "Someone has to lose and I'm the loser once again." Ivanisevic had accelerated into the opening set, holding his serve with ease and then breaking a nervy Rafter at the first attempt. The cacophonous reception provided by the partisan Australian crowd seemed to unsettle him, the pressure plus his own adrenaline forcing him to overhit his groundstrokes.

Ivanisevic, by contrast, looked focused and duly took the set with ease. Rafter needed an immediate response and he provided it by breaking the Croatian in the second game of the second set. Then it was his opponent's turn to tighten up. Ivanisevic's usually lethal serve began to splutter, his first-serve percentage slipping to 50% - and the match was level with exactly an hour gone. Ivanisevic called for the doctor, grimacing as his troublesome left shoulder stiffened up. It was a misleading omen. After five games had gone with serve in the third, Ivanisevic broke Rafter brilliantly with two wonderful returns. He held on for a two sets to one lead and looked set fair for the title that has eluded him three times in the 1990s - but comeback kid Rafter had other ideas. Ivanisevic lost his cool in the fourth set In the ninth game of the fourth, games going with serve, the Australian worked a break point. Ivanisevic fired in an ace, only to be called for a foot-fault. Glowering, he hit what he thought was another on his second serve, only to hear it called out.

With that the volcano erupted. Dashing his racquet to the ground, he stormed to the net, gave it a kick and swore at the umpire. Rafter duly took the set to level the match and the balance of power seemed to have shifted. But Ivanisevic, who many thought would struggle to last three intense sets, let alone five, stayed strong. He had been called a one-shot wonder before this final, but it was the accuracy and pace of his returns and the crispness of his volleys at the net that won him big points as much as the firecracker serve. WATCH/LISTEN Goran Ivanisevic Wimbledon Champion 2001 7 6 No one could predict the final that was to follow. It was one of the biggest and most exciting finals in Wimbledon's History between the Australian Pat Rafter and Croatian Goran Ivanisevic. If would like to find more about the Wimbledon Final please visit the following web site dedicated to Goran Ivanisevic : I think this Goran Ivanisevic Article says everything there is to say about the Wimbledon Finalist!

Tennis star Goran Ivanisevic was the most famous man in Britain after his historic Wimbledon win last July, when he became the first-ever player to win the tournament after entering on wild card as an unseeded player. The 30-year-old Croatian, dubbed the 'Split personality' due to his temperamental courtside antics, not only became a hero in his native town of Split but soon found himself the toast of tennis fans the world over. Sadly, for the millions of women clamouring for his attention after his emotional win, the handsome sports star, defeated in three previous Wimbledon finals, already had his beautiful long-term girlfriend - Croatian model Tatjana Dragovic - waiting nervously in the wings back home. Due to the pressures of travel on their relationship, Tatjana put her modelling career on hold after Goran won Wimbledon title and the couple now live in Tatjana's native Zagreb. Here, enjoying a relaxing boating holiday around the islands of their native Croatia, the happy couple talk exclusively to OK! about their life together and the Romeo and Juliet story behind their romance... For the continuing part of the above article please visit: Other Goran Ivanisevic Pages in this site: Wild man Ivanisevic wins Wimbledon.

| Sport | The Guardian Share on Messenger Close And so he did it. Goran Ivanisevic, one of the most unpredictable talents tennis has produced, finally won the Wimbledon title at the fourth time of asking, defeating Australia's Pat Rafter 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 yesterday afternoon amid the sort of scenes of wild enthusiasm and rapturous joy that have never been witnessed on the centre court. Around 10,000 fans, some of whom had begun queueing on Sunday, paid £40 a ticket to transform the denouement of the 115th championships into the most vividly memorable of sporting occasions. Only in Davis Cup matches, played between nations, does this sort of carnival atmosphere pervade tennis, for it is the rich and the sponsored who normally attend the major finals, more's the pity. Australians and Croatians combined with those from Britain to lift this match beyond mere rivalry. The names of both players were bounced around the famous arena with the unparalleled intensity of a football crowd. Yet there was not a trace of ill-feeling.

All was pure unfettered delight, ultimately tinged with a little sadness for Rafter. "Someone had to lose, and I'm the loser again," said the Australian, drawing a sustained and heartfelt "Aah" from the crowd. They loved Rafter, they loved Ivanisevic. It was the most glorious and improbable of finals. Nobody in their right mind could have believed at the beginning of the fortnight that the man from Croatia would achieve his dream. Entering Wimbledon he had won only nine matches this year. His left shoulder, which will be operated on in December, was painful and his confidence shot to small pieces. Ranked No125 in the world, he was given a wild card on the strength of his previous performances, having lost the final to Andre Agassi in 1992 and Pete Sampras twice, in 1994 and 1998. Not since Boris Becker won the title as a 17-year-old in 1985 has there been such an unlikely winner. But whereas the German exploded from nowhere, seizing the moment with nerveless authority of youth, the 29-year-old Ivanisevic had all but slipped over the horizon.

He was tagged "the most talented player never to have won Wimbledon". No longer. Today he is due back in his native Split where thousands more will gather. It has been a quite astonishing story, one to rival this year's restoration and rejuvenation of Jennifer Capriati, the Australian and French Open champion. Because it was Ivanisevic, because the man would walk on the backs of crocodiles to cross a river, the final was as unpredictable as the man. For six matches he had controlled his volatile temperament. But midway through the fourth set, when he was foot-faulted after pounding down a service winner, and then saw a second service ace called out, he went berserk, flailing his arms, kicking the net and appealing to the umpire, Jorge Diaz. Rafter watched and waited no doubt wondering, indeed hoping, that Ivanisevic's split personalities might be beginning to unravel. The Australian cricketers, including the Waugh twins, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, were mightily amused. No third umpire to sort this one out. But Rafter, 28, knew Ivanisevic would regroup.

"It was too big an occasion for him to let that sort of thing worry him and get him down," he said. In fact the Croat, having calmed himself, was more annoyed at losing his serve for a second time in that fourth set, thereby giving Rafter the decided advantage of serving first in the fifth. Rafter, who was beaten in last year's final by Agassi, had surprisingly lost his opening service game, the quality of the Ivanisevic returns catching him on the hop. The second set was a mirror image, though this time it was the Croat who lost his serve in the second game. The noise was immense, the tension electric. Occasionally both players were interrupted by rogue shouts as they prepared to serve but generally the crowd, for all their exuberance, observed tennis's spirit of hushed competition. After Ivanisevic's fourth-set eruption the fifth could not have been more tense, with both players aware that one slip could be fatal. The strain was immense, tension clawing at Rafter at 4-4 when he went 0-30 down on his serve, and then gripping Ivanisevic.

With Rafter 7-6 ahead, Ivanisevic was two points from defeat, scrambling to safety courtesy of arguably grasscourt's most potent serve. It is a two-edged weapon, capable of cutting him off at the knees when it fails, but the Croat was serving quite beautifully now. A leaping backhand service return coupled with a powerful forehand return had Rafter reeling. Another forehand winner off a 96mph second serve saw the Australian struggling at 15-40, "I decided to give him a really slow serve at this point," said Rafter. "I got it perfectly, just how I wanted it, because I thought he was very tight. He whacked it by me. 'Bad move', I thought." Such is pressure. Ivanisevic crossed himself and aimed a kiss at the heavens. Nobody, but nobody, can squander two match points with double faults. He did. The third Rafter saved with a wonderful lob, the fourth saw his end - Ivanisevic forcing an error on a 109mph second serve. The Croat's celebration was a joy to behold, and Rafter was generous in defeat.

It was only later, when it was pointed out to him that he was again part of history, that the Australian snapped. "I'm sick of making bloody history." But even then the two-times US Open champion managed a smile. It was, after all, Ivanisevic's day. Destiny had deemed it so. 2. 2001 - Goran Ivanisevic | RealClearSports Posted on 05.07.12 9:47 PM UTC 2. 2001 - Goran Ivanisevic Only four men have ever won a Grand Slam event as an unseeded player - Mark Edmondson (1976 Australian Open), Boris Becker (1985 Wimbledon), Richard Krajicek (1996 Wimbledon) and Goran Ivanisevic (2001 Wimbledon), but to this day, Ivanisevic remains the only one to ever claim a Grand Slam title as a wild card. Ivanisevic certainly was not an unknown in 2001, having already played and lost in three Wimbledon finals, but instead was in the twilight of his career.

About to turn 30 and plagued by a shoulder injury, Ivanisevic's world ranking had plummeted to No. 125 and was not even initially included in the singles draw. But given his history that included hard-fought losses to Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi in past finals, the tournament extended him a wild card. He made the most of it. Ivanisevic surely didn't have a cakewalk to the final, having to defeat former and future world No. 1s Carlos Moyá, Andy Roddick and Marat Safin and Britain's own Tim Henman in the semifinal. But he did catch one break - four-time defending champion Pete Sampras was upset in the fourth round by a 19-year-old named Roger Federer, who lost his subsequent match to Henman. In the final, Ivanisevic used his overpowering serve to defeat Pat Rafter, the previous year's runner-up, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7. It was Ivanisevic's first Grand Slam and his 22nd singles title - and also his last.

He played sparingly in the next couple of years before retiring for good in 2004. His pre-tournament ranking of 125 is still the lowest of anyone - men or women - who's ever won a Grand Slam singles title. Ivanisevic's epic Wimbledon win an 'unsolved mystery' - CNN.com Ivanisevic's epic Wimbledon win an 'unsolved mystery' By Ravi Ubha, for CNN Updated 1127 GMT (1927 HKT) July 5, 2013 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Photos: Ivanisevic's dream fortnight Ending the skid – Goran Ivanisevic was all smiles after beating Patrick Rafter to claim a first Wimbledon title. The Croat had been a loser in three previous Wimbledon finals and thought he'd never end the skid. Hide Caption 1 of 7 Photos: Ivanisevic's dream fortnight Celebration time – Ivanisevic climbed into his players' box to celebrate with his team, which included his father Srdjan, second from right. Srdjan had recently undergone heart surgery.

Hide Caption 2 of 7 Photos: Ivanisevic's dream fortnight Centre Court atmosphere – With thousands of tickets made available to the general public on "People's Monday," the atmosphere on Centre Court was "unbelievable," said Ivanisevic. Rafter had his fans, too. Hide Caption 3 of 7 Photos: Ivanisevic's dream fortnight Henman obstacle – As popular as Ivanisevic was, not many on Centre Court were rooting for him in the semifinals against Britain's Tim Henman. A rain delay helped Ivanisevic rally to win in five sets, with Henman never appearing in a Wimbledon final. Hide Caption 4 of 7 Photos: Ivanisevic's dream fortnight Painful memories – By beating Henman, Rafter, Andy Roddick and Marat Safin that year at Wimbledon, Ivanisevic banished memories of painful defeats on Centre Court. Pete Sampras bettered Ivanisevic in five sets in 1998.

Hide Caption 5 of 7 Photos: Ivanisevic's dream fortnight Adieu – Ivanisevic played his last career match at Wimbledon in 2004, again as a wildcard, and lost to Lleyton Hewitt in the third round. Most of the applause as the players left the court was for him, not Rafter's fellow Australian. Hide Caption 6 of 7 Photos: Ivanisevic's dream fortnight Good friends – Ivanisevic and Rafter remain good friends and can be occasionally seen playing on the seniors' tour. Ivanisevic helps to run a tournament in Zagreb while Rafter is Australia's Davis Cup captain. Hide Caption Twelve years after his Wimbledon triumph, Goran Ivanisevic isn't sure how he won Ivanisevic needed a wildcard to enter the tournament because his ranking wasn't high enough Ivanisevic beat Patrick Rafter in a 'People's Monday' final after losing three other finals Ivanisevic, hampered by a shoulder injury, contemplated quitting tennis before his title The final game of one of the most memorable matches in Wimbledon history, featuring two fan favorites, took on a life of its own.

Back in 2001 -- in the 16th game of the fifth set -- members of Goran Ivanisevic's entourage asked for divine intervention as the Croatian sought to close out the encounter against Australia's Patrick Rafter and end years of Wimbledon heartache. Ivanisevic himself asked for help from above, he wanted the same ball when serving, and Australian and Croatian spectators on Centre Court roared encouragement between points to make for a football like atmosphere. Ivanisevic had lost three previous Wimbledon finals and seemed destined to miss out on glory at the All England Club given he had struggled with a shoulder injury earlier in 2001 and contemplated retirement. His ranking of 125th wasn't even high enough to land direct entry into the tournament. Read: Federer suffers shock defeat Wimbledon gave Ivanisevic a wildcard, however, and he proceeded to work his way through the draw with a little help from Wimbledon's famed and all too frequent rain gods. So there he was against Rafter on "People's Monday," leading 8-7 in the fifth set, four points from winning the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world.

No ordinary player -- and character -- one sensed that if Ivanisevic held serve, he would do it the hard way. JUST WATCHED MUST WATCH Tennis player uses Google Glass 02:34 He had to overcome a resilient Rafter -- and painful memories of defeats to Pete Sampras, twice, and Andre Agassi. It proved to be the case. A forehand volley went long by a large margin for 0-15. At 15-all, he double faulted. Having hit an ace to get to championship point, he subsequently double faulted again -- by a yard. A second championship point came and went with another double fault, this time into the net, and a third was saved by Rafter with a lob that was good enough against an Ivanisevic too frozen to jump. Rafter finally buckled on a fourth match point, the pressure from Ivanisevic's destructive serve finally too much to repel. A return sailed into the net and Ivanisevic was the Wimbledon champion and the only wildcard to bag the men's title at noted postcode SW19.

Dedication to a fallen friend He worked his way into his players' box and exchanged hugs with his team, which included father Srdjan, who had recently undergone a triple heart bypass. Ivanisevic dedicated the victory to former NBA star Drazen Petrovic, who died in a car accident in 1993. "The best moment is when you hold the trophy," Ivanisevic told CNN's Open Court before the start of Wimbledon. This year's men's final will be played on Sunday. "I was watching too many guys holding that beautiful trophy. I had this (runner-up) plate at home," added Ivanisevic. "It's a nice plate but you don't want to have that plate at home. "Nobody cares for second place. If you want to go back now and think of Wimbledon finalists in the past 15 years, to be honest, I have no idea." Ivanisevic almost didn't get that far. JUST WATCHED MUST WATCH Ivanovic targets more French titles 00:50 He trailed Britain's Tim Henman two sets to one in the semifinals, losing the third 6-0 in about 15 minutes. He was out of sorts.

That's when the unpredictable British weather saved Ivanisevic and hurt the local darling. With Henman holding a 2-1 advantage in the fourth set on the second Friday of the fortnight, rain fell and the contest was suspended. They returned Saturday and Ivanisevic, mentally fresher, claimed the fourth set in a tiebreak. A further suspension ensured the nervy affair had to be completed Sunday, with Ivanisevic eliminating Henman 6-3 in the fifth to disappoint a nation. A Monday final beckoned against Rafter, himself a loser to Sampras -- the king of Wimbledon prior to Roger Federer's arrival -- in the 2000 finale. Fans queued up overnight to land one of the 10,000 unreserved tickets made available for the final, leading to a more vocal climax than usual. "It was good that it was on a Monday because three finals I lost on Sunday, so finally I played on Monday," Ivanisevic said. "Unbelievable atmosphere, probably never again because now they have a roof. "Patrick is a very good friend, a great guy.

We both should have won Wimbledon before, him in 2000 in the final, and I was supposed to win a long time ago." After Ivanisevic beat Carlos Moya in the second round he sensed something special was about to happen. Did it the hard way Besides Henman and Rafter, Ivanisevic also topped Andy Roddick, Greg Rusedski and Marat Safin in a difficult draw. Of his seven victims, only one -- first-round opponent Fredrik Jonsson -- would never feature in the top four in the rankings. "It was an unsolved mystery how I won, but I felt after the second round that I was going to win," Ivanisevic said. "I could not say it loud because they would think I was completely nuts. "I felt for the first time after so many months, actually a year, the racket (that I played with had a special sound). I lost the sound for a year and a half and that (first) Monday I got the sound back. I said, 'This is a good sign.'" The sound had vanished when Ivanisevic began the year by playing in qualifying at the Australian Open.

Stuck on a back court after playing in some of the world's grandest stadiums, he tanked -- a tennis term for not trying. Read: Djokovic conquers Australia Although unpleasant at the time, it proved to be that year's turning point for Ivanisevic. "I had a long journey to think about what I was going to do, then I went to play a challenger in Germany," Ivanisevic said. "I played the final. Then I started to play better. I didn't have great results but I started to enjoy it again. "Wimbledon came and it was actually my time," added Ivanisevic, who can still be seen on the seniors' tour, while he also helps run a tournament in Zagreb and dabbles in commentating. "It was written somewhere that it was my time. I did everything in my life the harder way. Why do it easy if you can do it the hard way?" But by doing it the hard way, the larger-than-life Ivanisevic has ensured his achievement at Wimbledon will never be forgotten. Tennis Rewind: Ivanisevic Vs. Rafter, The People's Final | Bleacher Report Tennis Rewind: Ivanisevic Vs.

Rafter, The People's Final Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories 818 8 Comments When browsing the Tennis section on Bleacher Report, I came across the Rewind Feature. And there was one match that came to my mind instantly. Wimbledon. 2001. The people’s final, and a final like no other. A final that had it all, from phenomenal tennis play to an electric atmosphere. Centre Court was captivated by it, and so was I. It was a final no one could have predicted, with two players in Goran Ivanisevic and Pat Rafter coming to the end of their careers. Despite their advancing years, their hunger and desire to win remained true. Firstly, Goran Ivanisevic—the man who crushed Tim Henman’s dreams at the semi final stage in a five set thriller. However, despite crushing the dreams of a nation, there was no doubt who the British public was supporting in this final. The Croatian was the first wild card entry to ever make it to the Wimbledon final, and previous to this match, was a three time losing finalist at SW19. As many have done before the underdog endeared himself to the British public.

We loved his madness, his honesty, and his undoubted flaws. There was something true about Goran. He was the loveable loser, a trait British fans are all too familiar with. Then there was Rafter. Riding on the crest of an Australian wave in sport, with victories in the Ashes and the Lions Tour, Rafter was looking to avenge his defeat to the legendary Pete Sampras from the previous year. And with rumblings that the Australian was to retire at the end of the tennis season, both players had laid their claims for victory. So, with the scene set, the match began—on a Monday no less, for the first time in Wimbledon history. This gave ordinary folk the chance to see the final, and by god, did it make for a scintillating atmosphere. Duelling chants of “Goran” and “Rafter” were the order of the day, as the atmosphere resembled a football match more than a tennis match. It was boisterous and loud, and Wimbledon had seen nothing quite like it. Ivanisevic won the toss and elected to serve, and started the stronger, holding early and breaking Rafter at the first attempt.

The Croat’s serve and volley game was looking strong, and the pressure had seemingly got to Rafter early on as the Wild Card wrapped up the first set 6-3. But Rafter came back strongly in the second set, and asserted himself quickly with an early break of his own, after two uncharacteristic double faults from Ivanisevic. The Australian then held serve, and was beginning to look confident himself as he won the second set 6-3. The tables had turned, and the match was evenly poised. And as the match wore on, the tennis got better and better. The third set saw some tremendous tennis—no more so than from Rafter. The Australian produced deft backhands and lunging volleys from seemingly impossible angles. But it wasn’t enough to stop Ivanisevic, who had the momentum back in his favour. The Croat’s service games were strong and emphatic, and despite Rafter’s best efforts, he couldn’t live with him as another set ended 6-3—this time to the big Croatian. Serve was becoming crucial for these powerful players, no more so than for Ivanisevic, who was using his powerful serve to full advantage.

But if we saw the very best of Ivanisevic in the third set, in the fourth set we saw him at his very worst. Facing break point at 2-3, Ivanisevic proceeded to double fault and gift the game to Rafter. Incredulous with rage, The Serb took his frustrations out on his racket, the net, and the umpire. Crazy Goran had made an appearance, but was he here to stay? For the rest of the set he certainly was, as the Australian kept his cool and saw the rest of the set out comfortably. The Croatian had lost his cool, and indeed his grasp on the match. So it came to this. After four epic sets of tennis, it all rested on the final set. The atmosphere was electric. The stage was set. Who would prevail? Rafter started the stronger, holding serve with Ivanisevic struggling to regain his composure. But the Croatians serve came to his rescue once again to level the set. The rest of the set followed the same trend, as things got tenser. Both players showed their determination to win, game after game went by as both players refused to let their serve be broken.

At 3-3, Ivanisevic served his 207th ace of the Championship, and in doing so set a new Wimbledon record. And at 5-5 we saw a truly remarkable game of tennis. Rafter’s brilliance saw him recover from 15-30 down to 40-30 with two audacious drop shots. And despite double-faulting, the Australian recovered and served the game out at deuce. At 5-6 to Rafter, all the pressure was on The Croatian. But his trusty serve could be relied upon, and a majestic service game took the set to 6-6, and kept the match alive. But at 6-7, the enigmatic Croatian was staring at defeat. At 0-30 down, Ivanisevic showed tremendous courage to get back into the game, and eventually won the game with a trademark ace to make it 7-7. Momentum was now on Ivanisevic’s side, and he took full advantage in the game that followed, as the match took a decisive turn. A cross court forehand put past a despairing Rafter gave the Croatian the first break of the set, and put Ivanesevic in full control.

But the drama didn’t end there. Serving for the Wimbledon title, which was now firmly in his grasp, two double faults let Rafter back in to the match. And at the third attempt, a superb lob from the Australian showed that he wasn’t prepared to lie down just yet. In a fitting finale, it was a trademark serve from Ivanisevic that could only be returned as far as the net by Rafter that sealed the championship. Overcome by emotion, the Croatian collapsed to the ground. The tears were flowing as Ivanisevic looked to the heavens. Both players and the crowd alike were exhausted after three hours of sublime tennis. We had seen a classic unfold before our very eyes. And who could begrudge this victory? After falling short at the brink of victory three times before, at long last, he had achieved greatness. His serve was powerful, his volleys were crisp, and what’s more, he was the darling of Centre Court. The legendary Wimbledon story of Goran Ivanisevic | Betdistrict.com Tweet He was 30 years old. Once ranked second in the world, he had three Wimbledon finals under his belt, all lost.

After the last one, against Pete Sampras, he refused to talk to anyone for six months. He had 21 trophies to show for in his impressive career, but no Grand Slam title to highlight his achievements and to fulfill his life-long dream. Long lost times, 1998 Wimbledon final. Surely Goran can`t reach another Grand Slam final … !? tennisnow.com For Goran Ivanisevic, time was beginning to run out, and the flamboyant croat was preparing for a rather undeserving retirement. He had dropped out of the top 100 and he was playing tennis “just because I don`t have anything else to do”. He barely won 4-5 matches the whole year. “I`m just banging shit, I`m playing like an idiot, just serve and forehand and then I miss”. He had just lost to Hyung-Taik Lee at Brighton, by disqualification, after breaking all the racquets he had at his disposal. The old-school british, lovers of serve&volley and respectful to the past tennis greats, maybe softened by Goran`s love for Wimbledon, decide to give the croat a wildcard for the 2001 tournament.

A chance for him to say good bye to the tournament he always dreamed of winning, without being able to do so. Nobody expects anything, and McEnroe says that Ivanisevic is a one dimensional player. “I`m a genius”, replies the charismatic croat. He`s ready to give it his all, again, but does he have anything left to give? His odds before the tournament? Over 250. He wasn`t even supposed to have odds, but his name requested prices, just for the fun of it. With a bad shoulder, no form and no confidence, Goran thinks he could pass the first round by the luck of the draw. Even in his condition, the modest swede F. Johnsson should be no match for him. And he isn`t: 6-4 6-4 6-4. But the kindness of the draw ends here, as Ivanisevic needs to challenge Carlos Moya next, and then potentially young superstar Andy Roddick.

Out of nowhere, the croat masterminds two close 4 sets upsets and then easily dispatches home favorite Greg Rusedski in the 4th round for a surprising chance to compete in the quarter finals against world no.3 Marat Safin. His achievement raises eyebrows, and the tennis world almost remembers his existence … but in the same 4th round, 7 time champion Pete Sampras is defeated by a young, rebel, long-haired swiss, Roger Federer – taking all the attention and basically announcing a legendary tournament. Ivanisevic is serving like a madman in the quarter finals and he is on track for another upset. Safin can`t believe Goran is beating him, and is throwing racquets left and right, on a background of russian bad language. Ivanisevic wins, and Ion Tiriac decides to charge Safin with 100$ for every racquet he will break from now on. The croat writes history, he is once again in the spotlight, but in the semifinals he will have to take on the “son of Wimbledon”, Tim Henman.

This would turn out to be the third of the four semifinals played by Henman at Wimbledon, and his biggest chance to reach the last act. 3-2 Goran. Henman is unconsolable. dailymail.co.uk Goran is serving ace after ace and wins the first set, but Henman quickly recovers to tie the score and proceeds to pinpoint the croat`s weaknesses by winning the third set 6-0. Goran is missing every shot, from every position. It seems over, but rain postpones the outcome. Play resumes, and Tim is shocked by the reinvented man in front of him. The englishman can`t touch Goran`s serve and Ivanisevic reaches the final, breaking the trembling british hearts with 35 aces. Henman will never have a bigger chance to win his home tournament. Goran`s story is spreading fast, and the final against Rafter quickly becomes a point of interest around the world. The australian, world no.10 but 3rd favorite on the Wimbledon grass, had just beaten Andre Agassi and was a huge favorite against the old and shaky Ivanisevic.

Nobody would have thought Goran could win this, but at the same time who would have thought he could reach the final? The game provides a sublime spectacle, with Goran acting like a caged animal, ready to give his very last breath on the court. Rafter seems to play better, but Ivanisevic manages to obtain a 2-1 set lead, mostly thanks to sheer determination. But everything has an end. Rafter wins the 4th set and Ivanisevic goes insane, starting a fight with the net and threatening the umpire. That`s it, it`s over. Or is it? Goran recovers and starts to bury the ball in the court on his serve. The set is tied until 7-7, when the croat invents three winning returns, breaks, and celebrates like he already won the title. The next game is one of the most dramatic ones in tennis history, showcasing desire and emotion like never before seen on the tennis court. Twelve points are played, but no more than 7 strokes are exchanged. Ivanisevic serves with over 200km/h both the first and the second serve, becoming the only player in tennis history to miss two match points with double faults.

He clings to anything, praying, looking for lucky balls. He starts crying at 40-30, but he needs three more Championship Points to finally be able to tumble on his beloved Wimbledon grass. His 25 year work and ambition gave him what he wanted the most. After three lost finals, Ivanisevic is running in the stands to his family, leaving behind a trail of tears and the chanting of the crowd: “Goran, Goran”. He won. His dream came true.

“If I`d had lost again, I would have gone to the North Pole or hanged myself from a bridge” – Goran Ivanisevic “Thank god he missed the return, otherwise we`ll be playing `till tomorrow” – Goran Ivanisevic “I hope this isn`t a dream and somebody will wake me up and tell me ‘You didn`t win Wimbledon again’.” – Goran Ivanisevic “I have three personalities: bad-Goran, good-Goran and emergency-Goran” – Goran Ivanisevic “I don`t care if I win another match ever again” – Goran Ivanisevic (he didn`t win another tournament) “God sent the rain so I could beat Henman” – Goran Ivanisevic “There always has to be a loser, and I am the one once again” – Patrick Rafter “All in all, I`m happy Goran won, otherwise he would have probably killed himself” – Patrick Rafter “Grass is for cows, I`m never coming back here again.

I reached the 4th round based on luck” – Marat Safin “I don`t know, I went golfing” – Tim Henman about the final “I don`t know if anybody will ever dominate tennis like Pete did. It`s very hard.” – Roger Federer “I really hope I will win a Grand Slam someday … maybe here at Wimbledon, or at the US Open” – Roger Federer “I was always second. People respected me, but 2nd place wasn`t enough. At last, now I have the Wimbledon trophy” – Goran Ivanisevic About Rostick h2g2 - Tennis - the Men's Singles Final, Wimbledon 2001 - Edited Entry Wimbledon 2001 came to a thrilling end on a third Monday with the Men's Singles Final. Already being hailed as one of the most recent 'classic' matches, it was played out between two players who had never won Wimbledon before.

The Players The Good, the Bad, and the Emergency Goran Ivanisevic , aged 29 (unseeded, ranked 125th in the world, from Croatia), was already a veteran of three Wimbledon finals; those in 1992, 1994 and 1998. He is generally regarded as one of the last great personalities of the tennis world, admired for his audacity and shirt-removing victory celebrations 1 , and was already known as 'the best tennis player in the world who has never won a Grand Slam title'. His tennis style is most suited to Wimbledon's grass. He has a rhythmical left-handed serve that makes grown men weep at the baseline, and has been criticised for that fact. John McEnroe 2 had reportedly said in the BBC commentary box that Ivanisevic was a 'one-shot wonder', insinuating that the only real aspect of his game was his serve. Ivanisevic returned (no pun intended) by saying that McEnroe had been 'bulls***ting' many other players via his commentary, and if he was indeed that, he would have to be a genius to reach the final with only one shot.

McEnroe denies ever saying any words to that effect, but did say while commentating this final, 'I don't think it's earth shattering news that his serve is his biggest weapon'. A Jekyll and Hyde player, Ivanisevic can show Bjorn Borg -like coolness in delivering aces and amazing shots, and yet throw tantrums of unbelievable passion which rival McEnroe's, all in one match. In one such match - the first round of the Samsung Open in Brighton, 2000 - he smashed up three of his racquets. He then had to default from not only the match, but also the whole tournament as he had no racquets left. Inconsistently brilliant, he mixes up clever volleying 3 and whippy passing shots with exhibitionist shots, sloppy returns and rushed serves. Despite being 'nasty/nice/emergency 4 Goran' on court, he is a well-humoured, self-deprecating person, and very amusing in interview. He also claims to watch the Teletubbies to calm his nerves before a match. In this tournament, he had been offered a wild-card 5 .

He was not really expected to get very far, and was surprised to get as far as the third round. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Patrick Rafter, aged 28 (seeded 3rd, ranked 6th in the world, from Australia), had already won two Grand Slams; the 1997 and 1998 US Opens. John McEnroe had described Rafter as being a 'one-Slam wonder' after his 1997 US Open win, to which Rafter replied by retaining the title in 1998. He was the runner-up to Pete Sampras ' Champion in 2000, in a final that ran to four sets in rapidly fading light. Vowing to come back to win the title in 2001, he entered the match as favourite by a small margin. With a distinctive right-handed kick serve, he too serves up his fair share of aces. He is also regarded as being the most athletic serve-volleyer in the game. The more consistent of the finalists, he is able to keep a level head throughout a match, and hold his nerve. Despite this, his serving action has been his only main problem.

He tosses the ball back over his head, causing him to bend his upper body far back and swing it whole into the serve. Although this gives him much of the devastating power in his serve, it has also given him many back, wrist and shoulder problems. In 1999, he had to have surgery on his right shoulder. This may have played a part in his surprising declaration that he would give up tennis after this Wimbledon. He is, in British eyes, a typical Australian male; loved by the ladies for his rugged good looks and generosity; admired by the blokes for his dedication to his sport and his profanity-spattered talking. He is well humoured yet viciously cutting in interview; for instance, he describes fellow countryman Lleyton Hewitt 6 as 'that little b*****d' in normal conversation, and 'that little b****r' when he is pleased with Lleyton's play. When asked what his family would be thinking after his semi-final win against Agassi, he replied 'They couldn't give a s**t'.

Both men desperately wanted to win, Ivanisevic having said in interview that 'I already have three plates 7 , I don't want another one...' and Rafter having said that he would retire. Both men were closely matched in ability and game style. No one could possibly have said for certain who would win the match. The Match This entry only considers the more memorable aspects of this match. For a more detailed, game-by-game synopsis, read the BBC's analysis: Gamewatch: Ivanisevic v Rafter . The Crowd The All-England Club do not give refunds on rain-delayed matches. As a result, all seats (including corporate-reserved hospitality seats) bought originally for the Sunday scheduled Men's Final were invalid on the Monday, and all the seats for the rescheduled Monday Men's Final were open to the queuing public. Hence, this became 'People's Monday', and was in part responsible for the football-like atmosphere. There were quite a few Australian people there, including the whole of the Australian cricket team. The Croatian support base was, in number, slightly smaller, but made up for it in voice. Otherwise, the crowd resembled a Davis Cup tie, in that it was split 50-50.

The crowd did seem to prove decisive, as the electric atmosphere that they created lifted the players to play truly cliffhanger tennis. The tense atmosphere created did seem to get to the players occasionally, and was in part responsible for 'The Incident' (see below). Regardless, without a crowd like this, the match would not have been nearly as exciting. These were vociferous supporters, but ones who were also well behaved. The honking of horns and energetic cheering was markedly contrasted by the pin-dropping silence when players went up to serve. Anyone who rudely interrupted the players whilst in their serve action were not only told quite frankly by the other 13,999 people in the Centre Court crowd to be quiet, they were also glared down by the recipient of the serve. Supporters of both camps cheered not only their own when a point was won, but the other player with just as much enthusiasm; something, admittedly, which would not have happened had the British player, Tim Henman, qualified instead of Ivanisevic. Sets One, Two and Three Ivanisevic 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 Rafter Unusually for a final, none of these sets reaches the tie-break stage.

Instead, they are totally symmetrical, in that whoever serves first takes the set. It is also about this time when both the crowd and the players realise that this is a far from straightforward match, with anyone getting so much as a toe in the other player's service game being in with a chance. Set Four at Ivanisevic 1-2 Rafter... Ivanisevic is up two sets to one, and either gets bored or feels crazy, because he plays a crowd pleasing between the legs shot. Suffice to say, he is 40-Love up, and despite losing that point, wins that game. The tension is now audibly and visibly escalating. ... and at Ivanisevic 2-4 Rafter, 'The Incident': Not only that, in serving for his third game at advantage Rafter, Ivanisevic makes his first foot-fault of the tournament, and then his second serve down the middle goes wide. Enter 'Nasty' Goran, who makes his first appearance of the match.

He now completely loses it, throws his racquet down, kicks the net, launches into a tirade of swearing, pleads to the umpire to overrule, appears to spit at the lineswoman who made the call for foot-fault, and looking as if he would hit a ball at the linesman who made the call on his second serve. All this while the crowd is booing him. Unsurprisingly, he doesn't pick himself up to break back in that set, and Rafter, the much cooler of the two, wins the set 2-6. Set Five... Both players are two sets apiece. The crowd is so tense that many cannot bear to watch. This set is scene to some truly sublime, nail-biting tennis, Ivanisevic picking himself up after that foot-fault incident. ... at 5-6: Rafter, coolly, plays two unbelievable drop volleys reminiscent of McEnroe in his prime 8 , and with some fantastic serving, wins the game. ... at 8-7: However, both hold serve magnificently in the very tense atmosphere and all are square at seven games all, with Rafter to serve.

With so little between them, it is, at this point, impossible to say who would come out the winner. Rafter serves, faults, and then serves a slower second serve in, which Ivanisevic tears into with a cross-court forehand, breaking his serve. Ivanisevic goes into his next service game serving for the match. ... and at 9-7, 'The Game': Far from straightforward, Ivanisevic seems to be rushing at his serves, eager to get it over and done with. On the other side of the net, Rafter seems slightly down-heartened, yet still determined to break back to square all again. As a result, the game reaches deuce. Ivanisevic then serves ace, then double-faults, and then an ace, creating an insurmountable tension in Centre Court. Rafter then finally manages to make a great return, Ivanisevic replies with a fantastic volley, and then Rafter creates an even better lob that sails over Ivanisevic's head to land in, returning the game to deuce.

Ivanisevic then faults again, and sends a relatively slow second serve to Rafter, who may perhaps be letting the tension get to him, returns down the line, but sends it just wide. Ivanisevic then looks up, maybe for some divine intervention, and prays on the spot where the ball went wide and returns to serve yet another double-fault. By this time, Centre Court, and several million television viewers really cannot bear to watch, many covering their faces, others still shouting encouragement. Ivanisevic serves, faults, and sends a slower second serve over, to which Rafter returns too low, and puts it in the net. Ivanisevic looks to the heavens again, and serves, putting it in the net. The second serve lands in, and Rafter returns, again, too low, and unfortunately for him, puts it in the net. Arguably, these are the longest four minutes of the match. The Result Match Statistics taken from The Times Sports Supplement , 10 July 2001: Match time: 3 hours, 1 minute. Not Impossible, Just Very Improbable When they opened the gates last Monday something was shining... something special happened.

I don't know what it was but I wish it happened every week. - Goran Ivanisevic attempts to explain his spectacular return to form. ... it was a good final and an amazing atmosphere... I don't know if Wimbledon has ever seen anything like it and I don't think it will again - it was electric. That's what we play for and it was so much fun. - Pat Rafter, on the crowd and the atmosphere in Centre Court. Tight down to the line, the match could have gone either way, and it was unfortunate that there had to be only one winner, as both played the match of their lives. Both had also dispelled the myth that so called 'power players' 9 of the post wooden-racquet era can't play delicate, exciting tennis, with wonderfully crafted volleys, and gentle, trickling taps over the net. No one could have really predicted the outcome; this Researcher thought when Ivanisevic lost his rag that he had lost his nerve and the match as a result. He surprised all by being a player who, ranked outside the top hundred, could come to Wimbledon and become the first wild-card entrant to win a Grand Slam title.

You have to feel for Rafter, though, who in thanking on Centre Court all those who had helped him get so far, audibly choked back the tears. It would be sad to think that that was the last time that we would see him playing on Centre Court, but it is looking unlikely that he will ever come back to have another go. When in interview, told that he was now part of history, he replied, 'I'm sick of making bloody history' 10 . Both, however, in their determination to win, have created probably the best Men's Singles Final of recent memory. Additional Bits of Trivia Ivanisevic had beaten the tournament record for the most aces served in Wimbledon - 213 in his race to the final, compared to 206, his previous record in 1992. The nearest rival to this record is Pete Sampras, who served up 94 aces in this tournament. Unusually for a final, all the sets, except for Set Five, took the same time to complete; about 30 minutes each.

Looking at the match statistics, Rafter outperforms Ivanisevic on every aspect of tennis except in three respects - total points won, speed of serve and aces served. Rafter had cut his trademark 'surfer dude' hair for this tournament, revealing a small, yet quite noticeable white patch. This has earned him the nickname of 'Skunk' among his fans. Ivanisevic has a tattoo of a cross entwined with a rose and a shark on his back. In his own words, 'The cross is a Cross, the rose is for love, and the shark is a mean, mean animal. Altogether, that's me.' Rafter was in the top ten Sexy Men in America's People magazine, November 1997. Ivanisevic dedicated his win to a friend of his, Drazen Petrovic, a basketball player in the Jersey Nets, who died in a car crash in 1993. 1 See post-Rusedski and post-Safin matches in this tournament. This didn't happen after the Henman match or in this Final as he was running out of shirts.

2 The man who has probably defined the tennis tantrum with the four words, 'You cannot be serious!', joined the BBC's tennis commentary team in 2000, and has lent his brutally honest comments to the commentary box. As expected, like his antics on-court, it was not without controversy. 3 For definitions of the tennis terms used in this entry, see this Tennis Glossary . 4 This is the Goran when at Love-30 down and in real trouble, starts hammering down the aces. 5 The wild-card system has been in place since 1977. The All-England Club invites players to apply for a wild card, that enables the players to bypass the qualifying system. They may or may not get one at the discretion of the Club, based on past performance and British interest. 6 A young rising Australian tennis star most famous for beating Sampras at the Final of Queens, 2000, and widely considered to be the next Aussie, after Pat Rafter, with the best chances of winning Wimbledon. 7 The runner-up's trophy is an inscribed silver plate.

8 Pat Cash, the last Australian to win the Men's Title, said in the BBC's post-match analysis, Today at Wimbledon, that to play those shots in a Grand Slam Final you would have to be either 'completely insane or brilliant'. Then turned to McEnroe and said 'I know why you did it; it's because you're insane.' 9 Those who reduce the sport to its crudest elements; the powerful serve, the punch volley and aggressive groundstrokes. The result is the current crass tedium of the modern game. Such a protagonist is Pete Sampras, whose matches, in many people's opinion, are slightly less exciting than watching paint dry. 10 This is a reference to being Sampras' foil last year. Upon winning, Sampras then became the only male singles tennis player to have won 13 Grand Slam titles.

BBC SPORT | Special Events | 2001 | Wimbledon 2001 | SOL at Wimbledon | The People's Final Monday, 9 July, 2001, 15:20 GMT 16:20 UK The People's Final Centre Court was more like Sydney than SW19 By BBC Sport Online's Saj Chowdhury on Centre Court What a day and what a fitting end to a fantastic championship. "People's Monday" exceeded all expectations with thousands of fans rushing to SW19 for the chance to watch a non-exclusive Wimbledon final between Pat Rafter and Goran Ivanisevic. It was the first time a final had begun on the third Monday and - despite the fact that Tim Henman was not there - the passionate numbers were intent on witnessing Wimbledon 2001's concluding spectacle. From as early as 10:30am through to the amazing climactic moments, Centre Court produced an atmosphere never likely to be seen and heard again. Jack Nicholson: Rousing reception Fans began queuing at five o'clock on Sunday morning for the chance to watch the men's final - and those who waited were not to be disappointed. It was a contest which had everything - and more.

Scintillating groundstrokes, deft touches, an electric atmosphere and most importantly madness and brilliance from King Goran. Ivanisevic's bizarre outburst in the sixth game of the fourth set was reminiscent of the days when John McEnroe used to delight and infuriate the crowds with his tantrums. On break point, the big Croatian was foot faulted on his first serve, and then served wide to hand Rafter the game. The reaction was explosive. Ivanisevic kicked the net in anger, slammed his racket down and hurled abuse at the umpire. It was all in vain, as Rafter went on to clinch the fourth set and take the match into a decider. Aussie cricketer Glenn McGrath cheers on Rafter Wimbledon veterans Pat Cash and John Lloyd said that they had never witnessed such an atmosphere at a tennis match - never mind at Wimbledon - in their lives. And they were right. Tension descended on Centre Court. Chants of "Goran" were countered by those of "Rafter". It was unique. It was brilliant. Hollywood legend Jack Nicholson was given an incredible reception as he took his seat in the Royal Box.

But the film star was out-numbered by another group of celebrity spectators - the Australian cricket team. Steve Waugh and his team-mates were as passionate as the rest of the Antipodean supporters, constantly cheering on Rafter on the big points and offering him encouraging signals as the pressure mounted. Both players had claims before the contest as to why they should win. Rafter - losing finalist last year to Pete Sampras, and possibly retiring after the end of the tennis season. Ivanisevic - three times losing finalist, and a favourite with the British public. Someone had to go home heartbroken. Nerve-jangling climax The final set was going to serve. Neither player looked fazed by the occasion. The 10th game saw Rafter produce three outstanding stop-volleys just when it seemed like Ivanisevic was set to break the Australian. The queues for final tickets began early on Sunday The Aussies cheered on - hoping that their nation of sporting superstars would complete a hat-trick of wins, after their weekend triumphs in the Ashes cricket and over the Lions. But their hopes for a third successive sporting victory were soon to be dashed.

Someboy's arm had to stiffen - and it was Rafter who succumbed to the tension. In the 15th game a succession on poor first serves from the Australian allowed Ivanisevic to make his crucial winners. At 40-15 Rafter's second serve was returned with a shot Andre Agassi would have been proud of. With the scores at 8-7 and the Championship in sight, Ivanisevic hit a second serve ace for 30-15 and then with the same ball he served another ace for 40-30. By now the tension was unbearable. Ivanisevic had been taken to deuce after double-faulting, and with Championship point beckoning he double-faulted again. People's Monday gave ordinary fans a chance to see the final A superb lob from Rafter halted another Championship point - was it going to be third time lucky? The answer was yes. After a first serve fault, Ivanisevic delivered a second serve which Rafter could only return into the net. The Croatian slumped to the ground, looked to the heavens and thanked his divine inspiration. It was Ivanisevic's first win in his fourth appearance in the final.

And nobody - not even the legion of Australian supporters - could be begrudge him that. Men's singles final Wimbledon 2001 | Sport | The Guardian Wimbledon 2001 Steve Bierley on who is likely to shine at this year's Wimbledon Published: 23 Jun 2008 Real tennis returns Wimbledon 2001 will be long remembered for the electrifying display of tennis conjured up by a seasoned Australian and a wild card entry from Croatia who battled back from oblivion to win the most prestigious title in tennis. But it will also be remembered for the fans. Published: 9:42 PM July 10:Goran Ivanisevic finally realized his dream to win the Wimbledon championship and it's a dream he will treasure for the rest of his life. Published: 9:22 PM Nation in need of good news ecstatic about first Wimbledon crown Rajan Datar in Dubrovnik In what has been a tough week for Croatia, their tall, bearded ambassador for tennis, Goran Ivanisevic, finally gave a nation a chance to rejoice writes Rajan Datar.

Published: 9:22 PM Frank Keating:This epic encounter was the culmination of a comeback to rival Ali's jungle rumble back from oblivion against George Foreman. Ivanisevic proves he is at his best on the brink. Published: 9:22 PM In a resplendent five set final of operatic intensity, Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia clinched the men's singles title at Wimbledon yesterday against the Australian Pat Rafter. Published: 8:34 PM The absence of Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge from Wimbledon's final weekend leaves the future of doubles events looks shrouded in doubt. Published: 9:06 PM Genial Ivanisevic takes a walk on the wild side Setting aside the obvious public disappointment of not having Tim Henman in today's Wimbledon men's final, there would be no more popular winner of the title than Croatia's Goran Ivanisevic. Or Australia's Pat Rafter. For these are two of the most liked, and likeable, players in the tennis world. Published: 9:06 PM

Question: Which Australian tennis player did Goran Ivanisevic defeat in the 2001 Wimbledon final?
Answer: PAT RAFTER