Goran Ivanisevic has made history at Wimbledon this afternoon by becoming the first wildcard to win the men's final. The Croat beat Australian Pat Rafter 6-3 3-6 6-3 2-6 9-7 in an memorable battle that produced arguably the most electric and spine-tingling atmosphere Centre Court has ever experienced on men's final day. Both players were in stunning form with Ivanisevic in particular producing some amazing serves and even more astonishing returns - and a customary tantrum - to take his first Wimbledon title.
The Croat, who beat Greg Rusedski and British number one Tim Henman in the semis on his way to this year's final, has been a runner-up at Wimbledon on three previous occasions. More recently, he had fallen outside the world's top 100 and only made it inside the gates of the All-England tennis club after the organisers issued him with one of their wildcard invites a fortnight before the event got underway.
However, the word in the locker-room was that Ivanisevic was looking sharper than ever before and so it proved as he produced some of the best tennis of his career to progress all the way to the final. Here he would face last year's runner-up and, with both players nearing the end of their playing career's - speculation is rife that Ivanisevic had intended on retiring at the end of this season - it was a tense, emotional day for them both.
Roared on by a full-house of noisy supporters who had queued all night for tickets for today's match, the pair had traded sets early on and with the scores level at 2-2, the match was set for an astonishing climax. Ivanisevic took the first set 6-3 after he capitalised on Rafter's nerves to break him in his first service game and he held on despite several double-faults to his own service games to take the set in just 29 minutes.
The second set proved very similar to the first except that it was Rafter who managed to break serve and hold on to level matters. During the third set, Ivanisevic received treatment to his troublesome left shoulder at 2-1 up. However, the injury did not seem to affect his play as he broke Rafter in the sixth game to lead 4-2 and held on to take the set 6-3.
In the fourth set, the vital break of serve went Rafter's way after an outburst from Ivanisevic when he was judged to have faulted on his serve. The Croat flung his racket to the ground, kicked out at the net and protested with umpire Jorge Dias of Portugal but it did not good. The decision stood and Rafter led 4-2. He broke again to take the set 6-2 and suddenly the Australian looked more focused and solid as the match went into the deciding set and a trilling conclusion.
Ivanisevic broke his own Wimbledon record of 206 aces in a tournament when he cracked yet another powerful serve down the line past Rafter in the eighth game of the set. Each game was going with serve as both players put their powerful serve to good use. The tension on Centre Court increased with every game as the crowds waited for the error that would allow one of the competitors to take control.
It arrived in the 15th game of the set with the score level at 7-7. In the previous game, Ivanisevic had to use his aces to good affect to prevent Rafter from breaking but, in the next game, it was his stunning return of serve that served him well. Two exceptional returns from the Croat earned him a crucial break and he was left to serve for the match at 8-7. He went all the way to match-point and with a full range of emotions evident on his face he served for the title but double-faulted. Another winner and match point was his once more but the Croat double-faulted again. Looking to the skies, his hands joined in prayer, Ivanisevic went for it once more but on his third match-point, Rafter produced a beautiful lob to keep him in the match. Another ace from Ivanisevic and another match-point. This time Rafter's return could only reach the net and Ivanisevic collapsed to the ground and burst into tears.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
