‘Try and try until you succeed again.’ He suffered three heartbreaking losses in Wimbledon finals. Blessed with a booming serve that made him an ace-scoring machine, it felt that Goran Ivanisevic would never win a Grand Slam title. But, when in 2001, as Ivanisevic was handed a wild card, he scripted the ultimate fairytale story. His efforts are a symbol in modern-day sport that if one has the desire, success will follow. The travails of Ivanisevic and his career had put Croatian Tennis on the world map. After he achieved the success that he desired for so long, Ivanisevic took to training future champions like Marin Cilic and Novak Djokovic. It is a credit to the brilliance and mental fortitude of Ivanisevic that he continues to make a major impression in the world of Tennis. The results are there for everyone to see, especially in the case of Djokovic.
Born in the city of Split on September 13, 1971, Ivanisevic was blessed with an athletic and agile body. His lean frame added extra weight to his height of six foot four inches. His left-handed, two-handed backhand was an anomaly among many players. But, his serve was splendid. Armed with a trigger movement and a low ball toss, Ivanisevic’s booming serve made him one of the biggest ace hitters in the game of Tennis.
Ivanisevic turned professional at the age of 17. It was in the year 1990 that he had his first major result, dumping out Boris Becker in the first round of the French Open. But, in 1992, Ivanisevic made headlines for his magnificent run at Wimbledon. He defeated Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg, and Pete Sampras to reach the final. In the semi-final against Sampras, he blasted aces at will and never lost his serve. However, he met a mercurial Andre Agassi who had expressed his disdain for the tradition at Wimbledon.
In a surprise result, Agassi won in a pulsating five-set encounter to win his maiden title. In that same year, Ivanisevic secured the bronze in the Barcelona Olympics. He would not know it, but Wimbledon would continue to provide him with lots of heartbreak. In 1994, he reached the final again. Only this time, he was trounced in straight sets by Sampras. Although he reached a career-high ranking of No.2, Ivanisevic did not win a Grand Slam title.
In 1996, he was twice denied by Sampras in the Wimbledon and US Open championships. The US Open, in particular, was the first time he had reached the semifinal outside of Wimbledon. During the 198 Wimbledon tournament, Ivanisevic reached the final again. He started the game well but lost momentum. Sampras gained the upper hand and he went on to win the title in a five-set game. With shoulder injuries plaguing him for three years, it felt that the promise of a Grand Slam title would never happen.
In 2001, with Ivanisevic given a wild card as his ranking had plummeted outside the top 100, there was little hope. But, slowly but surely, a miracle was taking place. He defeated Carlos Moya, Andy Roddick, Marat Safin, and home favorite Tim Henman to reach the final for the fourth time. This time, he faced Pat Rafter. The match went down to the wire. In the fifth set, at 7-7, Ivanisevic got the crucial break and he looked set to finally create history. At 40-30, he was one serve away from creating a miracle story. However, he double-faulted not once but twice. At one point, when Rafter's backhand went wide, he prayed at the spot to ensure that he got the point to help him win. But, after three attempts, it was still a stalemate.
On the fourth attempt, Ivanisevic served down the line. Rafter's return hit the net and Ivanisevic had secured history. The emotions and the joy Ivanisevic had was shared by millions of fans and tennis aficionados. The heartbreaks of 1992, 1994, and 1998 were all washed away in the most dramatic of circumstances.
When he spoke after raising the trophy, Ivanisevic's emotion burst through. "I don't know if someone is going to wake me up and tell me I haven't won again. This was my dream all my life. I came here and nobody thought about me, but here I am holding the trophy," Ivanisevic said. The 2001 win was the ultimate underdog story that proved miracles could exist in the modern era.
The experiences of his playing days have been passed on well to Marin Cilic and Novak Djokovic. While Cilic won the US Open and lost in the Wimbledon final, Djokovic has become a 20-time Grand Slam champion.
Australian Open: QF (1989, 1994, 1997)
French Open: QF (1990, 1992, 1994)
Wimbledon: W (2001)
US Open: SF (1996)
