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Ivanisevic back at last
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/3790507.stm
Goran Ivanisevic has an appointment that he does not intend to miss.
Almost as soon as he had won the Wimbledon title in 2001 his thoughts
turned to defending it.
More pertinently he identified the pride he would feel when walking out
on Centre Court as the defending champion.
He missed that opportunity and is still waiting to return to the scene
of his greatest victory almost three years on, but his wait is almost at
an end.
Three years ago Ivanisevic delighted fans with a memorable five-set win
over Pat Rafter and decided to delay much-needed shoulder surgery so he
would be free to play as the title holder on the first Monday in 2002.
The decision back-fired and having become the first wildcard to win
Wimbledon, the Croat became the first defending champion to pull out of
the championships since America's Stan Smith in 1973.
He has been beset by injury ever since, but his pride means that he will
finally return this year, despite incessant pain in his shoulder.
"I am not defending champion, Roger Federer is but I'm an unbeaten champion.
I'm unbeaten at Wimbledon since 2001," the 32-year-old said.
"Centre Court is the most magical court I ever played on in my life and
Wimbledon and me have a special relationship.
"Wimbledon means everything to me. Everyone thought I was finished and
then I won it. My goal is to pass the first week, then... who cares?"
The road back to SW19 may seem long, but in comparison to his marathon
efforts at winning the title it is a mere sprint.
Ivanisevic first played at Wimbledon as a 16-year-old in 1988 and has
been in love with the tournament and the venue ever since.
"Wherever I go I can always be Wimbledon champion
- this was a dream all my life, this is the end of the world "
Ivanisevic on winning in 2001
"If you asked me which I would prefer, 21 tournament victories and ￡12m
in winnings, or winning Wimbledon and nothing else, well, I don't even
have to think about it: Wimbledon of course," he has said.
He reached the semi-finals in 1990 and, after beating Ivan Lendl,
Stefan Edberg and Pete Sampras, the first of four finals in 1992.
It was to be the first of three painful defeats as Andre Agassi came
through in five sets, but only after Ivanisevic had failed to make a
backhand volley on championship point.
Sampras proved the immovable object on the other side of the net in the
two subsequent finals in the nineties.
In 1994 he lost in straight sets, capitulating in the last 6-0, and then
four years on gave the great American arguably his hardest final test
before going down in five sets after being overwraught by mental anguish.
With his career tailing off as injury took its toll, All England Club
officials invited Ivanisevic, everyone's favourite runner-up, to the
millennium tournament's parade of champions.
Many thought it would be the last they would see of Ivanisevic on Centre
Court, but the company must have inspired the Croat.
He returned the following year, ranked 125, without a title to his name
in three years and off the back of a first round loss at Queen's.
But Ivanisevic ripped up the form book beating Andy Roddick, Greg Rusedski,
Marat Safin and Tim Henman on his way to the last match of a rain-affected
championship.
The final was held over to the Monday and after five sets of to-and-fro
tennis, Ivanisevic spurned three set points - the first two by double
faults - before finally landing the title he craved 6-3 3-6 6-3 2-6 9-7.
Now he finally gets the chance to return for one last outing before ending
his career at the Olympics.
He has not won a title since Wimbledon three years ago, is down in the
dark recesses of the rankings, the shoulder is still playing up and he
lost in the first round of Queen's.
It sounds a familiar story. Stranger things have happened.
回味一下Goran 01年奪冠的感言吧...:)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1430000/video/_1430126_goranwinintv_vi.ram
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