Pat Rafter and Goran Ivanisevic Roll Back the Years to Wimbledon’s 2001 Epic

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at Internationaled.org

Published: December 5, 2010

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It’s London 2010, in the dark and chilly depths of December with temperatures hitting minus four.

It’s the Albert Hall, famed for its oval elegance, musical heritage and concert-hall intimacy.

It’s the last place to summon memories of high summer, green lawns, hot sunshine and the intensity of sporting combat. Yet it is the memory of one particular contest, on “people’s Monday,” just miles down the road from Kensington, that fills this gilt and burgundy arena on this particular night.

This is the last venue of the year for the Aegon Masters Champions Tour, and it reunites Pat Rafter and Goran Ivanisevic in London for the first time since one of the most renowned finals in Wimbledon history.

The build-up to the 2001 final at the All England Club had been a heart-stopping affair for the home crowd long before the thousands arrived for the first ever final to begin on a third Monday.

Tim Henman, competing in one of his four Wimbledon semifinals, had seemed to be on his way to a first final when he took the third set 6-0 from a tiring Ivansevic. That was Friday, and that was when the rain washed away an entire weekend and Henman’s hopes with it.

The two men played for just 51 minutes on Saturday, but time enough for the Croatian to draw level in a tie-break. It took him just 15 minutes on Sunday to finish the job.

Despite their disappointment, fans had begun queuing at five o'clock on Sunday morning for the chance to watch the triumphant Ivanisevic take on everyone’s favorite mate, Pat Rafter.

Wimbledon had never seen a final like it—filled to overflowing with first-come, first-served enthusiasts determined to revel in this unexpected Monday showdown. Chants of “Goran” were countered by roars of “Rafter,” the latter encouraged not a little by the Australian cricket team in the Royal Box. The Aussies...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

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