2 Responses to wb01ivanisevic_rafter

1. Voo de Mar says:

   December 3, 2023 at 10:10 am

   Points won by each set: | 31-25, 20-32, 31-20, 21-29, 50-44 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   45 % Ivanisevic – 74 of 164
   40 % Rafter – 56 of 139

   The only Wimbledon final played on Monday, in the first Grand Slam event with 32 seeds! Rafter [10] was two points away from the title leading 7:6* (30/0) in the 5th set. They played just four times against each other, it was their last meeting. Ivanisevic [125] was also two points away from losing his semifinal to Henman which makes him the only Grand Slam champion of the Open Era, who was so close to defeat in his last two matches (each of them lasted 3 hours 2 minutes!). Also unique in Ivanisevic’s case is the fact that he is a Grand Slam champion as a left-hander with double handed backhand. The same applied to Jimmy Connors, however, the American wasn’t attacking the net constantly behind 1st and 2nd serves.

   Ivanisevic’s route to his 22nd title:
   1 Fredrik Jonsson 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
   2 Carlos Moya 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
   3 Andy Roddick 7-6(5), 7-5, 3-6, 6-3
   4 Greg Rusedski 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-4
   Q Marat Safin 7-6(2), 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(3)
   S Tim Henman 7-5, 6-7(6), 0-6, 7-6(5), 6-3
   W Patrick Rafter 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   December 3, 2023 at 10:44 pm

   Ivanisevic has won more long 5-setters (when the score hit 6-all in the decider) thank anyone else in the Opn Era, yet he never experienced a 5th set tie-break:

   French Open ’92: Larsson 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 3-6, 9-7
   Olympics ’92: Hlasek 3-6, 6-0, 4-6, 7-6, 9-7 – 2 m.p.
   Olympics ’92: Santoro 6-7, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 8-6 – 2 m.p.
   Wimbledon ’93: Bailey 5-7, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, 9-7 – 1 m.p.
   Wimbledon ’98: Krajicek 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-7, 15-13
   Aussie Open ’00: Pioline 6-4, 2-6, 7-5, 1-6, 9-7
   Wimbledon ’01: Rafter 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7

   lost twice matches of this type:
   Grand Slam Cup ’94: Sampras 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6, 8-10
   Wimbledon ’97: M.Norman 3-6, 6-2, 6-7, 6-4, 12-14

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