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`Never Borin' Goran' ready for Wimbledon Leave it to Goran Ivanisevic to dream up a wacky farewell to tennis and its most hallowed ground. For his final tournament, and only appearance at Wimbledon since winning it in 2001, Ivanisevic considered hitting just one serve, ideally an ace, then gathering his things and walking off into retirement.
While it seemed like a joke, it's tough to tell with Ivanisevic. His play always has been as unpredictable and engaging as his personality, and his psyche often has been as fragile as his lanky, 6-foot-4 frame.
"I want to end this career in a good way. I hope I don't get injured before, because I can get injured getting out of bed, you know. I'm a special person. With me you never know, so I have to be careful," said Ivanisevic, who's 32.
"There's always three Gorans in there: Good One, Bad One, and Emergency One, and they're going to show up at Wimbledon. With me, you never know."
That's for sure. The left-hander from Split, Croatia, isn't known as Never Borin' Goran for nothing.
Consider, for example, the time he grew so angry during a match at Brighton, England, in 2000, that he smashed each of his rackets, dumping one in a trash can, and had to forfeit because he had nothing to play with.
Or the time he pulled out of a tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., because he cut his foot while wading in the nearby ocean. He needed surgery, couldn't walk for 2 1/2 months, and observed: "It could happen only to me, you know?"
Or the time he missed a month of the 1997 season when he broke a finger by slamming it in a door.
And then, of course, there's Ivanisevic's love-hate history at Wimbledon, which could come to a close in the first round against No. 31 Mikhail Youzhny.
Long considered a title contender at the grass-court major because of his powerful serve and hit-it-where-they-ain't volleys, Ivanisevic first reached the semifinals in 1990 at 18. Consistently ranked in the top 10, he made it to Wimbledon's final in 1992, 1994 and 1998, losing each time.
Then, amazingly, came 2001. He had gone nearly 1 1/2 years without winning a match at any major, he was ranked 125th and reduced to playing in minor league tournaments, and his left shoulder was in shreds — he had no business being in the mix. Somehow, Ivanisevic hit a record 212 aces and became the first wild-card Slam champion.
It was a marvelous run, including victories over Andy Roddick, Greg Rusedski, Marat Safin and Tim Henman, some of which he celebrated by tossing his shirt into the stands. Then, with a boisterous crowd watching the first Wimbledon final played on Monday since 1922, Ivanisevic beat Patrick Rafter 9-7 in the longest championship match fifth set in Wimbledon's long history.
Shoulder surgery and assorted elbow and knee injuries have limited him to 53 singles matches since, none at Wimbledon ("I'm just undefeated since 2001," is how Ivanisevic prefers to see it).
"We haven't had him around as much the last two years as we would have liked — and he would have liked," 2002 Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt said. "But his dream came true of winning Wimbledon, and he did it against all the odds, as well, so he's going to bow out as one of the greats of the game."
He's certainly one of the most intimidating servers. Ivanisevic led the tour in aces six times and holds the single-season record (1,477 in 1996). And yet Ivanisevic double-faulted twice on match point against Rafter. He kissed the ball, crossed himself and eventually ended it with a service winner.
"I think I'm dreaming," he said that day. "Somebody is going to wake me up and tell me, 'Man, you didn't win.'"
Ivanisevic has no qualms about letting the world know what he's thinking or how he's feeling, be it elated or frustrated, on the court or off.
Sometimes, his dark eyes dart around while he spins English answers in a baritone of charmingly mangled syntax, peppered with "who knows?" or "unbelievable." His postmatch news conferences veer from sit-down comedy routines to therapy sessions rife with self-analysis, such as when he described his three-headed persona. "He's a very warm, funny and human presence around the tour," ATP spokesman Nicola Arzani said. "With him, you really saw the ups and the downs. He showed his emotions — such an intense guy." By losing that trio of Wimbledon finals, Ivanisevic became a tragic hero to some, an example of wasted talent to others. By winning the 2001 title, he vindicated himself and inspired young Croatians Mario Ancic, who upset Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2002, and Ivo Karlovic, who upset Hewitt last year. "Wimbledon took a lot of years from my life, but it gave me a lot and we have a special relationship, me and Wimbledon," Ivanisevic said. "It's going to be tough when the last match is over, walking to the net and shaking hands, and that's it after 15 years. No more professional tennis, so I don't know what kind of emotion is going to go through my head. It's going to be interesting to see." For everyone. |
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