 |
| |
|
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
||
 |
|||
EVENTS
CENTERS
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|
 |
Notebook Ivanisevic dedicates win to late NBA star Petrovic
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Goran Ivanisevic dedicated his Wimbledon title to a good friend, an NBA star killed in a car crash eight years ago. Drazen Petrovic, a Croatian compatriot, was a member of the New Jersey Nets when he died in the accident in Germany. "I went to his funeral just before Wimbledon and I said I was going to dedicate that Wimbledon to him," Ivanisevic said after beating Patrick Rafter in five sets. "Unfortunately I played pretty badly and I lost in the third round." Ivanisevic said his father brought him some newspapers before this tournament. In one of them was a poster of Petrovic, who was one of the best shooters in the NBA. "So I ripped it off and put it on the wall," he said. "I said, 'This must be destiny. This is it.' Everything was going smoothly and I won it. I want to dedicate this victory to him. "He was not my best friend, but he was my good friend," Ivanisevic added. "He was one of the greatest basketball player in Europe ever."
Praise from MacNBC commentator John McEnroe was clearly impressed. "I think it ... was the greatest final I've ever been a part of," three-time champion said. "I didn't think I'd be saying that in the year 2001 -- that these two guys would go out and play a magnificent match. And it really was -- the tension and the crowd was just unbelievable today." Ivanisevic has called McEnroe an idol. But McEnroe upset Ivanisevic by saying the Croat had only one shot -- his serve. "Good for him I didn't see him [after Monday's final]," Ivanisevic said.
Rafter repeatPat Rafter has something in common with some of the greatest names in tennis -- Boris Becker, Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors and Rod Laver: He has lost the Wimbledon final two straight years. After losing to Pete Sampras last year, the third-seeded Aussie fell in five sets Monday. Becker, a three-time champion, lost to Stefan Edberg and Michael Stich in 1990 and 1991. Lendl, who never won Wimbledon, tumbled to Becker and Pat Cash in 1986 and '87. Two-time champ Connors lost twice to Bjorn Borg in 1977 and '78 and Laver lost to Alex Olmedo and Neale Fraser in 1959 and 1960 before winning the first of his four titles. Now Rafter hopes he doesn't emulate Fred Stolle and Gottfried von Cramm. They lost in the final three years in a row.
Mixed blissThe Czech and Slovak duo of Leos Friedl and Daniela Hantuchova won the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon on Monday. Playing on Court One because the men's singles final between Goran Ivanisevic and Pat Rafter was on Centre Court, they came from a set down to beat Mike Bryan of the United States and South Africa's Liezel Huber 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Both finals were played Monday because of rain delays.
Absent AnnaShe didn't even play. But Anna Kournikova was the most popular player at Wimbledon as far as poster sales were concerned. The Russian, who missed the tournament because of a stress fracture of her foot, outsold even British hope Tim Henman at the Wimbledon shop. She again proved herself a most marketable player even though she has never won a pro tournament.
G'Day, matePat Rafter had some familiar faces cheering him on Centre Court. The entire Australian cricket squad, most wearing their traditional baggy green caps, were in the stands because their test victory over England wrapped up a day early. Both players had some high-ranking support in the Royal Box - High Commissioner of Australia Michael L'Estrange and Croatia Ambassador Andrija Kojakovic. Movie star Jack Nicholson, making his third appearance at Wimbledon in four days, also was in the Royal Box with actress girlfriend Lara Flynn Boyle.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
