Jana lost her nerves allowing Steffi an array of hope which she pounced immediately by breaking Jana and making the score line 4-2. Novotna still had a break in hand but it was all of no avail as Steffi barraged her way through to win the next 4 games and claim game, set and match for a triple continuous Wimbledon glory. It was heartbreak and absolute despair for the Czech who was on the cusp of a major triumph but alas it was not to be. She just had to retain her poise, composure and play a normal game to close out the match and championship but the euphoric stage of center court got the better of her making her lose the grip allowing Graf to claw back by winning 5 games in a row. It was certainly a case of 'oh so near yet so far' as these opportunities don't come to everyone and one had the feeling this was the last ditch at a Wimbledon title for Jana who wanted it so badly. Though Steffi had won the title with an unprecedented comeback further extending her glorious run of Grand Slam victories, the story which stole the show was Jana bursting on to tears at the presentation ceremony and crying profusely at the Duchess of Kent's shoulders. Everyone was sad for her and there was always a vindictive feeling that this chance may really never occur again for Jana who had stormed her way to the final defeating the invincible Martina Navratilova in the semifinals and was just within a point and a game from usurping Steffi Graf as well.
The next few years after 1993, Jana Novotna was not really able to make a headway in Wimbledon until 1997 when she again managed to reach the finals for the second time. This time her opponent was the precocious16 year old Martina Hingis who had recently become one of the youngest ever to win a Grand Slam by claiming the Aussie Open in the same year at the tender age of 16yrs and 4 months. Martina was already the youngest player ever to win Wimbledon by winning the doubles event in the previous year at just age 15 and was looking to be the youngest ever to win Wimbledon Singles title since the turn of the century. Lottie Dod won at the tender age of 15 going as way back as 1887 during the early stages when Wimbledon began and nobody across the 20th century had come close to conquering at such a young age. Jana had her odds stacked against her and gave the Swiss Miss quite a tiff fight by claiming the first set but eventually it was not to be as Hingis created history by being the youngest in the open era and in the entire 20th century to claim the Venus Rosewater Dish. It was again a bit of a jolt for Jana as she had come so close yet again faltering at the final hurdle.
The next year Jana was back again and this time she was at least not facing such a high profile opponent like Steffi Graf or Martina Hingis in the final. She however avenged her previous final defeat to Hingis defeating her in the semifinals enroute to the final. This time the opponent was the burly French women Natalie Tauziat. There was no doubt that Jana was to go in as the favourite but considering her previous stumbling blocks and the fact that she was nearing 30, the writing was clear that this would perhaps be the last chance ever for her to claim the coveted Wimbledon title which she so dearly wanted to hold. And at last it finally happened. Nervousness did not plague her this time as she quickly breezed through the match taking it in a straight set waltz. The moment had finally happened as all the tears and trauma had finally turned around and as much as it was a celebration, it was a huge sigh of relief for Jana because her dream had finally been fructified. After the nightmarish scenes in 1993 of breaking down in front of the Dutchess to again being outclassed by the Swiss Queen Martina Hingis in 1997, it almost looked as if this moment would never happen. But all of Wimbledon wanted Jana Novotna to one day win Wimbledon and she managed to do it in style albeit much later in her career. Jana's triumph is a cornerstone of resolve and not giving up despite everything being against her. Her win certainly goes down in Wimbledon's history as one of it's most cherishable tales.
Another dark horse winner who was eternally loved and rooted by the partisan Wimbledon crowd was the mercurial Croat Goran Ivanisevic. Goran had quite a feisty character who had a game well equipped to handle grass. His biggest undoing was his own self losing his temper and giving away crucial double faults. A young Ivanisevic had just entered his first final in 1992 defeating Pete Sampras to set up a finale clash with long haired Las Vegan Andre Agassi. It set up for an intriguing clash with the match going down the distance to the 5th set. Down 4-5 in the fifth set on his serve, Goran couldn't handle the pressure conceding 2 back to back double faults to make Agassi go up 0-30. Despite staving up a couple of points, Goran had lost the match in his head granting victory to Andre for his first ever major Grand Slam championship. It was a bitter pill to swallow for Goran who had come pretty close but couldn't control his nerves especially during the crucial 5th set.
Goran got back again to the final in 1994 and this time his opponent was the defending champion Pete Sampras. This turned out to be quite a straight forward fare for Pistol Pete who claimed victory in straight sets blanking Ivanisevic 6 zip in the final set. Though the first two sets were closely fought and were decided in the tie breaker, Goran couldn't again cope up becoming a cropper especially on those essential decisive points. Gorans next attempt at a Wimbledon final came again in 1998 against the same fancied Pete Sampras who was again the defending champion having won an awe inspiring 5th crown and gunning for his 6th and second straight 3 in a row triumph. This match had all the ebbs and flows going down the wire into the 5th set. Goran faltered yet again in the 5th set, this was certainly his best chance to stop Pete from unchartered glory but again those nerves flared up again and bitter mistakes in the form of defaults on crucial points put paid of his hopes once again. Ivanisevic was welled up with hollow all over and he knew he had thrown away his best chance ever possible and the distant dream of a Wimbledon trophy continued to elude despite 3 shots at the prize.
In the year 2001, Goran Ivanisevic was provided a wild card to enter in the tournament. To be honest, nobody expected him to make any great shakes and it appeared initially as it was just a final flurry for him to play in the tournament he loved so dearly but not able to capture. He came to SW19 ranked a distant #125 and there were no expectations whatsoever. Ivanisevic had a tough draw but started conquering his rivals one by one. His passage through to the quarter finals was also greeted by the news that his regular nemesis Pete Sampras gunning for a 5th straight and unenviable 8th title was vanquished by the up and coming Swiss Roger Federer. It was a coming of age for the Swiss Maestro who had stopped Pistol Pete from achieving glory once again and this win was a hallmark event for Federer who in the years to come would end up dominating the hallowed center court. The quarter finals saw him acing out the marauding Russian Marat Safin setting up a mouth watering clash against crowd favorite and local hero Tim Henman. Tim had just come off an impressive victory over Sampras's conqueror Roger Federer in the quarter finals and the raucous British crowd were all and out cheering for him to win and create history. The British were long awaiting a man of their own to win the hallowed championship and this seemed like a moment of reckoning for Tim. In a slug fest of a bout between Henman and Ivanisevic, Goran managed to keep his nerve intact edging out a superlative 5 set victory. After being hammered 6-0 in the 3rd set for Henman to take a 2 sets to 1 lead, it seemed too much of a proposition to climb but a miraculous rain break helped him to clear out his rear guard action claiming a crucial 4th set in a tight tie breaker and then winning the final set with a break.
Thus, Ivanisevic was back again in the final for the fourth time. It seemed pretty surreal considering he had virtually come here to have fun playing as a rank outsider. The final grand finale was against Australian Pat Rafter who was the losing finalist to Pete Sampras in the year before. Both these gentlemen were gunning to bag their first ever prestigious Wimbledon title. To add to this, rain played havoc moving the match to Monday. This match had virtually everything with fortunes fluctuating both sides constantly. The Croats and Aussies were cheering on for their local boys like crazy and the tension was unsurmountable. The fifth set kept stretching on with drama at peak and with Rafter serving at 7-7 and 15-30, Ivanisevic hit a picture perfect forehand past Rafter to go 15-40 and followed up with one more terrific shot back past to get the pivotal break and go up 8-7. Ivanisevic had fate on his hands but still he had to serve out to emerge the victor. Rafter was not willing to give in easily and another dreaded double default by Ivanisevic had Rafter leading at 15-30. Goran continued by serving another first fault but made up for it with a brilliant second serve ace levelling terms at 30-30. He followed it up with a rip snorter of an ace to go up 40-30 and gain his first match point. At this point, one could witness tears in Goran's eyes and the tension tumbling all over his body. And then Goran again obtained cold feet making up a double fault on match point to get it to deuce. He served again for a winning point to get to his second match point only to howler back with another double fault setting things apiece back at Deuce. This couldn't happen all over once again and the mind reminisced to the horror stories back in the bygone times and it was visible that Goran was struggling hard not to let emotions of the past curtail him once again. There was turmoil raging inside Goran's head and he wanted this badly come what may. With things in parity yet again, a drop shot by Rafter fell outside the side lines handing Ivanisevic his 3rd match point. You could see Ivanisevic sitting on the turf at the place where Rafter had hit it wide literally on his knees praying to the almighty above. Even he couldn't take it any longer with the trauma being unbearable. It seemed that if Goran would fail to convert yet again during the next point, doomsday was going to haunt him forever for the rest of his life. And again on the 3rd match point, a steadied unfazed loop shot by Rafter helped him get back on track to Deuce. Pat was chasing his own dreams and he certainly was in no mood to give up. It was beyond belief to witness the euphoric scenes happening right at the middle of this historic court. A great serve by Ivanisevic handed him Match point #4. But this time Goran was not willing to take time and soak in his emotions. He didn't want to waste too much of time and wanted to get done with the next service. He again served a fault on his first serve and got geared up for his second serve. And at last the moment of a lifetime happened. Rafter hit Goran's serve to the net erupting absolutely wild celebrations. Goran fell on the turf withering in happiness. It was truly a match for the ages stretching the distance on a Monday evening across 5 marathon sets that had drama unfolding across all directions. Ivanisevic's win appeared as if it was one of sport's greatest triumphs. Finally he had got the mickey off his back and got what he had been desiring but that which had been eluding him for so long.
Both Novotna's and Ivanisevic's victories were extremely special and deliciously sweet. They had to encounter tremendous adversity losing at the final hurdle time and again. Both of them were crowd pleasers and there was always an inkling that somehow they should be able to achieve their long last dream. Finally achieving the milestone was indeed a moment of delirium having faced gut wrenching despair in the years prior. The Wimbledon victories by Jana Novotna in 1998 and Goran Ivanisevic in 2001 certainly go down in Wimbledon's memory lane as one to savor for eternity.
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