Goran Ivanisevic won Wimbledon 2001 as a wildcard ranked No. 125 — the only player in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam singles title as a wildcard. He defeated Pat Rafter 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 9–7 in a five-set final on Monday 9 July 2001 at the All England Club, Wimbledon. The final was played on a Monday due to rain delays, with tickets sold to the general public, creating an atmosphere dubbed "People's Monday."
Tournament Details
- 1Tournament name: The Championships, Wimbledon 2001
- 2Dates: 25 June – 9 July 2001
- 3Venue: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon, London
- 4Surface: Grass (outdoor)
- 5Draw size: 128 players (men's singles)
- 6Men's singles champion: Goran Ivanisevic (Croatia)
- 7Runner-up: Pat Rafter (Australia)
- 8Men's singles prize money (winner): £500,000
- 9Top seed: Goran Ivanisevic was unseeded (entered as wildcard)
- 10No. 1 seed: Pete Sampras (did not win — lost in 4th round to Roger Federer)
Ivanisevic's Entry & Status
- 11ATP ranking at entry: No. 125
- 12Entry method: Wildcard granted by the All England Club
- 13Seeding: Unseeded
- 14Record: First and only wildcard to win a Grand Slam singles title in the Open Era
- 15Previous Wimbledon finals: Three (1992, 1994, 1998) — all defeats
- 16Age at time of victory: 29 years old
- 17Post-tournament ranking: Jumped from No. 125 to approximately No. 16
Match-by-Match Results — Ivanisevic 2001
| Round | Opponent | Ranking | Score |
|---|
| R1 | Fredrik Jonsson (SWE) | Qualifier | 7–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
| R2 | Carlos Moyá (ESP) | No. 22 | 6–4, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3 |
| R3 | Andy Roddick (USA) | No. 19 | 7–6, 5–7, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 |
| R4 | Greg Rusedski (GBR) | No. 35 | 7–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
| QF | Marat Safin (RUS) | No. 3 | 6–3, 6–2, 6–7, 6–3 |
| SF | Tim Henman (GBR) | No. 6 | 5–7, 6–7, 6–3, 6–2, 9–7 (3 days) |
| Final | Pat Rafter (AUS) | No. 4 | 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 9–7 |
The Final — 9 July 2001
- 18Final date: Monday 9 July 2001 (moved from Sunday due to rain)
- 19Final score: Ivanisevic def. Rafter 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 9–7
- 20Sets played: Five
- 21Match points Ivanisevic had before winning: Three total — double-faulted on the first two
- 22Aces by Ivanisevic in the final: 18
- 23Crowd type: General public tickets sold due to rain delay — dubbed "People's Monday"
- 24Pat Rafter's ranking: No. 4 seed, two-time US Open champion (1997, 1998)
- 25Pat Rafter's subsequent career: Retired shortly after due to shoulder injuries — this was one of his final major matches
The Semi-Final vs Henman
- 26Opponent: Tim Henman (GBR), seeded No. 6
- Score: Ivanisevic def. Henman 5–7, 6–7, 6–3, 6–2, 9–7
- 27Days played: Three — match suspended twice by rain
- 28Context: Henman was the British crowd favourite and favourite to reach the final; the prolonged match became one of the most dramatic in Wimbledon history
- 29Aces by Ivanisevic: 22 across five sets over three days
Records Set at Wimbledon 2001
- 30Lowest-ranked Wimbledon champion: No. 125 — Open Era record
- 31Only wildcard Grand Slam champion: Open Era (men's singles)
- 32Most Wimbledon finals before winning: Four appearances (1992, 1994, 1998, 2001) — three defeats before the title
- 33First Monday Wimbledon men's final in modern era: Rain forced final to Monday for first time in decades
- 34Oldest first-time Wimbledon champion at the time: Won aged 29
Sources: Wikipedia — 2001 Wimbledon Championships · Wimbledon official · ATP Tour.