Black Sunday for British sport

NIRMAL SHEKAR

DAY SEVEN, Monday, July 2: The BBC breakfast news is full of Tim 'n Greg, as the two most prominent tennis players in Britain, one of them Canadian until a few years ago, are called affectionately.

The affection, of course, is not misplaced. For, this is a nation that has struggled to find a home-grown men's champion since Fred Perry won the last of his three successive Wimbledon titles in 1936, a time when the Union Jack was still fluttering proudly in India!

It's the fourth round in singles play today, generally the longest day of the Wimbledon fortnight when 16 key matches are completed in singles play. But BBC TV focuses mostly on only two matches: Greg Rusedski v Goran Ivanisevic and Tim Henman v Todd Martin.

"Won't these guys ever learn?" asks a Czech journalist. "Do they really think that one of these boys is going to win the title here?" he asks, shaking his head in disbelief at all the hoopla.

"Maybe if Sampras breaks his leg, Agassi breaks his wrist and Rafter fails to turn up for his next match," your diarist tells him, half in jest.

"Well, maybe. Even then I would doubt it. There are other good players left in the draw," says my Czech friend.

Even as we talk, Goran Ivanisevic, all three of him standing as a unified force, runs away with the first set tiebreak against Rusdeski and in a little over an hour he would have put an end at 50 per cent of British hopes, so to say.

Then again, this is not a day when anybody has any time for the much-hyped match of the day involving the Croatian left-hander and the Canadian-British left-hander.

For, a shock of seismic proportions is about to be recorded on the centre court where Roger Federer, still only 19, opens up a two sets to one lead over the greatest of 'em all, Pete Sampras.

It is obvious that Sampras had got off the wrong side of the bed this morning. As well as the young Swiss star is playing, it is clear that the great man is toiling. He is slow to the net behind his serve. His serve itself is half the weapon it can be. His volleys lack conviction and he struggles to return Federer's powerful serves.

At the start of the match, there are a handful of us in the centre court press box. By the time the match enters the fourth set, there is not a seat to be had. The Royal Box is packed too. Everybody is anticipating a piece of Wimbledon history, and wants to be a part of it.

Then again, as the great man fights back to take the fourth set on a tiebreak and then pushes his young opponent to the edge in the ninth game of the decider, normal service seems to have resumed on Sampras' own court.

But Federer proves that he is a champion in the making as he stares down the barrel, boldly fends off two breakpoints and then turns the tables.

Game 12, Set 5. The time is 6.17 p.m. Sampras serving. Point 1: Federer return winner, 0-15. Point 2: Volley error from Sampras, 0-30; Point 3: Unreturned serve, 15-30; Point 4: Lovely low return, volleyed into the net by Sampras, 15-40.

The time now is 6.19 p.m. Point 5: A Federer forehand return winner. Sampras walks to the net, his young opponent sinks to his knees and falls back on his haunches.

History has been made. The greatest has been conquered on his greatest stage.

As Sampras walks away from the court, after politely reminding Federer to curtsy to the Royal Box, Bud Collins, America's most famous tennis commentator and a columnist for Boston Globe, stands up and applauds the great man in the press box.

Sacrilege! How could anybody do that in the press box?

"Sometimes rules are there to be broken and this is one of those times," said Collins. "Boy, what a champion, what a great sportsman."

Sampras has just lost a match. He is not gone yet. But this is indeed the end of an era. And Wimbledon will never see its equal again. Nor will it see a gentleman champion in the mould of Pete Sampras.

"I think it is one of the greatest accomplishments that a person can have, this kind of domination," says Andre Agassi, Sampras' arch-rival. "Forget having the ability to do it; it's being able to go out there and to execute it mentally."

Agassi says Sampras, "is a great champion who played like one today. I think if you want to talk about anything that's incredible, you talk about how he's won this thing seven times."

This, then, is a day to talk of the death of a King, the likes of whom we'll never see again, and this is a day too to talk of his great deeds which will never be matched in these parts.

"There is always the fear that my run was going to end. It wasn't going to last forever," says Sampras. "It gets more difficult as the years go on to stay dominant."

Later in the evening, it gets rather difficult for Henman as he trails Martin by two sets to one when play is called off because of bad light. By that time Lleyton Hewitt has been packed off in five sets by Nicolas Escude of France.

Match of the day: Roger Federer beat Pete Sampras 7-6(7), 5-7, 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-5.

Quote of the day: "You never know. He might be able to do it again." - Andre Agassi on Sampras' chances of winning again at Wimbledon.

Weather: Warm, humid.

Day Eight, Tuesday, July 3: This is the morning after Sampras' exit. But, surprisingly, only one London broadsheet reports the historic Sampras defeat on page one. Most papers are full of stories relating to the conviction of a man who killed one of Britain's most popular TV presenters, Jill Dando, two years ago.

Even as they report how well Federer played to do what he did, most critics fail to note that Sampras was well below his best, that he was struggling to play close to 60 per cent of what he is capable of.

Then again, it is perhaps understandable why quite a number of people, critics and fans included, should feel a sense of relief almost on the demise of the great champion. For one thing, it makes local hero Henman's job that much easier, for Sampras had long been his nemesis in this tournament. For another, excellence of the brand that Sampras represented is not at all easy to identify with. It is not at all easy to learn to appreciate it for what it is. You simply have to instinctively spot it for what it is and rejoice in its glory.

Talking of excellence, there is not a lot of it on the courts today. Serena Williams belts the ball as if the yellow little thing was her greatest object of hate. But, as do humans, even these inanimate little things respond to love more readily than to hate!

Or, so it seems today as Serena sprays her shots all over the place and despite that runs up a healthy lead against Jennifer Capriati. Up a set and 5-3, no matter experiencing gastric problems and nausea, Serena seems set to avenge three straight losses - the last of them in the French quaterfinals - suffered against her fellow American.

"I said to myself there that this was my last chance. I said to myself I would give it all I got. And it worked out," Capriati would say later.

In the event, even as Capriati hits out with a carefree spirit, Serena falters when all she needs to do is to hold serve to close out the match.

By then, Richard Williams, after a quick trip to the No.1 court where Venus quells a first set comeback by Nathalie Tauziat for a comfortable victory, is back in his seat on the Centre Court. But he is gone the moment Serena contrives to lose the second set.

What is more, Capriati reels off five games in a row in the midst of which Serena takes a bathroom break - she would say later that she threw up - but Capriati herself had needed treatment for a hip strain.

Towards the end, Serena briefly reasserts herself. But it is a case of too little too late.

"I have a gastric virus. I don't know, I have not been able to eat for four days," says Serena.

Then again, she's always had a problem or two when playing Capriati. The widely accepted diagnosis for her condition is this: she is a hypochondriac.

Todd Martin is hardly that. But the ageing American with a dodgy knee and a heart that normally sinks without a trace when he sights victory is a pathetic parody of the player he can be, of the player he was on Monday evening, as he hands out the fourth round match to Tim Henman.

As well as the British star plays, as confidently as he serves and volleys, this is a match that Martin lost. Looking back, it is a match he should have wrapped up on Monday itself in straight sets. But Henman it is who goes through in five, winning the fourth and fifth sets handily today.

"It wasn't a comfortable night's sleep. I kept thinking about the best strategy. I knew I had to go for it," says Henman. "Sampras lost. That adds to the scenarios in your mind."

Among those cheering the British hero in the Royal Box today are Sir Steven Redgrave and other Olympic rowers James Cracknell - with his TV star girlfriend Beverly Turner - Matthew Pinsent and Tim Foster.

Match of the day: Jennifer Capriati beat Serena Williams 6-7, 7-5, 6-3.

Quote of the day: "That's Serena Williams. Under hypochondriac, they should put Serena Williams." - Serena Williams.

Weather: Hot, muggy.

Day Nine, Wednesday, July 4: There are some old soldiers who simply refuse to fade away. And, we wouldn't let them do that if they wanted to. Not that John McEnroe wants to. He enjoys the limelight even more now, as a TV superstar, than in his days as a player when he was vilified in the press and television.

McEnroe has brought a breath of refreshingly fresh air to the commentary box on BBC TV. The man who believes in saying it like it is has enriched the telecast with his forthright observations and insightful analysis of the game and its players.

And he can make you laugh too with his ready wit. Sue Barker, the BBC anchor, while treading carefully, still seems to be having a jolly good time in the company of Mac the Mouth.

On the Centre Court today, before the start of the quarterfinal match between Ivanisevic and Safin, Barker queries the three-time champion about his opinion of how things would unfold. Having said what he has to say, McEnroe tugs at his jacket and says he'd be better off in the air-conditioned commentator's box. It's already 95 degrees on the court.

Mac then takes us through a tour of the commentators' box, showing us all the gadgets and telling us how comfortable it is up there. "Hey, Mike, where is my morning coffee?" he asks.

A little later, his colleague in the box, David Mercer, says "Jackets off in the commentary box, because it is jackets off in the Royal Box."

Diagonally opposite the commentary box, the Wombles of Wimbledon Common hold up placards that say: "You cannot be serious."

The man who turned those words into stuff of tennis folklore - McEnroe - laughs heartily.

Age has mellowed the biggest brat of 'em all. But only just. The famous McEnroe temper is gone but he still doesn't suffer fools gladly, still doesn't believe in beating about the bush.

Peter Fleming, once his doubles partner and now his colleague on the commentary team, talks about how players are so intensely focused these days, how they don't show too many emotions on court and just go about their job in a thoroughly professional fashion. He points to Safin as an example.

"You know how the game has changed. Tantrums cost you a lot these days. They changed all the rules. And I don't want to tell you who was responsible!"

Of course, he was responsible.

Ivanisevic does show more than a touch of emotion on beating Safin in four sets to become the first wild card to make the semifinals here. But these are not things that provoke an official reaction really.

The Croatian left-hander rips off his shirt yet again and jumps joyously.

"I knew (Sergio) Tacchini are sending more shirts for me. So I could afford to throw the shirts. I step on the chairs. I didn't know where to go. I couldn't throw the racquet because I still have only three racquets," says Ivanisevic.

He says, for the first time in his career, he is playing for himself and he is having fun. He says early in his career he played for his sister who was ill, then for his country which was at war.

"After 12 years I deserve to play for myself and enjoy a bit," says Ivanisevic.

Lisa Raymond (left) and Rennae Stubbs, the women's doubles winners.

His semifinal opponent, of course, plays for the Union Jack and plays with the enormous burden of expectations of a whole nation, a nation that has not had a men's champion at Wimbledon since 1936.

Today, Henman does well to raise his game in two tiebreaks, to come back from perilous positions to beat Sampras' conqueror Roger Federer in four sets.

The Centre Court is packed but the place to be is the Hill, or Henman Hill, to be precise, from where you can watch the action on the court on the big screen. There are over 6,000 Henman fans there this evening and it is a carnival atmosphere as the last "Great" Brit edges close to victory.

Frantic cries of "Come on, Tim" are heard as Henman fails to serve out the match in the 10th game of the fourth set. And when he trails 2-5 in the tiebreak, hearts sink. But the local hero fights back to close out the match in four and there is celebration all around.

"I have tipped him. I still think he can win this," says McEnroe.

Ivanisevic permitting... and then Rafter or Agassi (who are also through to the semifinals) permitting.

Match of the day: Tim Henman beat Roger Federer 7-5, 7-6, 2-6, 7-6.

Quote of the day: "He is always playing against two people out there. That's unfortunate. But when he directs his energies you get to appreciate some great tennis. The guy has a great game." - Andre Agassi on Goran Ivanisevic.

Leos Friedl (right) and Daniela Hantuchkova with the mixed doubles trophies.

Weather: Warm, humid. Hey, is this the Gold Flake Open in Chennai?

Day 10, Thursday, July 5: "Of all the things that the British do, this is one thing I can never understand. You like it?" my Croatian journalist friend asks me this morning pointing to the television screen in front of me at my desk.

Michael Atherton has just made his intentions clear to Brett Lee at Edgbaston and the English supporters are waving Union Jacks.

"It takes a long time to get over, doesn't it?" the Croatian journalist asks.

The little point in making any attempt to convince him about the virtues of the most English of all games. That would be as futile as trying to teach the Williams sisters a bit of finesse, trying to tell them that power is not everything, that it is not the only thing.

In the event, we turn our attention to Goran Ivanisevic. And my friend tells me that he's once again become Croatia's biggest hero.

"You know, there are no cars on the road when he plays a match here. Everybody is watching. Now, Sampras is gone and everybody believes Goran will win here this week," he says.

So indeed it is in Britain. Now that the great man is gone, everybody in this country believes that this is Tim Henman's year. This is not Wimbledon anymore. It is Timbledon!

It would appear that Henman would make a cool 2 million pounds should he win the title here on Sunday. That is about four times the prize money. And 75 per cent of that figure would be money forked out by his sponsors, HSBC, adidas and Mercedes.

The Lawn Tennis Association also has plans to take the British sporting icon on a helicopter tour around Britain after the final.

Australian cricket captain, Steve Waugh (right), and Shane Warne in conversation during the final.The Aussie team was present to cheer Patrick Rafter.

Already, tickets for tomorrow's men's semifinals are being sold in the blackmarket by touts at over a lakh a piece, 1,500 pounds to be exact. One lakh to watch a day's tennis on the centre court! That's absurd.

Surely, nobody would have been willing to pay remotely as much to watch today's women's semifinals. But the ones who do make it to the centre court, at whatever cost, get to see one of the most remarkable comebacks in women's tennis on a Grand Slam stage.

The Belgian waif, Justine Henin, authors a superb fightback from 2-6, 1-2 down against Jennifer Capriati. The 5ft 5in Henin plays amazingly carefree tennis, hitting breathtaking backhand winners and serving with tremendous intelligence and courage to put an end to her American opponent's spectacular run of 19 straight wins in the majors.

The postman's daughter from Brussels had made a prediction as a nine-year-old watching the French Open final between Monica Seles and Steffi Graf with her mother Francoise in 1992. She had turned to her mother and said: "One day you'll see me playing like this on the Centre Court."

On Saturday, this slender Belgian will be on the most famous court in the world playing Venus Williams to win the most coveted trophy in the sport. But unfortunately, her mother will not be there. Francoise Henin died of intestinal cancer when Justine was 12.

"I have beaten her already," says Henin today looking forward to the match against Venus who she beat earlier this year in their only meeting. Venus, of course, is supremely confident after getting past Lindsay Davenport today in a bizarre match which the champion should have closed out in two drama-free sets. But Venus freezes close to home and Davenport wins a second set tiebreak to postpone the inevitable.

Match of the day: Justine Henin beat Jennifer Capriati 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Quote of the day: "You know, it's funny. I was such an early starter, early prodigy, whatever, but really I feel like a late bloomer." - Jennifer Capriati.

Weather: Warm and sunny for the most part. Rain late in the evening.

Day Eleven, Friday, July 6: This is the day, D-day, if you please. A day of reckoning and a day of destiny. A day British sports fans have been looking forward to for a long, long time.

Although Tim Henman has twice before figured in the semifinals at Wimbledon, on both those occasions his opponent was a certain Pete Sampras. In the event, even the most rabid patriots laced their wild expectations with a spot of reality. For, hope, if there was any, was only faint.

But, today, it is a different story altogether. Sampras is long gone. Henman's nemesis if far, far away in California. And the opponent is Goran Ivanisevic, brilliant, yes, but flawed too. What is more, this is a player Henman has beaten every single time they've met.

In the event, Henmania knows no bounds today. The television, the radio, the newspapers, they are full of it. At breakfast in the hotel, even tourists who would have little do with Wimbledon or with tennis are heard discussing the match of the day.

On Church Road, outside the All England Club, fans who have queued up overnight bemoan the loss of the Standing Room only gallery on the centre court, which was done away with a few years ago for security reasons.

"It's not fair that we queue up here for two nights and then cannot even get into the centre court," says a middle aged woman from Manchester.

But, once the gates open, the lady seems content to make her way to what is called the Henman Hill, a place where 6,000 people will gather to watch the match on the big screen.

Then again, Henman is not going to appear on court in a hurry today. For, first on court are Pat Rafter and Andre Agassi, by far the two best players left in the men's championship. And, today, as they have on several occasions in the past, the two superstars produce a classic contest of wills and skills.

Rafter was a touch unlucky to lose in five sets to Agassi in the semifinals of the Australian Open last January. Today he avenges that loss in dramatic fashion, coming back from the dead, so to say, in the fifth set.

It is certainly the match of the championship in terms of sheer quality and intensity. The contrast of styles makes for a match in the mould of the famous Borg-McEnroe epics.

Always under pressure on serves because of the quality of Agassi's returns, Rafter manfully holds his own for the most part on a day when he hits 30 aces. But the American second seed threatens to run away with the fifth set.

Down an early break, Rafter fights with his back to the wall to fend off four breakpoints in the third game. Looking back, they are critical.

For, down two breaks, Rafter would have no chance to turn things around. As it is, he takes his chances and ventures up behind his returns time and again to break Agassi's serve and knot up the set and the match at 5-5 in the fifth.

Agassi had one last chance on Rafter's serve in the 13th game but the gutsy Australian fights off a breakpoint there with an amazingly spot-on drop volley. He finally breaks Agassi's will and he loses serve in the next game to crash to an unlikely defeat.

"I just hung in there and it worked my way," says Rafter on entering his second straight final here. "May be one in a hundred, one in two hundred matches something like that happens and it turns around for you."

Agassi, of course, is devastated. "People raved about the quality of tennis there. What did you think?" he is asked.

"I thought it sucked, really did," says Agassi who will take a long time to recover from this loss. A lot of people, not the least Henman, it turns out, would take a long time to find sleep tonight.

For the much awaited clash, after taking a dramatic turn in the second set tiebreak, is interrupted by rain with Henman leading by two sets to one and 2-1 in the fourth.

Ivanisevic does very well until the second set tiebreak where he is up 4-3 with two serves to come. But even as Henman rises to the occasion with some fighting tennis, the Croatian begins to dig his own grave, as he has often done here and elsewhere.

Once he loses the tiebreak, Ivanisevic's is a token presence on the court as Henman wins the third set 6-0 in 16 minutes. Ivanisevic is serving 40-30 in the fourth game of the fourth when play is suspended.

Two hours later, play is abandoned. And Henman has to wait until Saturday to try and become the first British male to make a Wimbledon singles final since Bunny Austin in 1938.

Match of the day: Pat Rafter beat Andre Agassi 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 8-6.

Quote of the day: "I think he is going to coach Sampras next year if I don't win it this year." - Pat Rafter, when asked of Tony Roche deserves to coach a Wimbledon winner.

Weather: Perfect until the showers arrived at 6.19 p.m.

Day Twelve, Saturday, July 7: Ah, what a cruel twist of fate! That's the popular view about what happened to Henman yesterday. Most experts, not merely English, believe that the English hero would have got his job done in quick time if rain had not intervened on Friday evening.

But, what is impossible to understand is why the Tournament Committee should be so short-sighted given the weather. Couldn't they have scheduled the unfinished semifinal for 11 a.m. this morning instead of 1 p.m. And even the 1 p.m. start was agreed to after the press had protested when it was originally scheduled for 2 p.m.

Traditions are fine. But this is not just another championship. Tens of millions of people follow it on television and several thousand people pay big money to watch it from the stadium. Then, what of the players who are affected by the rain delays?

These questions are debated vigorously as we wait today for play to begin. And bang on, at 12.30, the showers arrive.

And every half hour we hear the familiar announcement on the public address system. The same voice. The same words. The same feeling of helplessness. "May I have your attention please. I am afraid the London Weather Centre does not have any cheerful news for us. But as soon as the rain stops..."

In the event, what finally brings some cheer to the patient fans on the centre court is the presence of the former U.S. President Bill Clinton in the Royal Box.

Clinton engages our attention for a quarter of an hour as Garry Richardson of BBC TV interviews him in the Royal Box.

"It's a great match," says Clinton, pointing to the covered centre court. "I am thrilled to be here." He laughs.

It is amazing how knowledgeable the former U.S.President is, when it comes to tennis and golf, the two sports he loves playing and watching.

He raves about yesterday's semifinal between Rafter and Agassi, which he had watched on television. "Rafter had to fight quite a brave match yesterday. Those two, whatever it is, when they get together, it's a brawl."

He says he admires Agassi and the Williams sisters for their skills and athleticism. "She looks like a gazelle on the court. Never seen anything like it; will never see anything like it," he says of Venus.

Asked to comment on Henman's chances, Clinton says, "Like all major contests of life, it is a matter of mind as well as body. I think his mind and heart seem to be in the right place. We all have to pull for England to win this one. It's you turn now, I think."

Well, it should have been Henman's turn here this very minute to thrill the crowd with his heroics but, alas, that is not to be.

It is 5-30 p.m., four and a half hours after the scheduled start, that Henman and Ivanisevic finally appear on the court. And in the hour of play possible, before rains arrive again, Ivanisevic takes the fourth set on a tiebreak and then leads 3-2 in the fifth. With Henman serving at 30-15, play is halted. It would not be resumed again this evening. So, the much awaited contest goes into a third day.

"This is ridiculous," says a German reporter in the press writing room. "They've got to put a roof on the court."

In fact, the Committee comes in for a lot of criticism this evening. For one thing, they delay the decision about the men's final until it is too late for anybody to report it. And they make no compromise on the 1 p.m. start.

Finally, after hours of debating, and after consultations with the players, it is decided that the men's final would be played on Monday. What kind of chaos an unscheduled People's Monday may create on the streets outside the Club with perhaps 100,000 fans queuing up for 14,000-odd tickets remains to be seen.

But Monday it is, with the unfinished semifinal and the women's final between Venus Williams and Justine Henin to be played on Sunday, weather permitting!

One wonders if Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium, who flew in especially to watch Henin today, would stay on for the match on Sunday.

Match of the day: The groundstaff v the rain!

Quote of the day: "It depends on what day it is. It depends on what day it is for a lot of things when you are over 50."- Bill Clinton on how good his golf is.

Day Thirteen, Sunday, July 8: "Oh God, not again, not today," says my American friend as we step out of the press bus in front of the gate No.13 of the All England Club. It has just started raining.

As we walk in, Alan Mills, the much harassed chief referee, has a smile on his face as he greets us. This is a truly remarkable man. One wonders how many hours of sleep he manages during the fortnight. Perhaps two hours each night!

Mills has some good news for us. He says the afternoon is expected to be relatively clear. Clinging to that hope, we make our way to the press centre.

But on the centre court, the hope is of an entirely different kind - the thousands packed in there are hoping to witness a piece of history as Henman and Ivanisevic resume a contest that is three days old today.

As it turns out, the hopes last no more than 15 minutes. In quick time, Ivanisevic breaks through to 5-3 and then serves out the match for a famous victory that takes him to his fourth Wimbledon final.

"It's destiny. God wanted me to win. God sent the rain," says Ivanisevic. "I don't want to go home with the plate (the runner up trophy). I have done that three times. This time I want to win," says the Croatian.

Henman, of course, is disappointed. It is his third semifinal loss here and he and his fans had seen this as his best chance to advance to the title fight.

"It is disappointing. It certainly was in my favour on Friday. Sometimes those breaks can hinder you, sometimes they can help you," says Henman. "Against Todd Martin it helped but here it didn't. But I have to give credit to Goran for the way he played today."

So, for People's Monday, the star cast will not unfortunately include an Englishman.

"I feel sorry for him. But for me this is unbelievable," says Ivanisevic.

Later in the afternoon, Venus Williams handles little Justine Henin's challenge like a champion to win in three bizarre sets. She is the first player to successfully defend the women's title here since Steffi Graf in 1996.

It is a bizarre match because it takes Venus a mere 40 minutes to win the first and the third, 6-1, 6-0. But in the mid-phase, Henin shows what she is capable of as he takes the second set 6-3 with some truly attractive tennis.

"I put pressure on her there. But she is a great champion. She was stronger mentally in the third set," says Henin.

Venus says that her next goal is to try and get to No.1. She is currently ranked No. 2. "The Grand Slams are my No.1 goal. But next comes No.1. That is No.2," she says and bursts out laughing.

In the mixed doubles semifinals, India's Mahesh Bhupathi and Elena Likhovtseva of Russia go down tamely to Mark Bryan of the United States and Liezel Huber of South Africa 2-6, 2-6.

So, we on to the third Monday of the championships for the men's final. The last time a men's final was played on the third Monday was in 1988, when Stefan Edberg won his first title beating Boris Becker.

Match of the day: Venus Williams beat Justine Henin 6-1, 3-6, 6-0.

Quote of the day: "If an angel came in my dream tonight and said tonight 'You will win the title tomorrow but you must stop playing tennis after that' then I will say "Yes". I will never play tennis again." - Goran Ivanisevic.

Weather: A spot of rain. But otherwise perfect.

Day Fourteen, Monday, July 9: This is a day of celebration for some, a day of mourning for many. But, the first thing you say to yourself this morning as you step out of the hotel to buy the morning newspapers is, "Ah, what a beautiful day."

Blue skies, a shy morning sun making an early appearance with the temperature around 18 degrees. It is indeed a marvellous day. A pity such weather should come about a little late from Wimbledon's point of view.

This, however, would hardly be any consolation for the English sports fans and sportswriters.

"Fans mourn Black Sunday for British sport," reads a headline on the front page of the Times. "Bad luck, they say, comes in threes. British sports fans were served a full helping this weekend in the blackest two days for the country's sportsmen for years."

Bad luck or plain failure? That point can be argued at some length. But the truth is, British sport has taken a few knocks over the weekend. On Saturday, the British Lions (the national rugby team) was outplayed in the second Test by the Aussies, the Wallabies, 35-14, then England was outplayed in the first Ashes Test by Steve Waugh's men and, most of all, Tim Henman was brutally knocked out by Ivanisevic.

Little wonder the Aussies were celebrating out on the streets till early this morning near the All England Club, waiting for the gates to open on People's Monday when their own popular champion Pat Rafter would attempt to win his maiden Wimbledon title in his second final.

"Pat's a great champion and a hero to many of us. We don't mind queuing up two nights to watch him in the final. We may never get this chance again," says Jenny White from Melbourne after having slept through the cold night on the pavement on Church Road.

It is certainly well worth the watch, as we are to learn over three hours on the centre court where the atmosphere is electric. It is a sea of green and gold, the Aussie colours.

And the match itself is an epic. For five gruelling sets, the two great grass court players go at each other before Ivanisevic, so sure of his destiny here this year, outlasts the brave Australian 9-7 in the decider.

Watched by the Australian cricket team and a string of other VVIPs, Rafter does very well to take the match into a fifth set but Ivanisevic simply cannot be denied on this day.

The Croatian overcomes a bout of nerves at the very end to serve out the match before prostrating on the court.

"This is the end of the world. I don't care if I don't win another match,"says Ivanisevic. "I have always been a No.2. But No.2 is not good enough. Now I am Wimbledon champion. Nobody can take this away from me."

It is indeed a marvellous climax to the tournament on People's Monday, something that no spectator who has been lucky enough to be here today will ever forget.

Match of the day: Goran Ivanisevic beat Pat Rafter 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7.

Quote of the day: "I don't know if this is a dream and I am going to wake up and somebody is going to tell me 'You still haven't won Wimbledon."- Goran Ivanisevic.

Weather: Just perfect. A marvellous summer day, at last!