Goran Ivanisevic

The wildcard who finally won Wimbledon at his fourth attempt in 2001 — one of sport's most emotional and improbable championship victories.

Goran Ivanišević was born in Split, Croatia in 1971 and turned professional in 1988, winning Wimbledon in 2001 as a wildcard in what is universally regarded as the most emotionally charged Grand Slam victory in the tournament's history. He reached world number 2 but never number one. He retired in 2004 with 22 ATP titles and 10,183 career aces — the third-highest total in tennis history. His left-handed serve — combining enormous pace with outswing and kick variations — was the most feared grass court weapon of the 1990s. He lost 3 Wimbledon finals before his 2001 triumph: to Agassi (1992) and Sampras twice (1994, 1998). His 2001 campaign — entering on a protected wildcard, ranked 125th, followed throughout by an entire Croatian nation — produced the most dramatic Wimbledon fortnight in the modern era, culminating in defeating Pat Rafter in a 5-set final as the crowd willed him to victory. The scenes in Croatia — where an estimated 80% of the population watched the final — were unprecedented for a sporting event. He later became a highly respected coach, working with Marin Čilić and Novak Djokovic — winning the 2021 Wimbledon title with Djokovic.

Ivanišević possessed one of the most devastating serves in tennis, regularly hitting aces at speeds exceeding 130 mph with his left-handed delivery. His game was built around his serve-and-volley style, particularly effective on grass courts, though he could be inconsistent from the baseline.

He revolutionized the importance of the serve in modern tennis and inspired a generation of Croatian players who followed in his footsteps.

• Wimbledon 2001 (wildcard — most celebrated Grand Slam win in the tournament's history)
• Davis Cup 2005 (Croatia, as coach)
• Wimbledon finalist 1992, 1994, 1998 (lost to Agassi, Sampras, Sampras)
• 10,183 career aces (3rd all-time)
• ATP Comeback of Year 2001