Patrick Rafter

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Patrick Rafter sat out the 2002 season to recover from stress fracture injuries in his right arm before coming to a decision Australian fans expected but hoped would not yet come. The beloved player known by his compatriots simply as ‘Our Pat’ retired in January 2003. “I will have regrets that the Wimbledon and Davis Cup trophies are not in my cupboard,” he said, “but that’s sport, you win some and you lose some.” Rafter’s victories included 11 singles and 10 doubles championships, most notably back-to-back U.S. Open singles titles in 1997 and 1998. In July 1999 he became the first Australian since John Newcombe in 1974 to hold the world No. 1 ranking. He was a two-time runner-up at Wimbledon. A humble man known for a gracious manner on the court and a gentlemanly demeanor at all times, Rafter carried the hopes of his tennis-mad land for a decade. Nine times he contested the Australian Open and nine times he came away empty-handed, only once reaching the semi-finals, in 2001. He also failed to win a Davis Cup for his homeland. What would be the final match of his career came during the opening day of the Cup final in Melbourne in 2001, when he defeated Sebastien Grosjean of France before having to retire from the competition with a shoulder injury. He could only watch from the sidelines as France took the decisive singles rubber to win the Davis Cup, 3-2. Rafter’s career record in Davis Cup play was 21-11 (18-10 singles, 3-1 doubles). Rafter was born on Dec. 28, 1971, the seventh of nine children. He grew up in Mount Isa, a mining town in the Queensland outback. Small for his age and forced to play older and larger children due to his late-December birth date, young Patrick soon won notice for his athleticism and exceptionally quick hands at the net. He turned pro at age 19 in 1991 and enjoyed a break-through season two years later, notably defeating Wayne Ferreira and No. 1 Pete Sampras at a tournament in Indianapolis, before losing in the semis to Boris Becker. His best years were 1997 and 1998, when U.S. Open victories catapulted him to No. 2 and No. 4 in ATP year-end rankings, leaving him the first Aussie in 24 years to have back-to-back years in the top five. His wins at the U.S. Open came against Greg Rusedski in ‘97 and countryman Mark Philippoussis in ‘98 and made him the first Aussie to win consecutive U.S. Opens since Neale Fraser in 1959-60. In 2000 he defeated Andre Agassi in an epic five-set Wimbledon semi-final before losing in four sets to Pete Sampras. The next year, Rafter again prevailed over Agassi in a grueling five-set semi, this time facing Goran Ivanisevic in the final. Their match was held the day after the official end of The Championships, a ‘People’s Monday’ for which fanatics queued overnight to get tickets. In one of the most dramatic finals in All England history, Ivanisevic, a wild-card entry, won 9-7 in the longest championship fifth set in Wimbledon history. In a sport with its share of outrageous egos, Rafter was liked for his charm and respected for his politeness. It was his habit to say, “Sorry, mate,” when he had to catch his service toss. Named Australian of the Year in 2002, he was a dream client for sports marketers and is expected to have a public profile long after the end of his professional career. MAJOR TITLES (3) – US. Singles, 1997, 1998;Australian doubles, 1999. DAVIS CUP – 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001; record: 18-10 in singles, 3-1 in doubles. SINGLES RECORDS IN THE MAJORS – Australian (15-9), French (12-8), Wimbledon (29-9), US. (20-7). - Bio Courtesy Bud Collins