It's Ivanisevic vs Henman;
Rafter vs Agassi
Robert Woodward
Goran Ivansevic, once the wildman of men's tennis, rewrote the record books at Wimbledon on Wednesday when he became the first player to reach the semifinals on a wild card.
In a story to rival that of comeback queen Jennifer Capriati, the 29-year-old Croatian beat fourth seed Marat Safin 7-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 on Centre Court to reach the last four.
Three times a losing finalist in the 1990s, Ivanisevic only entered the tournament thanks to organisers who wanted to give the old warhorse one last drink at the Wimbledon trough.
Now the shoulder injury which has seen him plummet down the rankings is a distant memory, the smell of victory is in his nostrils and only Tim Henman of Britain stands between Ivanisevic and the final. Henman beat Swiss Roger Federer in another quarter-final 7-5, 7-6, 2-6, 7-5 to book a place in the semi-final for the third time in four years.
Australian Pat Rafter, like Ivanisevic almost certainly playing his last Wimbledon because of injury, won through to his third successive semifinal at the All England Club when he beat Sweden's Thomas Enqvist 6-1, 6-3, 7-6.
Rafter, seeded third and last year's losing finalist, won the tiebreak 7-5 against the 10th seed and will play Andre Agassi, who beat Nicolas Escude of France 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in another quarter-final, in the last four.
Rafter beat American Agassi in last year's semifinal but lost to him at the same stage in 1999.
He said he was glad to see Ivanisevic back in the spotlight at Wimbledon.
"He's always been good to me even when he was at the top and I was just starting. He treats everyone the same," Rafter said.
"He's great to have a laugh with in the locker room, a good fella to have around...even when he has lost he is funny."
SERVING WELL
As ever Ivanisevic's victory was built on his service - he still holds the record for the number of aces in a championships, 206 in 1992.
This time he sent down 30 against the U.S. Open champion and apart from a wobble in the third set, was always on top to the delight of the Centre Court crowd.
Ivanisevic, runner-up here in 1992, 1994 and 1998, swallowed pills from the courtside trainer early in the second set, but fears he was succumbing to the shoulder injury were quickly dispelled.
He put on a show in the second set, at one point flipping a half volley between his legs before slicing a backhand drop shot so viciously it bounced back on itself.
After winning the final point of the match Ivanisevic stripped off his shirt and grinning broadly saluted the crowd.
ON TOP
Rafter, like Ivanisevic a crowd favourite, got his accomplished serve-and-volley game into full swing early on, reeling off the first three games before Enqvist had time to settle.
Rafter, who enjoys the distinction of never having lost a quarter-final match at a Grand Slam tournament in seven appearances there, allowed the 10th seed one game before spinning through the next three for the first set.
Enqvist had crept stealthily through the draw reaching the quarter-finals on the outside courts without dropping a set, but he looked tense on the bigger stage of court number one.
His service games were peppered with 13 double faults and he made repeated errors as he strove to pass the ever-advancing Rafter.
Rafter, who lost last year's final to Pete Sampras, broke Enqvist's rocky serve five times in the match, dropping his own only once.
"I felt a little bit stiff in the beginning and it took a while to find my rhythm," Enqvist said, adding a swirling wind had disturbed his serve.
