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PHOTOS: Ivanisevic beats Rafter in Wimbledon final repeat in Umag 

Pat Rafer & Goran Ivanisevic met in a repeat of the 2001 Wimbledon final last night in Umag (Photo: Plava Laguna Croatia Open)

UMAG, 18 July 2019 – Goran Ivanisevic (47) has beaten Patrick Rafter (46) in a repeat of the 2001 Wimbledon final in the Croatian town of Umag last night. 

18 years ago, Ivanisevic beat Rafter in the 2001 Wimbledon final to win his first ever Grand Slam title and last night the pair squared off again in match which was played on Goran Ivanisevic Court in Umag as part of the 30th edition of the Plava Laguna Croatia Open.  

(Photo: Plava Laguna Croatia Open)

Whilst their trademark serves had slowed down considerably, the pair still produced some vintage shots to show why there were at the top of world tennis during the 1990s. Ivanisevic, who plays on the legends circuit and has been active coaching, looked more the match fit out of the two and would run away with the match 6-4, 6-4.  

(Photo: Plava Laguna Croatia Open)

“Two old guys playing on clay. I had fun, there were a lot of great moments, and not so great moments. Now when I hit 15 serves in the net it doesn’t matter,” the Australian said after the match. 

(Photo: Plava Laguna Croatia Open)

(Photo: Plava Laguna Croatia Open)

Rafter, who is no longer involved in tennis and lives on a farm in Australia, said that when entering Croatia, a policeman had asked him for his autograph, and then jokingly added that perhaps it was a good think he had lost to Goran in 2001, as that move had made him a star in Croatia.

(Photo: Plava Laguna Croatia Open)

“I am really happy to finally be in Umag after a thirty-hour flight. It is fantastic to see Goran again and to visit this place, which is even more beautiful than he had described it to me. I am looking forward not just to Umag but also to what follows after the exhibition. After the match, I plan to spend a few days in Dubrovnik and Korčula,” Rafter said.

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