From wild card to champion...2001 was about Goran Ivanisevic. All of them.
The extrovert Croat captivated the British public with his spectacular against-the-odds run to a final which ended on third Monday in a five-set epic win against Pat Rafter.
Off the court, Ivanisevic entertained the media by revealing he was listening to 'Good Goran', 'Bad Goran' and 'Emergency Goran' as he steered a course which included daily bulletins on a troublesome shoulder as well as crowd management of the various Gorans.
As the bandwagon gained pace, so did the readings on the fairytale barometer. Ivanisevic was a three-time losing finalist (Andre Agassi 1992 and Pete Sampras 1994 and 1998) and pretty much everything was stacked against him.
His pedigree at The Championships earned him a wild card but no-one would have expected much from a player whose world ranking had slipped from No.2 to No.125 and who had won only nine matches that season.
The bookies, usually spot on in calling it, had him down at 250-1 to win. After all Ivanisevic's greatest weapon was his serve and his shoulder injury - a dodgy rotator cuff - was causing serious problems.
So to the Championships. Round one, easy. Goodbye Swede Fredrik Jonsson, then two four-setters to see off Spain’s Carlos Moya and fast-rising American Andy Roddick. Next Britain's Greg Rusedski in three, Marat Safin in four and a semi-final against home favourite Tim Henman.
Just to add to the unfolding drama, the weather decided to have its say. The last-four showdown with Henman spanned three days because of the rain with Ivanisevic edging the tightest of matches 7-5, 6-7(6), 0-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 on the back of 35 aces.
“Why do the British like me so much? I should be public enemy No.1 one after this,” mused Ivanisevic after destroying Henman's hopes.
The final beckoned, against equally popular Rafter and on People's Monday which created the most extraordinary of atmospheres as the Queue snaked round the Grounds.
Back and forth swung the momentum until a nail-biting fifth set which culminated in the world’s top server sending down two double faults on Championship points before clinching victory with a second serve, timed at 109 miles an hour. He made history by becoming the first wild card to go all the way.
“I hope this isn’t a dream,” insisted an overjoyed Ivanisevic after the 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7 win. “I don’t care if I never win another match ever again.”
This turned out to be close to the truth. He underwent a shoulder operation in December of the same year and made only one more Wimbledon appearance, a farewell at the 2004 Championships, losing to Lleyton Hewitt in the third round.
