Australian tennis star PAT RAFTER has emerged from the tough mining town of

      Mt Isa to become one of the stars of world sport. Southern Cross sports editor Anthony Spargo interviews the dual US
      Open winner and looks at his rise to the top.

      Ad astra per aspera — "through troubled ways to the stars." It is an old Latin motto about life, but it could just as easily
      apply to the lives of some of Australia's great sporting heroes.

      Australian sport is riddled with tales of overcoming adversity on the way to success. Modern sport might be about teen
      prodigies — witness the success of Michael Owen or Monica Seles, but Ausrtralian sporting heroes are more likely to
      have done it the hard way.

      There is the story of Don Bradman, the boy from Bowral who started out hitting a golf-ball against a corrugated iron
      water tank with nothing but a cricket stump. After failing in his first Test Bradman was duly dumped — but returned to
      become the greatest batsman the sport has ever seen.

      There is wonder-horse Phar Lap, sold off in New Zealand as a no-hoper with dubious bloodlines. Revitalised with a
      new trainer and in a new country, Phar Lap became a racing icon and Australia's ultimate sporting rags-to-riches
      fairytale. Few needed the autopsy results to know that within beat the heart of a champion.

      These are the tales which have stirred the imagination of Australia's sports-mad fans. Now there is another Australian
      destined to join the greats in the hard-work Hall of Fame.

      His name is Pat Rafter. (WAH HOO!!!!)

      Born one of nine children from the remote Queensland farming region of Mount Isa, Rafter grew up playing on the dusty
      bull-ant infested courts of northern Australia. Like Bradman and Phar Lap, Rafter has travelled the hard road to
      international sporting stardom.

      It is hard to believe that Australian tennis fans — who have endured a string of junior hopefuls — once considered
      Rafter as another promising junior destined for mediocrity.

      Five years ago former junior World number one Jason Stoltenberg and Richard Fromberg were still rated as better
      chances to break through and win at the highestlevel. Neither has made the world's top 20.

      But Rafter never suffered from the same expectations as a junior — indeed he was
      written off by some of the coaches who are now desperate for him to play.

      Before his pro-career started, critics said 'he did not have a big enough game to make it' and 'wasn't one of the hopes
      for the future'. Those critics included present Davis Cup coach Tony Roche

      So what has made Rafter such a success, that he has overhauled and out-achieved players once considered his
      superior?

      Maybe it's because he has shown elements of both Bradman and Phar Lap. He has shown evidence of the courage of
      Phar Lap when his back has been against thewall. Rafter's courage was highighted when last year he won back-to-back
      USOpens.

      He has also shown the single-minded determination of Bradman to succeed through hard work and perfection of
      technique. Ask the world's best players and they will tell you there is no better serve-vollyer on the tour. So he should
      be. He has been practicing the same style of game since 1991.
      But there are more to the similarities. Rafter has what Bradman and Phar Lap both had — superstar qualities.
      He has captured the hearts of not only the Australian public, but also the international public.(Hey that's me!!!!) In the
      United States, where he has been the men's champion for the last two years, he is idolised — nearly an adopted
      countryman.

      Rafter is loved and widely adored around the world. Young and old, boys and girls(especially girls) (<
      When he won his first US Open in 1996 he climbed into the stands to celebrate the moment with a group of Australian
      fans who had supported him throughout the tournament.

      Pat Cash climbed into the stands to celebrate with family. Rafter chose to enjoy the moment with the fans. But then,
      that's the way Rafter is. He's a quintissential 'good bloke', who appears more comfortable dealing with his
      ever-increasing notoriety.

      Rafter's success has been based on hard work, and it is for that reason that he has been outspoken about Australian
      Open winner Petr Korda, who tested positive to a banned substance.
      Rafter told Southern Cross recently that he thought Korda should have received a more severe penalty after being found
      guilty of taking a performance enhancing drug.

      "Nobody is happy," he said. "If I was Korda I wouldn't want to be on the tour anymore.''

      Strong words. Rafter is not shy in his views on drug-taking in tennis.

      And why should he be?

      He's worked hard to fulfil his dream and he feels it is not right for someone else to make it with any sort of help. And
      he's not just talking about Korda, he does not want drugs to destroy the image of tennis.

      When asked how he would feel about losing to a player who had tested positive he said: "I would have no worries
      about that, it's only one match for me, while the player would be labelled a drug freak for the rest of his life."

      Still Rafter does not want to dwell on the drugs issue for too long and is more interested in talking about the things he
      loves about tennis. Like Grand Slams, big matches and of course the Davis Cup.

      Few players in the international game match Rafter's unashamed passion for representing his country in tennis' premier
      team event.

      Rafter loves the Davis Cup so much, he makes it the 'first entry' in his yearly schedule. He even pulled out of the
      Grandslam Cup, therefore forsaking at the least $A1m last year after aggravating an injury while playing in the Davis
      Cup. However he admits he'd do it all again.

      "You represent your country and there is no greater honour," he said.

      Rafter is anxiously looking forward to, the first round of the Davis Cup in Harare from April 2-4. He is rating the tie with
      the Grand Slams as his important events of the year.

      The good news is, he believes he is now in better shape than when he lost at this year's Australian Open to Swede
      Thomas Enquist in the fourth round. "It was not too bad," he says. "Enquist was the in-form player so it wasn't a bad
      loss."

      He was even more happy with his form in the doubles where he combined with Jonas Bjorkman to win the
      championships.

      "It was a great prize to win," he admits. And a bit of a surprise, by the sound of it.

      But for Tony Roche and John Newcombe, Rafter's doubles form was a God send.With the singles spots likely to be
      taken by Rafter and Philippoussis — after his war with captain John Newcombe appears to have subsided — all
      appears rosey in Australian tennis. Rafter agrees: "We have players for all conditions and surfaces
      but obviously it is great having 'Scud' back in the squad."

      Rafter has always had an affinity with Philippoussis. Not just because he knows 'Scud' has rare ability on a tennis court,
      but more importantly because he is a mate.

      Rafter never publicly criticised Philippoussis over his disagreement with Newcombe. Afterall Rafter may be a golden
      boy, but he has not always been agood boy.

      It's true that he's a bit of a lad. When he appeared on American latenight television he told host David Letterman that 'he
      did have a girlfriend but that did not mean he was not available' (in fact he had been seeing his girlfriend for
      four-and-a-half-years.)

      But that's Rafter — he's not self-conscious and what he says comes out as naturally as when he psyches himself up at
      crucial times on court with the war-cry of 'c'mon mate'.

      After his US Open glory in 1996 he took out the bunch of Aussies who had helped inspire him to victory for a big night
      out on the town. And then there's the incident when he went out on a booze-ridden night with Philippoussis before a
      Davis Cup tie a few years back.

      Still, Rafter does not admit to being squeaky-clean. He's the rugged type, up for a
      good laugh and ever-ready to stick up for his family and mates.

      Just like his tennis game, he might at times be a bit rough around the edges, but what he lacks in finesse he makes up for
      with honesty and grit.

      Tennis means a lot to him, but not everything. Don't forget this was the man who said he 'would rather be ranked 50
      than first in the world and a pain in the bum."

      These days if you ask him whether he would still agree with that statement his reply is succinctly Australian. "Bloody
      oath," he says.

      He says his goals for this year, apart from the Davis Cup, are 'consistent performances in the slams and Super 9s'. And
      maybe a step closer to the history books with a third US Open victory.

      But then the man who US great John McEnroe said was a 'one slam wonder', refuses to be drawn into talking about
      three in a row.

      Normally come August, he lets his racquet do the talking.
 

      CANT WAIT TO MEET HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!