News

Wimbeldon Champion To Play Hamlet Cup

WESTBURY, NY, July 16, 2001 - In a tennis match that resonated from London to New York and around the world, Goran Ivanisevic's thrilling five-set victory over Australia's Patrick Rafter for the Wimbledon Championship one week ago may take place again later this summer -- this time on Long Island.

The three-time Wimbledon finalist, Ivanisevic, who became the first wild card to win tennis' most prestigious gold trophy, has committed to play in the 21st Hamlet Cup presented by Roslyn Savings Bank, it was announced today by Kari Mutscheller, tournament director. It sets up a potential rematch of the Wimbledon men's final as runner-up Rafter (6th in the ATP Champions Race) has already entered the tournament, which could make for an intriguing August. The Hamlet Cup (www.hamletcup.com) will be held August 18-26 at the Hamlet Golf and Country Club in Commack, NY.

Ivanisevic joins an already competitive ATP field, which includes rising American star Jan-Michael Gambill (14th) of Spokane, Wash., and Swedes' Thomas Enqvist (26th) and two-time defending Hamlet Cup champion Magnus Norman (33th).

The Croatian, who jumped to 10th in the Champions Race with his Grand Slam win, started off fast in 2001 -- a finalist at Heilbronn (Germany) on carpet and a quarterfinalist at Milan (Italy) -- but had simmered in between until his two-week run on the London grass.

"Winning Wimbledon will give me the confidence to compete at a high level this summer on the hard courts," said Ivanisevic, who played Long Island seven times in the 1990's, losing to Stefan Edberg in '90 for his best-ever finish there. "I'm excited about returning to the Hamlet Cup. I've had some great results there." It was the Croatian's first-ever final on North American soil, where he has never won an ATP tournament.

"We are excited to see Goran [Ivanisevic] return to the Hamlet Cup after not competing here last year," said Mutscheller.

"His championship run and high level of play at Wimbledon was an inspiration to fans all over the world. Maybe we will be fortunate enough to see another epic battle between Goran [Ivanisevic] and Patrick [Rafter]."