kids encyclopedia robot

Goran Ivanišević facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Goran Ivanišević
Ivanicevic.jpg
Ivanišević playing at a seniors' exhibition event as part of Vienna Open in October 2016.
Country (sports)  Croatia (1992–2004)
 Yugoslavia (1988–1992)
Residence Monte Carlo, Monaco
Born (1971-09-13) 13 September 1971 (age 52)
Split, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Turned pro 1988
Retired 2004
Plays Left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money $19,878,007
  •  29th all-time leader in earnings
Int. Tennis HoF 2020 (member page)
Singles
Career record 599–333 (64.27%)
Career titles 22
Highest ranking No. 2 (4 July 1994)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open QF (1989, 1994, 1997)
French Open QF (1990, 1992, 1994)
Wimbledon W (2001)
US Open SF (1996)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals SF (1992, 1993, 1996)
Grand Slam Cup W (1995)
Olympic Games SF (1992)
Doubles
Career record 262–225 (53.8%)
Career titles 9
Highest ranking No. 20 (6 January 1992)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open 2R (1990, 1994)
French Open F (1990, 1999)
Wimbledon 3R (1989, 1993)
US Open QF (1997)
Team competitions
Davis Cup W (2005)
Hopman Cup W (1996)
Coaching career
Coaching achievements
Coachee singles titles total 30
List of notable tournaments
(with champion)
Medal record
Representing  Croatia
Olympic Games
Bronze 1992 Barcelona Singles
Bronze 1992 Barcelona Men's Doubles

Goran Ivanišević (Croatian pronunciation: [ɡǒran iʋanǐːʃeʋitɕ]; born 13 September 1971) is a Croatian former professional tennis player and current coach. He is the only player to win a Wimbledon mens singles title as a wild card. He achieved this in 2001 while ranked world No. 125, after being runner-up at Wimbledon in 1992, 1994, and 1998. Ivanišević's career-high singles ranking was world No. 2, achieved in July 1994. Goran is known for his big serves at high speed during his career and held the record for most ever aces at Wimbledon for almost two decades with a tally of 1,377, before Roger Federer broke it in 2019. Ivanišević coached Marin Čilić from September 2013 to July 2016, leading Čilić to his only major title to date at the 2014 US Open. He has been coaching Novak Djokovic since 2019. Ivanišević was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2020.

Career

Goran is the son of Gorana (née Škaričić) and Srđan Ivanišević. As a boy, he was trained by Jelena Genčić. He turned professional in 1988 and, later that year, with Rüdiger Haas, won his first career doubles title in Frankfurt. Although he focused mostly on his singles career, he also had some success in doubles, winning nine titles and reaching a career-high ranking of 20.

In 1989, as a qualifier he made the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. Ivanišević made his first significant impact on the tour in 1990, knocking Boris Becker out of the first round of the French Open men's singles; he went on to reach the quarterfinals. He was also, with Petr Korda, the runner-up in the French Open men's doubles. At that year's Wimbledon, Ivanišević reached the semifinals, where he lost to Becker in four sets. Ivanišević also won his first tour singles title in 1990 at Stuttgart and helped Yugoslavia win the World Team Cup. He played in eight ties for Yugoslavia in the Davis Cup before quitting the team after the Croatian declaration of independence in 1991. Yugoslavia lost its subsequent tie against France 5–0.

Ivanišević quickly became known on the tour for his strong, attacking style of play and for an extremely powerful serve. For several years, he had more aces than anyone else on the tour. He was also known for occasional on-court temper tantrums—usually directed towards himself—and the volatility of the standard of his play. Ivanišević received death threats at the 1992 Australian Men's Hardcourt Championships. He went on to win the tournament.

In 1992, Ivanišević surged his way into his first Wimbledon singles final, having defeated Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg, and Pete Sampras in succession. Ivanišević's 6–7, 7–6, 6–4, 6–2 semifinal victory over Sampras was particularly impressive, with Ivanišević serving 36 aces and not even facing a break point in the entire match. In the final, Ivanišević faced Andre Agassi and was heavily favored to win; with both players attempting to win their first Grand Slam title. Agassi eventually won 6–7, 6–4, 6–4, 1–6, 6–4. In the fifth set, Ivanišević had a break point on Agassi's serve at 3–3, but failed to convert it. In the final game of the match, Ivanišević served 2 double faults to start the game, even though he had only served 5 double faults in the entire match before that. Ivanišević's ace count for the tournament (206) was the highest in Wimbledon history at the time, until Ivanišević beat his own record in 2001 with 213 aces. Ivanišević served 37 aces in the 1992 Wimbledon final against Agassi, while Agassi had 37 aces in the entire tournament. Later that summer at the Olympic Games in Barcelona, Ivanišević won bronze medals in both singles and doubles representing Croatia, a state that had only recently declared independence; he also served as flagbearer for the Croatian team at the opening ceremony. In order to earn his single bronze medal, he won four consecutive 5-sets matches. He also won four singles titles that year.

Ivanišević reached the Wimbledon final for the second time in 1994, where he was defeated by defending-champion Pete Sampras 7–6, 7–6, 6–0. Ivanišević reached his career-high singles ranking of world No. 2 in July that year.

In 1995, Ivanišević won the Grand Slam Cup, beating Todd Martin in the final 7–6, 6–3, 6–4. At Wimbledon, Ivanišević again lost in the semifinals to Sampras 6–7, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4, 3–6.

In 1996, Ivanišević won a career-best five singles titles in a calendar year. He reached the Grand Slam Cup final again, but this time lost to Becker in straight sets. Ivanišević also teamed with Iva Majoli to win the 1996 Hopman Cup for Croatia. That year Ivanišević also defeated Stefan Edberg to reach the semifinals of the U.S. Open, his first Grand Slam semifinal away from Wimbledon; the match was the last Grand Slam match of Edberg's career. In the semifinals, Ivanišević fell again to Sampras, in four sets; Sampras would go on to defeat Michael Chang to win his fourth U.S. Open championship.

In April 1997, Ivanišević became the only player to defeat the "king of clay", Thomas Muster, in a Davis Cup singles match on clay. Ivanišević defeated Muster, 6–7, 7–5, 6–7, 6–2, 7–5, despite Muster having won 112 of his previous 117 matches on clay going into the match. During 1997, Ivanišević also got back up to his career high ranking of world No. 2, although his ranking fell down to No. 15 by the end of the year.

In 1998, Ivanišević reached his third Wimbledon final, facing Sampras once again. Ivanišević started the match well, but failed to take set points which would have given him a two-set lead, and Ivanišević eventually lost to Sampras in five sets, 7–6, 6–7, 4–6, 6–3, 2–6.

Ivanišević finished runner-up in the French Open men's doubles in 1999 (with Jeff Tarango). However, for much of 1999, 2000, and 2001, he struggled with a shoulder injury and his performance and world ranking began to slide steadily.

During his second round match at the 2000 Brighton International, Ivanišević was defaulted after he smashed all three of his rackets and had none available to complete the match. He told the Associated Press, "At least when I've finished playing tennis, they'll remember me for something...They'll say, 'There's that guy who never won Wimbledon, but he smashed all his rackets.'"

By the summer of 2001, Ivanišević was ranked the world No. 125. This was not sufficient to earn him an automatic place in the main draw at Wimbledon but, given his past record as a three-time runner-up, he was awarded a wild card for entry into the singles draw. He defeated former and future world No. 1 players Carlos Moyá, Andy Roddick and Marat Safin as well as Fredrik Jonsson and Greg Rusedski to reach the semifinal, beating home favourite Tim Henman in a five-set, rain-affected semifinal played over three days, considered a classic. With the win, he set up a match with the previous year's runner-up and former US Open champion Patrick Rafter. It was Ivanišević's first singles final since 1998. In a match lasting over three hours, Ivanišević defeated Rafter 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 9–7. Two months shy of his 30th birthday, Ivanišević became the lowest-ranked player and the first wild card entry to win Wimbledon. To date, he is the only male entrant to have won a Grand Slam singles title as a wild card. His Wimbledon success was rated sixteenth at the list of 100 Greatest Sporting Moments by a British television programme.

On 10 July 2001, Ivanišević received a hero's welcome in his home city of Split where a crowd of over 150,000 led by local and state dignitaries greeted him at the central harbor, with a parade of boats and fireworks, topped off by Ivanišević himself taking off his clothes and jumping into the sea. Later that year he received the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year Award.

Ivanisevic Ancic Queens Club 2004
Goran Ivanišević and Mario Ančić playing doubles during the 2004 Queen's Club Championships.

The 2001, Wimbledon title was the last grand slam (individual) win of Ivanišević's career. He temporarily retired in 2002 due to shoulder surgery. He returned to tennis sparingly in the following years but, in 2004, retired after a third-round loss to Lleyton Hewitt at Wimbledon, held on the Centre Court, the scene of his greatest triumph.

In 2005, he was part of the Croatian Davis Cup team that won the Davis Cup, although he did not play.

Football

Ivanišević played football for the Croatian team Hajduk Split in 2001. A supporter of English team West Bromwich Albion, he became a fan after the Midland club's escape from Premiership relegation in 2005. He wore an Albion shirt whilst warming up prior to the 2006 BlackRock Masters final and finally watched his first match in December 2011, as West Bromwich Albion played Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.

Ivanišević also participated in an exhibition match of the Croatian national team of 1998 versus the International football stars on 7 October 2002 in Zagreb. It was the last career match of Croatian midfielder and team captain Zvonimir Boban. Ivanišević scored the goal for 1–1 (the game ended 2–1 for the International stars).

Playing style

Ivanisevic was a serve and volleyer and played a fast, aggressive game suited to grass courts. He was known for his powerful and accurate left-handed serve, particularly his first serve that was clutch, and is widely considered one of the most dominant servers in the history of tennis. He often won entire games without the ball being returned.

Like many serve-and-volleyers, Ivanisevic's return game and defence was weaker due to his powerful but inconsistent groundstrokes. On the backhand side, he would often use the slice instead of hitting with top-spin and use the chip-and-charge tactic to come to the net.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 4 (1 title, 3 runner-up)

Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Loss 1992 Wimbledon Grass United States Andre Agassi 7–6(10–8), 4–6, 4–6, 6–1, 4–6
Loss 1994 Wimbledon Grass United States Pete Sampras 6–7(2–7), 6–7(5–7), 0–6
Loss 1998 Wimbledon Grass United States Pete Sampras 7–6(7–2), 6–7(9–11), 4–6, 6–3, 2–6
Win 2001 Wimbledon Grass Australia Patrick Rafter 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 9–7

Doubles: 2

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1990 French Open Clay Czechoslovakia Petr Korda Spain Sergio Casal
Spain Emilio Sánchez
5–7, 3–6
Loss 1999 French Open Clay United States Jeff Tarango India Mahesh Bhupathi
India Leander Paes
2–6, 5–7

Other significant finals

Grand Slam Cup

Singles: 2 (1–1)

Result Year Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win 1995 Grand Slam Cup Carpet (i) United States Todd Martin 7–6(7–4), 6–3, 6–4
Loss 1996 Grand Slam Cup Carpet (i) Germany Boris Becker 3–6, 4–6, 4–6

ATP Super 9 finals

Singles: 7 (2–5)

Result Year Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win 1992 Stockholm Carpet (i) France Guy Forget 7–6(7–2), 4–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–2
Loss 1993 Rome Clay United States Jim Courier 1–6, 2–6, 2–6
Loss 1993 Stockholm Carpet (i) Germany Michael Stich 6–4, 6–7(6–8), 6–7(3–7), 2–6
Win 1993 Paris Carpet (i) Ukraine Andrei Medvedev 6–4, 6–2, 7–6(7–2)
Loss 1994 Stockholm Carpet (i) Germany Boris Becker 6–4, 4–6, 3–6, 6–7(4–7)
Loss 1995 Hamburg Clay Ukraine Andrei Medvedev 3–6, 2–6, 1–6
Loss 1996 Miami Hard United States Andre Agassi 0–3 ret.

Doubles: 1 (1–0)

Result Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponent Score
Win 1991 Rome Clay Italy Omar Camporese Australia Laurie Warder
United States Luke Jensen
6–2, 6–3

ATP career finals

Singles: 49 (22 titles, 27 runners-up)

Legend
Grand Slam (1–3)
Grand Slam Cup (1–1)
ATP Super 9 (2–5)
ATP Championship Series (7–5)
ATP World Series (11–13)
Titles by surface
Hard (3–8)
Grass (2–4)
Clay (3–6)
Carpet (14–9)
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss 1. May 1989 Florence, Italy Clay Argentina Horacio de la Peña 4–6, 3–6
Loss 2. May 1990 Umag, Yugoslavia Clay Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Goran Prpić 3–6, 6–4, 4–6
Win 1. Jul 1990 Stuttgart Outdoor, West Germany Clay Argentina Guillermo Pérez Roldán 6–7(2–7), 6–1, 6–4, 7–6(7–5)
Loss 3. Aug 1990 Long Island, US Hard Sweden Stefan Edberg 6–7(3–7), 3–6
Loss 4. Sep 1990 Bordeaux, France Clay France Guy Forget 4–6, 3–6
Loss 5. Sep 1990 Basel, Switzerland Carpet (i) United States John McEnroe 7–6(7–4), 6–4, 6–7(3–7), 3–6, 4–6
Win 2. Jun 1991 Manchester, UK Grass United States Pete Sampras 6–4, 6–4
Loss 6. Aug 1991 New Haven, US Hard Czechoslovakia Petr Korda 4–6, 2–6
Win 3. Dec 1991 Adelaide, Australia Hard Sweden Christian Bergström 1–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–4
Loss 7. Feb 1992 Milan, Italy Carpet (i) Italy Omar Camporese 6–3, 3–6, 4–6
Win 4. Feb 1992 Stuttgart Indoor, Germany Carpet (i) Sweden Stefan Edberg 6–7(5–7), 6–3, 6–4, 6–4
Loss 8. Jul 1992 Wimbledon, London Grass United States Andre Agassi 7–6(10–8), 4–6, 4–6, 6–1, 4–6
Win 5. Oct 1992 Sydney Indoor, Australia Hard (i) Sweden Stefan Edberg 6–4, 6–2, 6–4
Win 6. Oct 1992 Stockholm, Sweden Carpet (i) France Guy Forget 7–6(7–2), 4–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–2
Loss 9. Jan 1993 Doha, Qatar Hard Germany Boris Becker 6–7(4–7), 6–4, 5–7
Loss 10. May 1993 Rome, Italy Clay United States Jim Courier 1–6, 2–6, 2–6
Win 7. Sep 1993 Bucharest, Romania Clay Russia Andrei Cherkasov 6–2, 7–6(7–5)
Win 8. Oct 1993 Vienna, Austria Carpet (i) Austria Thomas Muster 4–6, 6–4, 6–4, 7–6(7–3)
Loss 11. Oct 1993 Stockholm, Sweden Carpet (i) Germany Michael Stich 6–4, 6–7(6–8), 6–7(3–7), 2–6
Win 9. Nov 1993 Paris Indoor, France Carpet (i) Ukraine Andrei Medvedev 6–4, 6–2, 7–6(7–2)
Loss 12. Feb 1994 Stuttgart Indoor, Germany Carpet (i) Sweden Stefan Edberg 6–4, 4–6, 2–6, 2–6
Loss 13. Jun 1994 Wimbledon, London Grass United States Pete Sampras 6–7(2–7), 6–7(5–7), 0–6
Win 10. Aug 1994 Kitzbühel, Austria Clay France Fabrice Santoro 6–2, 4–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–2
Loss 14. Sep 1994 Bucharest, Romania Clay Argentina Franco Davín 2–6, 4–6
Win 11. Oct 1994 Tokyo Indoor, Japan Carpet (i) United States Michael Chang 6–4, 6–4
Loss 15. Oct 1994 Stockholm, Sweden Carpet (i) Germany Boris Becker 6–4, 4–6, 3–6, 6–7(4–7)
Loss 16. May 1995 Hamburg, Germany Clay Ukraine Andrei Medvedev 3–6, 2–6, 1–6
Win 12. Dec 1995 Grand Slam Cup, Munich Carpet (i) United States Todd Martin 7–6(7–4), 6–3, 6–4
Loss 17. Jan 1996 Sydney Outdoor, Australia Hard United States Todd Martin 7–5, 3–6, 4–6
Win 13. Jan 1996 Zagreb, Croatia Carpet (i) France Cédric Pioline 3–6, 6–3, 6–2
Win 14. Feb 1996 Dubai, UAE Hard Spain Albert Costa 6–4, 6–3
Loss 18. Feb 1996 Antwerp, Belgium Carpet (i) Germany Michael Stich 3–6, 2–6, 6–7(5–7)
Win 15. Feb 1996 Milan, Italy Carpet (i) Switzerland Marc Rosset 6–3, 7–6(7–3)
Win 16. Mar 1996 Rotterdam, Netherlands Carpet (i) Russia Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6–4, 3–6, 6–3
Loss 19. Mar 1996 Key Biscayne, US Hard United States Andre Agassi 0–3, ret.
Loss 20. Aug 1996 Indianapolis, US Hard United States Pete Sampras 6–7(3–7), 5–7
Win 17. Nov 1996 Moscow, Russia Carpet (i) Russia Yevgeny Kafelnikov 3–6, 6–1, 6–3
Loss 21. Dec 1996 Grand Slam Cup, Munich Carpet (i) Germany Boris Becker 3–6, 4–6, 4–6
Win 18. Jan 1997 Zagreb, Croatia Carpet (i) United Kingdom Greg Rusedski 7–6(7–4), 4–6, 7–6(8–6)
Loss 22. Feb 1997 Dubai, UAE Hard Austria Thomas Muster 5–7, 6–7(3–7)
Win 19. Feb 1997 Milan, Italy Carpet (i) Spain Sergi Bruguera 6–2, 6–2
Loss 23. Jun 1997 Queen's Club, UK Grass Australia Mark Philippoussis 5–7, 3–6
Win 20. Oct 1997 Vienna, Austria Carpet (i) United Kingdom Greg Rusedski 3–6, 6–7(4–7), 7–6(7–4), 6–2, 6–3
Win 21. Feb 1998 Split, Croatia Carpet (i) United Kingdom Greg Rusedski 7–6(7–3), 7–6(7–5)
Loss 24. Jun 1998 Wimbledon, London Grass United States Pete Sampras 7–6(7–2), 6–7(9–11), 4–6, 6–3, 2–6
Loss 25. Aug 1998 New Haven, US Hard Slovakia Karol Kučera 4–6, 7–5, 2–6
Loss 26. Oct 1998 Shanghai, China Carpet United States Michael Chang 6–4, 1–6, 2–6
Loss 27. Nov 1998 Moscow, Russia Carpet Russia Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6–7(2–7), 6–7(5–7)
Win 22. Jul 2001 Wimbledon, London Grass Australia Patrick Rafter 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 9–7

Doubles (9–10)

Legend
Grand Slam Tournaments (0–2)
Tennis Masters Cup (0–0)
ATP Masters Series (1–0)
ATP International Series Gold (1–4)
ATP International Series (7–4)
Finals by surface
Hard (3–3)
Clay (1–5)
Grass (1–1)
Carpet (4–1)
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1. Oct 1988 Frankfurt, West Germany Carpet (i) West Germany Rüdiger Haas United Kingdom Jeremy Bates
Netherlands Tom Nijssen
1–6, 7–5, 6–3
Loss 1. Oct 1989 Palermo, Italy Clay Italy Diego Nargiso West Germany Peter Ballauff
West Germany Rüdiger Haas
2–6, 7–6, 4–6
Loss 2. Feb 1990 Brussels, Belgium Carpet (i) Hungary Balázs Taróczy Spain Emilio Sánchez
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Živojinović
5–7, 3–6
Loss 3. Jun 1990 French Open, Paris Clay Czechoslovakia Petr Korda Spain Sergio Casal
Spain Emilio Sánchez
5–7, 3–6
Loss 4. Aug 1990 New Haven, U.S. Hard Czech Republic Petr Korda United States Jeff Brown
United States Scott Melville
5–7, 6–7
Win 2. Feb 1991 Milan, Italy Carpet (i) Italy Omar Camporese Czechoslovakia Cyril Suk
Netherlands Tom Nijssen
6–4, 7–6
Win 3. May 1991 Rome, Italy Clay Italy Omar Camporese Australia Laurie Warder
United States Luke Jensen
6–2, 6–3
Win 4. Jun 1991 Manchester, UK Grass Italy Omar Camporese United Kingdom Andrew Castle
United Kingdom Nick Brown
6–4, 6–3
Loss 5. Jul 1991 Stuttgart Outdoor, Germany Clay Italy Omar Camporese Australia Wally Masur
Spain Emilio Sánchez
6–2, 3–6, 4–6
Win 5. Dec 1991 Adelaide, Australia Hard Switzerland Marc Rosset Australia Mark Kratzmann
Australia Jason Stoltenberg
7–6, 7–6
Loss 6. Jun 1992 Queen's Club, UK Grass Italy Diego Nargiso Australia John Fitzgerald
Sweden Anders Järryd
4–6, 6–7
Loss 7. Apr 1995 Barcelona, Spain Clay Italy Andrea Gaudenzi United States Trevor Kronemann
Australia David Macpherson
2–6, 4–6
Loss 8. Aug 1995 Los Angeles, U.S. Hard Croatia Saša Hirszon South Africa Brent Haygarth
United States Kent Kinnear
4–6, 5–7
Win 6. Sep 1995 Bordeaux, France Hard Croatia Saša Hirszon Sweden Henrik Holm
United Kingdom Danny Sapsford
6–3, 6–4
Win 7. Feb 1996 Milan, Italy Carpet (i) Italy Andrea Gaudenzi Switzerland Jakob Hlasek
France Guy Forget
6–4, 7–5
Win 8. Jan 1997 Zagreb, Croatia Carpet (i) Croatia Saša Hiršzon South Africa Brent Haygarth
United States Mark Keil
6–4, 6–3
Win 9. Feb 1997 Dubai, UAE Hard Netherlands Sander Groen Australia Sandon Stolle
Czech Republic Cyril Suk
7–6, 6–3
Loss 9. Jun 1999 French Open, Paris Clay United States Jeff Tarango India Mahesh Bhupathi
India Leander Paes
2–6, 5–7
Loss 10. Aug 1999 Los Angeles Hard United States Brian MacPhie Zimbabwe Byron Black
Zimbabwe Wayne Black
2–6, 6–7

Team titles

  • 1990 – World Team Cup winner with Yugoslavia
  • 1996 – Hopman Cup winner with Croatia
  • 2005 – Davis Cup winner with Croatia

Performance timelines

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# A P Z# PO G F-S SF-B NMS NH
(W) Won; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (A) absent; (NH) not held. SR=strike rate (events won/competed)

Singles

Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia YUG Croatia CRO
Tournament 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 SR W–L Win %
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open A QF 1R 3R 2R A QF 1R 3R QF 1R A 2R Q1 2R A A A 0 / 11 19–11 63%
French Open A 4R QF 2R QF 3R QF 1R 4R 1R 1R 1R 1R A A A A A 0 / 12 21–12 64%
Wimbledon 1R 2R SF 2R F 3R F SF QF 2R F 4R 1R W A A 3R A 1 / 15 49–14 78%
US Open A 2R 3R 4R 3R 2R 1R 1R SF 1R 4R 3R 1R 3R A A A A 0 / 13 21–13 62%
Win–loss 0–1 9–4 11–4 7–4 13–4 5–3 14–4 5–4 14–4 5–4 9–4 5–3 1–4 9–1 1–1 0–0 2–1 0–0 1 / 51 110–50 69%
Year-end championship
Tennis Masters Cup did not qualify SF SF RR DNQ SF did not qualify RR did not qualify 0 / 5 8–10 44%
Grand Slam Cup not held QF A SF A SF W F A QF A not held 1 / 6 11–5 69%
National representation
Olympic Games 1R not held SF-B not held 1R not held 1R not held A NH 0 / 4 4–4 50%
Davis Cup SF SF 1R QF A PO PO 1R PO Z1 A A Z2 PO QF QF A W 1 / 8 28–9 76%
Grand Prix ATP Masters Series
Indian Wells A 1R 3R 1R 1R 1R 1R A SF 1R 1R 2R 2R 3R A 1R A A 0 / 13 9–13 41%
Miami A 1R 2R A 2R 1R QF A F QF 3R 2R 3R 2R 2R A 2R A 0 / 13 19–13 59%
Monte Carlo A 1R 2R 2R A 1R QF SF 1R A 1R 1R 1R A A A 1R A 0 / 11 8–11 42%
Rome A 2R A 1R 1R F SF SF 3R SF 1R 1R 1R Q1 A A 1R A 0 / 12 20–12 63%
Hamburg A 3R 1R QF 2R A 1R F 1R A QF 1R Q2 A A A A A 0 / 9 12–9 57%
Canada A 1R A A A A A 2R 1R 2R 3R 1R A A A A A A 0 / 6 4–6 40%
Cincinnati A A A A A 1R A QF QF 2R 3R 1R A 3R A A A A 0 / 7 9–7 56%
Stockholm1 A A QF QF W F F 2R QF 2R QF 1R 1R 3R A A A A 1 / 12 22–11 67%
Paris A A 2R 2R SF W QF 1R 1R A 1R Q1 Q1 2R A A A A 1 / 9 12–8 60%
Career statistics
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Career
Titles 0 0 1 1 4 3 2 1 5 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 22
Finals 0 1 5 3 5 5 6 2 10 5 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 49
Year-end ranking 371 40 9 16 4 7 5 10 4 15 12 62 129 12 243 657 266

1 Held as Stockholm Masters until 1994, Stuttgart Masters from 1995 to 2001.

Doubles

Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia YUG Croatia CRO
Tournament 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 SR
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open A 1R 2R 1R 1R A 2R A A 1R 1R A 1R A A A A 0 / 8
French Open A 3R F 2R 1R QF A A A 1R 1R F 2R A A A A 0 / 9
Wimbledon A 3R 1R 2R 1R 3R A A A A A A A A A A A 0 / 5
US Open A 3R 2R 2R 2R 2R A A 2R QF 1R 1R A A A A A 0 / 9
Grand Prix ATP Masters Series
Indian Wells A QF 1R 1R 1R A 2R A 2R A 2R A 2R A 1R A A 0 / 9
Miami A 2R 2R A A 3R 3R A A 2R 3R 1R 3R A A A A 0 / 8
Monte Carlo A QF 1R 1R A 1R 1R QF 2R A A A 1R A A A A 0 / 8
Rome A 2R A W SF QF 1R QF 2R 1R SF 1R 1R A A A 1R 1 / 12
Hamburg A 1R 2R 2R 1R A 2R A 2R A 1R A 1R A A A A 0 / 8
Canada A 2R A A A A A 1R 1R 1R 2R QF A A A A A 0 / 6
Cincinnati A A A A A 1R A 1R 1R 1R A 1R A 1R A A A 0 / 6
Stockholm1 1R A QF 2R 2R A A 1R SF A SF 1R QF 1R A A A 0 / 10
Paris A A 1R 2R 2R A A 1R A A A A A A A A A 0 / 4
Career statistics
Year-end ranking 139 49 31 24 42 111 122 58 59 69 68 51 125 493 1137 542

1 Held as Stockholm Masters until 1994, Stuttgart Masters from 1995 to 2001.

Head-to-head record vs. Top 10 ranked players

Ivanišević's record against players who held a top 10 ranking, with those who reached No. 1 in bold. The first number is Ivanišević's wins, the second refers to his opponent.

Top 10 wins

Season 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Total
Wins 0 3 3 5 11 8 5 5 9 3 2 2 0 4 0 0 0 60
# Player Rank Event Surface Rd Score IR
1989
1. Sweden Kent Carlsson 9 Hamburg, Germany Clay 2R 7–5, 4–6, 6–1 71
2. Argentina Alberto Mancini 10 Palermo, Italy Clay QF 3–6, 7–5, 6–4 56
3. Switzerland Jakob Hlasek 9 Basel, Switzerland Hard (i) 2R 4–6, 6–3, 7–5 46
1990
4. Germany Boris Becker 3 French Open, Paris, France Clay 1R 5–7, 6–4, 7–5, 6–2 51
5. Spain Emilio Sánchez 9 Stuttgart, Germany Clay SF 6–4, 6–4 24
6. United States John McEnroe 9 Stockholm, Sweden Carpet (i) 3R 6–4, 6–4 11
1991
7. Sweden Stefan Edberg 2 Davis Cup, Zagreb, Yugoslavia Clay (i) RR 6–4, 6–2 7
8. United States Pete Sampras 9 Manchester, United Kingdom Grass F 6–4, 6–4 11
9. United States Andre Agassi 8 Sydney, Australia Hard (i) QF 7–5, 7–6(7–3) 19
10. United States Andre Agassi 8 Tokyo, Japan Carpet (i) QF 6–3, 6–4 16
11. France Guy Forget 6 Stockholm, Sweden Carpet (i) 3R 7–6(15–13), 7–6(7–5) 15
1992
12. United States Jim Courier 1 Stuttgart, Germany Carpet (i) QF 3–6, 7–6(7–2), 7–6(10–8) 9
13. Sweden Stefan Edberg 2 Stuttgart, Germany Carpet (i) F 6–7(5–7), 6–3, 6–4, 6–4 9
14. Spain Carlos Costa 10 French Open, Paris, France Clay 4R 6–3, 4–6, 6–1, 6–1 9
15. Sweden Stefan Edberg 2 Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom Grass QF 6–7(10–12), 7–5, 6–1, 3–6, 6–3 8
16. United States Pete Sampras 3 Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom Grass SF 6–7(4–7), 7–6(7–5), 6–4, 6–2 8
17. Sweden Stefan Edberg 3 Sydney, Australia Hard (i) F 6–4, 6–2, 6–4 8
18. Germany Boris Becker 10 Stockholm, Sweden Carpet (i) QF 7–5, 6–4 7
19. Sweden Stefan Edberg 3 Stockholm, Sweden Carpet (i) SF 6–4, 7–6(10–8) 7
20. United States Michael Chang 5 ATP Tour World Championships, Frankfurt, Germany Carpet (i) RR 7–6(7–4), 6–2 4
21. United States Jim Courier 1 ATP Tour World Championships, Frankfurt, Germany Carpet (i) RR 6–3, 6–3 4
22. Netherlands Richard Krajicek 10 ATP Tour World Championships, Frankfurt, Germany Carpet (i) RR 6–4, 6–3 4
1993
23. United States Pete Sampras 1 Rome, Italy Clay SF 7–6(7–4), 6–2 6
24. Austria Thomas Muster 9 Vienna, Austria Carpet (i) F 4–6, 6–4, 6–4, 7–6(7–3) 12
25. United States Michael Chang 7 Paris, France Carpet (i) 3R 7–6(7–5), 7–5 11
26. United States Pete Sampras 1 Paris, France Carpet (i) QF 7–6(7–3), 7–5 11
27. Sweden Stefan Edberg 6 Paris, France Carpet (i) SF 4–6, 7–6(7–4), 7–6(7–3) 11
28. Ukraine Andriy Medvedev 8 Paris, France Carpet (i) F 6–4, 6–2, 7–6(7–2) 11
29. Spain Sergi Bruguera 4 ATP Tour World Championships, Frankfurt, Germany Carpet (i) RR 6–4, 7–6(7–4) 8
30. Sweden Stefan Edberg 5 ATP Tour World Championships, Frankfurt, Germany Carpet (i) RR 7–6(7–3), 6–7(5–7), 6–3 8
1994
31. Germany Boris Becker 10 Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom Grass SF 6–2, 7–6(8–6), 6–4 5
32. Sweden Stefan Edberg 5 Tokyo, Japan Carpet (i) SF 6–4, 6–4 2
33. United States Michael Chang 9 Tokyo, Japan Carpet (i) F 6–4, 6–4 2
34. United States Andre Agassi 8 Stockholm, Sweden Carpet (i) QF 6–1, 3–6, 7–6(10–8) 2
35. Germany Boris Becker 3 Grand Slam Cup, Munich, Germany Carpet (i) QF 6–4, 6–1 5
1995
36. Spain Alberto Berasategui 7 Barcelona, Spain Clay QF 1–6, 6–4, 6–4 9
37. Russia Yevgeny Kafelnikov 9 World Team Cup, Düsseldorf, Germany Clay RR 6–4, 7–6(7–4) 4
38. Sweden Magnus Larsson 10 World Team Cup, Düsseldorf, Germany Clay F 6–4, 6–4 4
39. Russia Yevgeny Kafelnikov 7 Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom Grass QF 7–5, 7–6(13–11), 6–3 6
40. Russia Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6 Grand Slam Cup, Munich, Germany Carpet (i) SF 7–6(9–7), 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 10
1996
41. South Africa Wayne Ferreira 10 Dubai, United Arab Emirates Hard QF 6–2, 6–1 9
42. Germany Boris Becker 4 Antwerp, Belgium Carpet (i) SF 6–4, 7–6(7–5) 9
43. Russia Yevgeny Kafelnikov 8 Rotterdam, Netherlands Carpet (i) F 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 6
44. United States Michael Chang 4 Miami, United States Hard QF 6–4, 6–4 6
45. United States Pete Sampras 2 Miami, United States Hard SF 2–6, 6–4, 6–4 6
46. Russia Yevgeny Kafelnikov 3 Moscow, Russia Carpet (i) F 3–6, 6–1, 6–3 4
47. Austria Thomas Muster 5 ATP Tour World Championships, Hanover, Germany Carpet (i) RR 6–4, 6–4 4
48. Netherlands Richard Krajicek 8 ATP Tour World Championships, Hanover, Germany Carpet (i) RR 6–4, 6–7(4–7), 7–6(7–1) 4
49. Russia Yevgeny Kafelnikov 3 Grand Slam Cup, Munich, Germany Carpet (i) SF 6–7(6–8), 2–6, 6–3, 6–2, 6–4 4
1997
50. Austria Thomas Muster 2 Davis Cup, Graz, Austria Clay (i) RR 6–7(5–7), 7–5, 6–7(5–7), 6–2, 7–5 5
51. United States Michael Chang 2 World Team Cup, Düsseldorf, Germany Clay RR 6–2, 2–6, 6–3 4
52. United Kingdom Greg Rusedski 4 Vienna, Austria Carpet (i) F 3–6, 6–7(4–7), 7–6(7–4), 6–2, 6–3 9
1998
53. United Kingdom Greg Rusedski 8 Split, Croatia Carpet (i) F 7–6(7–3), 7–6(7–5) 16
54. United Kingdom Greg Rusedski 5 Hamburg, Germany Clay 3R 6–4, 6–2 23
1999
55. Russia Yevgeny Kafelnikov 2 Basel, Switzerland Carpet (i) QF 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 44
56. Brazil Gustavo Kuerten 5 Vienna, Austria Hard (i) 1R 6–1, 6–7(2–7), 6–4 43
2001
57. Sweden Thomas Enqvist 9 Indian Wells, United States Hard 2R 7–6(7–1), 6–3 126
58. Russia Marat Safin 3 Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom Grass QF 7–6(7–2), 7–5, 3–6, 7–6(7–3) 125
59. Australia Pat Rafter 10 Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom Grass F 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 9–7 125
60. Brazil Gustavo Kuerten 1 Tennis Masters Cup, Sydney, Australia Hard (i) RR 6–2, 6–7(2–7), 6–4 13

Records

  • The only male player to win a Grand Slam title as a wild card. He achieved this at Wimbledon in 2001.
  • Most aces by any player in a single season 1991 to present (1,477 in 1996).

Post-playing

Senior tennis tour and other engagements

Right after retiring from the ATP Tour in 2004, Ivanišević started playing on the ATP Champions Tour (seniors' circuit).

In 2005, he was a member of the Croatian team for the Davis Cup final against Slovakia in Bratislava, although he did not play. Croatia won the final 3–2. Ivanišević received a winner's medal and his name was engraved on the trophy along with Mario Ančić, Ivo Karlović, Ivan Ljubičić and team captain Nikola Pilić.

In June 2006, he performed in the Calderstones Park tournament in Liverpool. In November of the same year, Ivanišević won the Merrill Lynch Tour of Champions tournament in Frankfurt, defeating John McEnroe 7–6(12), 7–6(1).

In 2007, Roger Federer, seeking his 5th consecutive Wimbledon title against Rafael Nadal in the final, practiced with Ivanišević. Federer said the practice session helped him against Nadal.

As of 2019, Ivanišević still takes part in tournaments on the seniors' circuit, and he is currently coaching Novak Djokovic.

On 17 July, Ivanišević faced Rafter once again in an exhibition match on 2019 Croatia Open Umag. The match was held to celebrate 18th "birthday" of the famous 2001 Wimbledon final in which Ivanišević won. Ivanišević won once again 6–4, 6–4. The Croatian Open Centre Court has also been renamed in Ivanišević's honour.

Investments

Retiring in 2004 also allowed thirty-three-year-old Ivanišević to devote more attention to investing in the real estate and construction industries, which he had already been involved with since 1998, conducting the activities through the simultaneously registered Sport Line limited liability company based in Split, Croatia. Due to Ivanišević being an active tennis player at the time of the venture's launch, most of the company's initial day-to-day business was handled by his father Srdjan. Their main activity was an ambitious undertaking—construction of a 65-unit luxury apartment building in the Split neighbourhood of Firule. Named "Lazarica 2", the building's construction was supposed to start in November 1998 and finish by late 2000. After many delays, the project finally completed in 2003, but dragged the company into debt due to many unsold units.

News of Ivanišević's financial problems first appeared in the summer of 2005 after he talked about it in an interview with Globus newsmagazine, revealing Lazarica 2 to be a "failed project", as well as admitting to being "devoured by sharks" after hastily getting into investments that in hindsight he viewed as "jumping overnight from kindergarten to university". Later that year, he also talked to the Daily Telegraph about "losing substantial amount of money" in some of his investments.

By September 2006, after months of speculation, Ivanišević joined a group of investors—including active AC Milan footballer Dario Šimić, retired basketball player Ivica Žurić as well as businessmen Marijan Šarić, Mate Šarić, and Batheja Pramod—for a joint HRK93 million (~€12.5 million) investment into the added market capitalization of Karlovačka banka. Ivanišević, Šimić, and Žurić invested HRK19 million (~€2.5 million) each, thus each obtaining 9% ownership stake in the bank.

Ivanišević's finances became news again in August 2010 after reports of his Sunseeker Predator 72 motor yacht being repossessed by Hypo Leasing Kroatien, a subsidiary of Hypo Alpe Adria Bank due to reportedly a full year of Ivanišević failing to meet his 12,000 monthly lease payments. Ivanišević would deny this, saying that the yacht was returned due to mechanical defect.

On 31 January 2013, after accumulating debts of HRK5.7 million (~€752,000), Ivanišević's company Sport Line filed for bankruptcy settlement proceedings before the Croatian Trade Court. Among the list of entities the company reportedly owed money to is the Croatian government in the amount of HRK1.1 million (~€145,000). Additionally, even his real estate business, conducted through another limited liability company, Goran promocije, was in trouble, with its account blocked for over a year with debts of HRK1.14 million. According to Croatian media reports, as of his company's 2013 bankruptcy proceedings, most of Ivanišević's assets—such as his two Zagreb apartments, his ownership stake in Karlovačka banka, and his 40,000 m2 of land in Duilovo—were safe from being sold off or liquidated as he had already signed them over to either his wife Tatjana Dragović (the Zagreb apartments and bank stake) or his mother Gorana Ivanišević (the plot of land).

Sports administration

In August 2005 Ivanišević got voted to be one of four vice-presidents of the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO) working under president Zlatko Mateša.

Coaching

Marin Čilić (2013—2016)

In June 2013, in the wake of Marin Čilić's doping-related nine-month suspension that came into effect in the middle of his 2013 Wimbledon participation, the player reached out to his compatriot Ivanišević to become his new coach. Čilić's suspension was eventually reduced to 4 months.

Čilić won the 2014 US Open under Ivanišević's guidance. The two split after the 2016 Wimbledon where Čilić lost a tough five-set quarterfinal match to Roger Federer having initially been up 2-sets-to-none.

Tomáš Berdych (2016—2017)

Only weeks after Ivanišević's split with Čilić, Tomáš Berdych announced on 8 August 2016 via social media that Ivanišević will begin coaching him, starting at 2016 Western & Southern Open.

In early June 2017, immediately after Berdych's second round upset loss to unseeded Karen Khachanov at the 2017 French Open, the 14th-ranked ATP player Berdych fired his coach Ivanišević.

Milos Raonic (2018—2019)

In February 2018, the 31st-ranked ATP player and 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic—having had his 2017 season marked by prolonged layoffs due to wrist and knee injury issues in addition to just coming off being eliminated from the Australian Open in a first round upset to unseeded Lukáš Lacko—looked to hire a new coach by holding separate trials with Jonas Björkman during the Delray Beach Open and Ivanišević during the Indian Wells Masters. Soon after, having made the semifinals at Indian Wells, Raonic hired Ivanišević.

Ivanišević coached Raonic until just before the 2019 Indian Wells Masters, when Raonic announced that he would be getting a new coach Fabrice Santoro. In a December 2019 interview, ten months removed from his collaboration with Raonic, Ivanišević (now coaching Novak Djokovic) described the experience of coaching Raonic as being "filled with struggles due to lack of proper communication", likening it to "talking to a wall" and adding that Raonic should have gotten a psychiatrist instead of a coach.

Novak Djokovic (2019—present)

On 30 June 2019, Novak Djokovic confirmed that he had added Ivanišević to his coaching team.

Personal life

In 1998, Ivanišević began dating Serbian-Croatian model Tatjana Dragović after reportedly seeing her on the cover of the Cosmopolitan magazine's September 1996 edition and obtaining her phone number. Ivanišević married Dragović in 2009 and they have two children, Amber Maria and Emanuel. Their official divorce proceedings, reportedly initiated by Dragović, began in April 2013. He has one child, Oliver, with his second wife Nives Čanović.

His eldest son Emanuel is also playing tennis. In 2023, he has won U-16 Croatian doubles championships.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Goran Ivanišević para niños

  • List of Grand Slam men's singles champions

Filmography and television

Film

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2001 Wimbledon Official Film 2001 Himself

Television

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2005 Mjenjačnica Himself

Music videos

Music Videos
Year Artist Title Notes
2007 Nina Badrić "Da se opet tebi vratim" Croatian music video

Video

  • Wimbledon 2001 Final: Rafter Vs Ivanišević Standing Room Only, DVD Release Date: 30 October 2007, Run Time: 195 minutes, ASIN: B000V02CT6.
kids search engine
Goran Ivanišević Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.