Rafter claims top spot

Men like Rafter used to be known as `good blokes’ on the circuit, but they are few and far between in modern tennis where cash is king and sponsorship commitments outweigh socialising.

Rafter’s drawl of `sorry, mate’ when a service throw-up goes awry contrasts sharply with the attitude of most players who won’t even look each other in the eye at changeovers. With successive US Open titles, more than 5 million dollar prize money in the bank and a luxurious home in Bermuda, Rafter has made the most of his phenomenal natural ability on court.

But just 13 months ago his world looked very different. Mentally Rafter had sunk to an all-time low and he was seriously questioning his future in the sport.

His successful defence of the US Open crown confounded critics like John McEnroe who had labelled him a `one-slam wonder.’

This year, he has been much more consistent and impressive — on all surfaces.

In May he reached the final of the Italian Open on clay in Rome, beating Andre Agassi, Nicolas Lapentti and Felix Mantilla before falling to Gustavo Kuerten.

He reached the third round of the French Open, defended his title in Den Bosch and then reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon, his best performance there, before succumbing to Agassi.

Rafter leads Australian men’s tennis by example on and off the court. He propelled his country to Davis Cup victory over the US by winning the deciding, five-set singles of a quarter-final against Todd Martin in Boston this month.

In a sport populated by inflated egos and multi-millionaires, Rafter remains resolutely down-to-earth.

After his US Open win last September he gave a third of his winnings — 180,000 dollars — to help children at a Brisbane hospital. He had donated the same amount to fund a leisure room at the hospital when he won the previous final.

Tournament organisers have also been the beneficiaries of his sense of fair play. In 1997 in Lyon, Rafter lost in the first round and handed back the money he had been given to enter the tournament.

“I gave it back because I felt I was not well-prepared enough for the tournament,” he said.

His Davis Cup captain John Newcombe told Melbourne’s Herald Sun today, “I’ve always talked to Pat on worrying about the number one spot in 2000 and 2001 and if it comes this year it’s a bonus.”

“But his biggest two years are going to be the next two. If he treats it like that and worries about his own goals he’s setting for himself, he’ll handle it okay.

“If he gets caught up in all the hyperbole of number one, it could affect him.”

Newcombe added: “He’s a man now who knows what he has to do if he wants to get the job done. I think he’s going to take that opportunity to commit himself to the next two years to getting a very serious place in tennis history.”

Another Aussie great, former Wimbledon, Australian and US Open champion Ashley Cooper, also believed Rafter’s best was still to come — as long as he learnt to get more slice on his second serve.

“Pat’s of the new era of Australians who weren’t brought up on grass, but he’s learning and he’ll get there,” Cooper said.

Rafter’s mother, Jocelyn, spoke to her son at his base in Bermuda earlier today and said it was business as usual.

“I said `what are you going to do?’ He said, `I have been working all the time. I have got to go start training. I have got a tournament to play soon,” she said.