BY MICHAEL PERRY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Goran Ivanisevic throws his racket in disgust but won in three sets.
(Ernest Coleman photo)
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MASON -- Goran Ivanisevic was trailing 3-2 in the third set Tuesday when he sent his racket sailing toward his chair at midcourt to start a changeover. Intentionally.
During the rest of the set, he screamed at himself, looked frustrated, disgusted, angry, and proceeded to defeat Andrew Ilie 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 in the first round of the Great American Insurance ATP Championship.
"It's OK," Ivanisevic said. "It's pretty hot. I have to get myself (worked up). I didn't play well. But when I needed it, I put some first serves in. He's very tough to play. I hit hard, he hits harder."
Getting himself worked up has been a major task the past month or so.
Ivanisevic, ranked No. 16 in the world, was devastated after losing in five sets to Pete Sampras in the final at Wimbledon. It was his third runner-up finish in the Grand Slam event.
Afterward, he returned home to Croatia and went out on his boat to some islands with friends for about 18 days. He didn't pick up a racket. He didn't talk or think about tennis.
"I needed that bad," he said. "I just relaxed. I didn't think so much about Wimbledon. I just put my mind away."
He did not return to the sport until July 27 -- three weeks later -- in Los Angeles, where he lost in the first round to No. 47 Guillaume Raoux with almost no practice beforehand.
In Toronto last week, Ivanisevic lost to Andre Agassi in the round of 16.
The pain of Wimbledon remains.
"It still hurts," he said. "It's tough not to think about it.
"Hopefully if I can motivate myself, I can have a good summer. It is not easy but I am trying my best. I am just hoping I can win more matches and that can bring my motivation back."
The 5-foot-9 Ilie, a Romanian-born Australian, did not fade easily into the afternoon sun.
Blanking the hard-serving Ivanisevic for a set is no simple task. Ilie just could not break his foe late in the third set.
"You always have to be a little bit lucky to beat him," Ilie said.
Ilie has battled injuries for most of the past year and a half. When he returned to play last November in lower-level tournaments, his ranking was in the 600s.
In May, Ilie became the first qualifier in 12 years to win an ATP Tour event, at Coral Springs, Fla. At the time he was ranked No. 169. Now he's up to 51.
On the court, he makes sure to bounce the ball five times before serving. He prefers to get balls from ballboys on the right side. Before returning a serve, he bounces on his feet in front of the baseline, then behind it.
During changeovers, he always adjusts his socks, the chain around his neck, and re-ties his bandana, which is worn over his white baseball hat.
"I have a whole list," he said. "I do my own little thing. It's just a routine that makes me feel at home wherever I go. Just a routine, not really superstitions.
"It just comes down to what I feel comfortable with."
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