Ancic to continue Croatian tradition
20 June 2005
By Barry Flatman The Times
THE All England Club employs a bird of prey to discourage pigeons, while a small army of security guards will work around the clock for the next fortnight to keep unwelcome or unticketed humans outside the grounds.
As yet there are no plans to bring in an exorcist to banish the Croatian spirit that many insist lurks somewhere inside Centre Court.
Mario Ancic, who revelled at the sight of his inspiration, Goran Ivanisevic, winning in 2001 after receiving a wild card and then walked out to beat Britain's lone hope Tim Henman in the quarter-finals a year ago, is content for that situation to continue.
The sons of Croatia have more than made their mark at SW19. Ivanisevic's title triumph is the thing of which legends are made. Ivo Karlovic made Lleyton Hewitt suffer the ignominy of being the only defending champion to lose in the first round in the open era and Ancic remains the last player to beat Roger Federer on grass.
Three years on from that victory and four on from Ivanisevic's success, both believe the time is right for another Croatian title. Although Ancic, 21, is seeded 10th, with potentially Hewitt and Federer barring his way to the final, he is one of a handful of players who can be spoken of as true contenders.
Ivanisevic has been Ancic's mentor since meeting the youngster as a 10-year-old in their home town of Split.
"You look at Federer, you look at Hewitt, Roddick, Henman, but anyone who doesn't look at Mario and realise he is ready to be champion is just crazy," Ivanisevic said.
"He possesses something a little bit special. He is great under the sort of pressure he will experience at Wimbledon. Mario has grown up a lot in the last year. Now he is ready."
When Ivanisevic won Wimbledon, Ancic had returned from playing a series of third-tier Futures tournaments in Canada, and he and coach Bob Brett thought it was imperative to spend as much time as possible with the new champion.
"I'm so happy I got back to Croatia in time," Ancic said. "I went out on the boat that met Goran and for the next two days I was beside him at so many parties. It made me realise the fulfillment that comes with winning such a tournament."
Brett was succeeded by Rohan Goetzkee, an Australian who had spent the previous decade working with the 1996 Wimbledon champion, Richard Krajicek. A fresh perspective drew benefits and Ancic altered his service action and approach to net play.
Goetzkee insisted that Ivanisevic shouldn't be a lone role model and that the volleying of Krajicek, utilising the long arms that made passing so difficult for an opponent on the defence, should be used as a template.
"(Ancic) returns very well, and although I thought I was good, Mario is better than me and I like the way he's changed his serve," Ivanisevic said.
Ancic won the grasscourt title in 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, yesterday, beating France's Mickael Llodra 7-5 6-4.