Your Top 5 Favorite Patrick Rafter moments.

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PatRafter

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In no particular order, my top 5 favorite Patrick Rafter moments....
Its a shame he's not playing anymore, he was one of my all time favorite players. His serve and volley game was awesome but that said here's my top 5.

1. His Davis Cup victory over France.
2. His 5 setter epic with Goran Ivanisevic in Wimbledon 2001
3. His 2001 semi-final 5 set battle with Andre Agassi at the Aussie Open
4. His 2 US Open victories.
5. When he reached no.1 in the world.

All Patrick Rafter fans, please chime in...
 
As PatRafter himself said it above, Rafter was a big game hunter who played to peak at big events, like Pat Cash. Rafter was really, really well-liked in NY as Open champion, and in the years that followed. He played the game right, who worked hard, and he sweated like a mother. Reality check: he's been retired now for six tennis seasons!!! (Hard to believe)
 
Wow...Seems like only yesterday he retired...

Well, the new racket I'm getting, the Prince Triple Threat Warrior MP, is supposedly modeled after old Rafty's stick of choice, so I did a little research on him.

He seems like a really likable guy, compared to some of the other players of his era, and he really did work for every point.

His low GS total doesn't reflect what a competitor he was.
 
I loved watching him...yeah he was a late bloomer, but I think he maximized his potential to be a great champion he was. The only regret he might have....is that he wasn't able to win the Wimby...the match against Goran..was definitely one of the classics, though.
 
I was watching my DVD's of his matches last night. It was always a joy to watch him play. His serve was amazing, although I've never seen anyone who could emulate it. The back bend and the pressure put on the shoulder is intense.
 
my favorite moment: down championship point, Rafter hit a topspin lob over the tall Goran that dipped inside the baseline at the last moment. You would have to see it to believe the guts he had.
 
Pat being Pistol Pete @ Cincinatti final in '98.
I believe he aced him on match point, and Pete was arguing over the call.
His semi final run to the semi finals @ French Open '97.
Beating Agassi in 4th round '97 US Open.
His semi final win over Agassi @ Wimbledon '00.
Beating Sampras in US Open semis '98 to show it wasn't a fluke the previous year.
His interview on Andrew Denton's "Enough Rope".
 
Anyone see the blurb Sampras wrote about Fed in the new issue of Tennis magazine?

"Some guys-Pat Rafter comes to mind-have to work too hard to win. Their games require such focus, dedication, and effort that they wear themselves out."

Kind of a backhanded compliment, but true. PR busted his ass out on the court. So fun to watch.

Favorite moment: The second USO win, after Mac called him a "one slam wonder".

BTW, the Warrior MP is a great stick!
 
1. Seeing every single player he encountered, on his walk from the locker room at the Aus Open, past the player's lounge and out to court, take the time to say hi and be genuinely glad to see him. It was in stark contrast to the more hirsute but less sweaty #1 who, on the same walk, was actively avoided by most of his fellow players.
 
PatRafter said:
In no particular order, my top 5 favorite Patrick Rafter moments....
Its a shame he's not playing anymore, he was one of my all time favorite players. His serve and volley game was awesome but that said here's my top 5.

1. His Davis Cup victory over France.
2. His 5 setter epic with Goran Ivanisevic in Wimbledon 2001
3. His 2001 semi-final 5 set battle with Andre Agassi at the Aussie Open
4. His 2 US Open victories.
5. When he reached no.1 in the world.

All Patrick Rafter fans, please chime in...
Click to expand...

Hi,

#1 - Gave his winnings from his two GS wins to a Childrens Hospital in OZ...

Regards,
Steve
 
To sort of echo what AndrewD said....

1]
Early 90s, I played the qualies of a few very small tournaments Pat was in early in his career on the circuit (qualies and main draw). The guy radiated sportsmanship and sincerity (and competitiveness) everywhere he went. I never actually practiced with him or hung out with him or anything, but I just always got the feeling that after he'd get into main draws of Slams, he'd remember the hacks and journeymen he stepped on on the way up.
SO yeah, my favorite Pat Rafter moiment is just everday Pat.

2]
Years later, at the US vs AUS Davis Cup tie at Longwood Cricket Club, he ran into me outside the stands, remembered me and ribbed me for going up a shorts size, haha.

3]
And, though he was never my favorite player or anything, I was pretty pumped for the guy when he won the Open in 1997.

4]
The way he handled losing to Goran in that amazing WImbledon final was a defining moment as well.

5]
That serve that went through multiple strings (near the throat) against Pete.

Cheers, Pat. You're a well-loved, true blue goodguy.
 
Last edited:
#1. When Sampras hit a serve thru his strings in the cincy final.

2. The Wimbledon final against Goran.
 
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