Patrick Rafter (AUS)

Pat Rafter was thinking of quitting after the season has ended, but now he is having a six week break after the US Open, i am glad he isn't quitting, as he is a great player and can beat the top tennis players at anytime, with his game.

Country - Australia

Date of Birth- December 28, 1972
Birthplace - Mount Isa, Queensland
Birthplace: Mount Isa, QSLD, Australia

Grand Slam titles - 2
2000 Champions Race - 15
Current Champions Race Position: 4

Australian Open -Semi-finalist 2001
French Open - Semi-finalist 1997
Wimbledon - Runner-up 2000
US Open - Champion 1997, 1998

Residence: Pembroke, Bermuda
Height: 6'1'' (185 cm)
Weight: 190 lbs (86 kg)
Plays: Right-handed
Turned Pro: 1991

Shoes: Reebok Bonzer DMX Mid
Racquet: Prince Prince Triple Threat Warrior Midplus
Clothing: Reebok Reebok

2001 Review

Singles Record: 38 - 13

Singles Titles: 0

Doubles Record: 12 - 4

Doubles Titles: 0

Prize Money: $1,409,592

Career Review

Singles Record: 348 - 185

Singles Titles: 10

Double Titles: 10

Prize Money: $10,842,311


Singles Record: 348 - 185
Singles Titles: 10
Double Titles: 10
Prize Money: $10,842,311

This years Results

Australian Open, Australia
Grand Slam, 1/15/2001, O, Hard , Draw: 128

R128 Draper, Scott (AUS ) 6-3 6-2 7-5
R64 Davydenko, Nikolay (RUS ) 6-4 2-6 6-3 7-6(4)
R32 Kratochvil, Michel (SUI ) 6-4 6-1 7-5
R16 Henman, Tim (GBR ) 6-2 6-3 6-3
Q Hrbaty, Dominik (SVK ) 6-2 6-7(4) 7-5 6-0
S Agassi, Andre (USA ) 5-7 6-2 7-6(5) 2-6 3-6
This Event Points: 90, New Champions Race Position: 0, Prize Money: US $ 115875

AUS v ECU WG Rd 1, Perth, Australia
DC, 2/9/2001, O, Grass , Draw: 4

RR Lapentti, Nicolas (ECU ) 6-3 6-0 7-5
RR Lapentti, Giovanni (ECU ) 6-3 6-1
This Event Points: 0, New Champions Race Position: N/A, Prize Money: US $ 0

Dubai, U.A.E.
International Series Gold, 2/26/2001, O, Hard , Draw: 32

R32 Kiefer, Nicolas (GER ) 6-2 6-4
R16 Medvedev, Andrei (UKR ) 6-7(1) 6-4 1-6
This Event Points: 5, New Champions Race Position: 7, Prize Money: US $ 12800

Delray Beach, FL, U.S.A.
International Series, 3/5/2001, O, Hard , Draw: 32

R32 Gustafsson, Magnus (SWE ) 5-7 6-3 7-5
R16 Vanek, Jiri (CZE ) 6-3 7-6(3)
Q Arthurs, Wayne (AUS ) 1-6 6-7
This Event Points: 8, New Champions Race Position: 9, Prize Money: US $ 9350

Indian Wells TMS, California, USA
Tennis Masters Series, 3/12/2001, O, Hard , Draw: 64

R64 Rusedski, Greg (GBR ) 6-3 6-2
R32 Di Pasquale, Arnaud (FRA ) 6-2 6-2
R16 Corretja, Alex (ESP ) 4-6 6-3 6-4
Q Sampras, Pete (USA ) 6-4 6-7(4) 4-6
This Event Points: 25, New Champions Race Position: 7, Prize Money: US $ 58500

Miami Ericsson Open, FL, U.S.A.
Tennis Masters Series, 3/19/2001, O, Hard , Draw: 96

R128 Bye, ()
R64 Bryan, Bob (USA ) 6-2 6-1
R32 Clavet, Francisco (ESP ) 16 6-3 3-6 6-3
R16 Corretja, Alex (ESP ) 6-4 6-3
Q Federer, Roger (SUI ) 6-3 6-1
S Agassi, Andre (USA ) 6 7-6(2) 2-6
This Event Points: 45, New Champions Race Position: 5, Prize Money: US $ 123000

AUS v BRA WG QF, Florianapolis
DC, 4/6/2001, O, Clay , Draw: 4

RR Kuerten, Gustavo (BRA ) 6-4 4-6 6-7(1) 1-2
This Event Points: 0, New Champions Race Position: N/A, Prize Money: US $ 0

World Team Cup, Dusseldorf, Germany
WT, 5/21/2001, O, Clay , Draw: 64

RR Balcells, Juan (ESP ) 6-3 6-2
RR Enqvist, Thomas (SWE ) 6-3 6-3
RR Kiefer, Nicolas (GER ) 6-1 2-6 4-6
This Event Points: 0, New Champions Race Position: 11, Prize Money: US $ 195000

Roland Garros, France
Grand Slam, 5/28/2001, O, Clay , Draw: 128

R128 Arthurs, Wayne (AUS ) 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-7(5) 1-6
This Event Points: 1, New Champions Race Position: N/A, Prize Money: US $ 8845

Halle, Germany
International Series, 6/11/2001, O, Grass , Draw: 32

R32 Vacek, Daniel (CZE ) 6-3 6-4
R16 Pavel, Andrei (ROM ) 6-3 6-3
Q Federer, Roger (SUI ) 4-6 7-6(6) 7-6(4)
S Santoro, Fabrice (FRA ) 5-7 4-6
This Event Points: 22, New Champions Race Position: N/A, Prize Money: US $ 48000

's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
International Series, 6/18/2001, O, Grass , Draw: 32

R32 Wessels, Peter (NED ) 5-7 4-6
This Event Points: 1, New Champions Race Position: N/A, Prize Money: US $ 3720

Wimbledon, England
Grand Slam, 6/25/2001, O, Grass , Draw: 128

R128 Vacek, Daniel (CZE ) 6-2 7-6(7) 6-3
R64 Dosedel, Slava (CZE ) 7-5 4-6 6-4 6-1
R32 Arazi, Hicham (MAR ) 7-6(3) 6-4 7-5
R16 Youzhny, Mikhail (RUS ) 2-6 6-3 6-2 7-5
Q Enqvist, Thomas (SWE ) 6-1 6-3 7-6(5)
S Agassi, Andre (USA ) 2-6 6-3 3-6 6-2 8-6
F Ivanisevic, Goran (CRO ) 3-6 6-3 3-6 6-2 7-9
This Event Points: 140, New Champions Race Position: 9, Prize Money: US $ 353102

Montreal / Toronto TMS, Montreal, Canada
Tennis Masters Series, 7/30/2001, O, Hard , Draw: 64

R64 Levy, Harel (ISR ) 6-7(5) 6-3 6-3
R32 Norman, Magnus (SWE ) 6-1 7-6(2)
R16 Martin, Todd (USA ) 6-4 6-2
Q Ferrero, Juan Carlos (ESP ) 7-5 4-6 6-2
S Santoro, Fabrice (FRA ) 6-2 6-2
F Pavel, Andrei (ROM ) 6-7(3) 6-2 3-6
This Event Points: 70, New Champions Race Position: 6, Prize Money: US $ 211000

Cincinnati TMS, Ohio, USA
Tennis Masters Series, 8/6/2001, O, Hard , Draw: 64

R64 Portas, Albert (ESP ) 7-5 6-3
R32 Malisse, Xavier (BEL ) 6-0 6-3
R16 Blake, James (USA ) 7-6(7) 6-2
Q Rusedski, Greg (GBR ) 5-7 7-6(5) 6-4
S Hewitt, Lleyton (AUS ) 6-4 6-3
F Kuerten, Gustavo (BRA ) 1-6 3-6
This Event Points: 70, New Champions Race Position: 4, Prize Money: US $ 211000

This season has been unlucky for Pat because of injures and has played bad or had bad luck in finals, so Pat hasn't won any titles this year. He has got to three semi-finals and to three finals, two of the semi-finals were against Andre Agassi.

He recently lost to Gustavo Kuerten in the final of the Cincinnati Masters, and played very badly, while Gustavo was on top of his form, just after coming out of a gruelling test against Tim Henman, 18 minutes later he played Pat. Though it was good preperation for him as the US Open is coming soon.

He also lost in the final in another Masters, this time in Montreal/Toronto the tornament before Cincinnati. He lost in three sets to Pavel, which is a shock as Pat is much better than Pavel and played some better players before the final and beat them so it was a complete shock he lost.

But overall he should be happy with his season so far as he has been struggling with injures and it is difficult to regain fitness and get top form again.

GRAND SLAMS

AUSTRALIAN OPEN: In the Australian Open he played some great tennis at times. In the first round he eased past Draper who is also a Aussie and beat him in three sets, next round he faced Davydenko, a Russian, it was though a tough battle he wasn't known to Pat so he didn't know his game that much, but he still beat him in three sets. Next up was Tim Henman, what should have been a tough battle but wasn't he won in three sets, in the quarters he faced Hrbaty and beat him in four sets and was a tough battle. Then the biggest match in the Open he faced was against Andre Agassi but lost in a five set epic, it was a good run though by Pat. He won't be at the Open next year as he is having a six weeks off tennis.

FRENCH OPEN: In the French Open he faced Wayne Arthurs and lost to his compratiot in five sets, which he should have won as Wayne can't play very well on clay, but Pat can. He can play with the best clay courters in the world, it will be intresting to see where he cames next year.

WIMBLEDON: In Wimbledon he played very well but again lost out in the finals for the second year running. He had a very eventful tornament and had two five setters during the tornament. He eased past Vacek in three sets, and also eased past Dosedel even though it was four sets. He then played Youzhny the Russian in the last sixteen, Youzhny was in his best form of his life and has become more known, it went to five sets and it was obvious though Pat was going to win and he did, and then controlled the match against Enqvist and won in three sets. He then faced Agassi in the semi Agassi started off controlling the game then it got more balanced and Pat emerged winning the epic, he then faced Ivanisevic in the final and lost in another five setter, so Pat is going to have to wait another year to see if he is going to win this title, and he will be close again thats for sure.

US OPEN: This Grand Slam made Pat known around the world and has rose up the rankings because of it, he won it in 1997 then the following year in 1998. He will be close this year and is in top form and has put his injures behind him.

HIS GAME:
SERVE AND VOLLEY: His serve has a lot of top spin on it and is very accurate but not that powerful, his second serve isn't the best but is normal. He is the best volleyer i think and can do any kind of volley consistently, the serve and volley work well togther. Also when lobbed he can unleash that feroucious backhand slam.
RATING: 10/10

RETURN OF SERVE: His return of serve is very lethal and will punish any bad serve, he can return very well with his backhand and forehand.
RATING: 9/10

GRANDSTROKES: His backhand has a lot of top spin and is one handed on it, it usually troubles the oppennent, his forehand is also powerful and is very patient at the baseline, when he sees a chance to go to the net he takes it.
RATING:8.5/10

He has injures in the season and during his career, because of that he thought of qutting the game but hasn't. He has had wrist, ankle and shoulder injures. He has shows his sportmanship and even says when players play better than him, he also has done charity work, and continues to sign autographs. He is a speedy player and athletic around the court.

I hope he has a good six weeks off playing and hope he will coming back all guns blazing.