p14

Kuerten rib muscle pull retirement give
Rafter first title in 14 months

By: Bill Scott

INDIANAPOLIS -- Two-time U.S. Open champion Patrick Rafter slipped reluctantly through the back door with a 4-2 result Sunday at the RCA Championhips, picking up a title victory after 14 long months as Gustavo Kuerten quit their match with a strained right rib muscle.

It took a mere 22 minutes for a clearly hampered Kuerten to give up on his chances after playing in pain.

With Rafter holding ad for a 5-2 margin, Kuerten called for ATP trainer Doug Spreen, who examined the rib and then informed the chair umpire that the Brazilian could not play on.

On Sunday morning, Kuerten had won a rain-delayed morning semi-final over Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic 1-6, 6-3, 6-2, then took treatment before heading out to do battle against Rafter an hour later.

Kuerten said he felt the injury had been slowly building for several days as he played in his fifth straight tournament since returning from a five-week summer break at home during the grass-court season. In this most recent period he won titles in Stuttgart and last week in Cincinnati, where he beat Rafter in straight sets.

Rafter was not keen on winning without a fight. "It's difficult to win like this and it's unfortunate for Guga. For me, it's a big thrill, but you never want to win in this fashion. But it's still very exciting to finally win a tournament, I'd almost forgotten the feeling."

The Australian was awarded with the keys to Indianapolis - but none of the officials who gathered courtside for the ceremony were quite sure what the key might open.

Rafter had his own ideas: "I guess it menas I can come back and keep any bar open as late as I want," he joked. "I can come around, play some golf and then have a beer until 3-4 in the morning."

On a more serious note, Rafter - no stranger to injury himself - sympathized with Kureten's no-win plight.

"It's a terrible situation to be in," said the fifth seed. "At the Australian Open in 1996 I was nearly crying walking off the court with a wrist problem. You bust your guts to get to a final, you feel that you can't let the public down.

"For Guga, it would have been easier to say before that couldn't play, but he didn't do that, he went out there and gave it a go."

Kuerten said he hopes to be fit for the start of the U.S. Open a week from today, but added: "If rest and treatment are not enough in that time, then it's out of my hands. I'm under no pressure."

Both men go into the Grand Slam on the short list of favourites.

Rafter, who has reached three finals in the last three weeks, was coy about his possibilities of actually playing in this week's Long Island event in New York, but said he will go to the tournament to "discuss things" with organizers.

Kuerten said there was likely no way he could have played it out. "There was something wrong in the ribcage, it was bothering me when I tried to lift my arm to hit a forehand," said the winner of an ATP-leading six titles and 55 match wins. "But Patrick played very aggressive and it was really tough for me."

Rafter's victory, solid or not, ended a victory drought which stretched back 14 months, a period which included a pair of Wimbledon finals losses this year and last. He now owns 11 trophys, including a pair of U.S. Open crowns.

Kuerten, who won $60,600 to the $115,000 of Rafter, said he felt let down by his failure to finish. "My arm rib hurts when I lift my arm, especially on a forehand," said the Brazilian "I had some treatment before this match, but there wasn't much time.

"I'll have to see a doctor and rest it. I hope to be back on court in three or four days." Kuerten was planning to spend next week preparing for the start of the U.S. Open in a week. A clearly tired Rafter was keeping his options open about his appearance in an ATP event at Long Island starting Monday, where Ivanisevic is also entered.

Rafter said he knew before the match that his opponent was not at 100 percent while noting him undergoing pre-play treatment. "When you see someone flailing like that on court, it's a bit like a wounded bull," said the Aussie fifth seed. "But they could loosen up and go for everything. You can get a bit nervous over that as well.

" He added: "It's a funny feeling to win, sort of a relief, but not the right sort of stuff. It's not like you fought hard and played great, that a lot more satisfying.

"But as I've said all week, if you wait for enough opportunities. someone may fall over, I hope I didn't put a jinx on him though."

Rafter gifted final

From our wire services

20 August 01

News Interactive

INDIANAPOLIS: A painful rib muscle strain has forced Gustavo Kuerten to quit while trailing 2-4 in his final with Patrick Rafter, handing the Australian the title at the $US800,000 RCA Championships here.

Kuerten, who claimed his first career hardcourt trophy here a year ago, gave up after 22 minutes on court.

With Rafter one point away from taking a 5-2 lead, the the Brazilian asked for ATP trainer Doug Sprain and then signalled that he could not go on.

Kuerten, 24, had earlier spent 68 minutes winning a rain-delayed semi-final over Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic 1-6 6-3 6-2, then took to the court for his second straight clash in a final against Rafter.

Kuerten won the Cincinnati Masters Series title a week ago over the Aussie in straight sets.

The victory ended a drought for Rafter which stretched back to June, 2000, when he won on grass in Holland. He now has won 11 titles, including a pair of US Open crowns.

But success was bittersweet at best.

"It's difficult to win like this and it's unfortunate for Guga," said Rafter.

"For me, it's a big thrill, but you never want to win in this fashion. But it's still very exciting to finally win a tournament, I'd almost forgotten the feeling."

Kuerten said he felt let down by his failure to finish.

"My rib hurts when I lift my arm, especially on a forehand," said the Brazilian "I had some treatment before this match, but there wasn't much time.

"I'll have to see a doctor and rest it. I hope to be back on court in three or four days."

Rafter claims RCA title when Kuerten retires because of injury
By MICHAEL MAROT
.c The Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Patrick Rafter desperately wanted to win a title - just
not like this.

The two-time U.S. Open champion earned his first tournament victory since
June 2000 on Sunday, when No. 1-ranked Gustavo Kuerten quit because of a
ribcage injury 22 minutes into the RCA Championships final.

It was Kuerten's second match of the day. He beat Wimbledon champion Goran
Ivanisevic 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 in a rain-delayed semifinal, then had about an hour
to rest before the final.

``It's like Murphy's Law. If you put yourself in position enough times,
someone will fall off and break an ankle,'' Rafter said.

``It wasn't an ankle, it was a rib.''

The Australian had lost three straight finals, including at Wimbledon.

Kuerten, the French Open champion, said he didn't know exactly what the
injury was or how it might affect his status for the U.S. Open, which starts
Aug. 27.

It was the second straight week Kuerten was forced to play a semifinal and
final on the same day. The Brazilian beat Tim Henman and then Rafter in
straight sets to win a tournament in Cincinnati last Sunday.

This time, the match started differently, with Rafter dropping just one point
in the first two games.

Right then, Rafter knew there was something wrong with his opponent.

``When you see someone flailing like that, it's kind of like a wounded
bull,'' Rafter said. ``It's a little dangerous and I knew that.''

Kuerten felt a twinge of pain in his right side while warming up for his
match against Ivanisevic and sought treatment during the break before the
final.

``The more I served, it started to feel worse and worse,'' Kuerten said. ``In
the match this morning, I was playing better and better and better, and I
gave myself a chance to win.''

With Rafter a point away from taking a 5-2 lead, though, the pain forced
Kuerten off the court. He walked to his courtside chair, asked for a trainer
and needed just a few minutes to decide he couldn't continue.

``It's tough, not only on the fans, but to myself, too,'' Kuerten said. ``You
don't play every day to not play in the final.''

Rafter, who earned $115,000, said the title gives him a boost of confidence
heading to the U.S. Open, even though the victory didn't come by design.

``I feel like, now, the monkey is off my back a little bit,'' Rafter said.
``If I get to the finals of the U.S. Open, it might be a little easier for
me. It's a very positive outcome, but you hate to win like that.''

Kuerten injury hands Rafter Indianapolis title
By Sandra Harwitt

INDIANAPOLIS, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Wimbledon finalist Pat Rafter finally won a
title when Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten was forced to retire injured from the
final of the Indianapolis Championships on Sunday.

Trailing 4-2 in the first set, the French Open champion conceded the match
after suffering a muscle strain on his right rib.

World number one Kuerten said he felt the pain when he arrived at the tennis
centre to practice in the morning and during his rain delayed 1-6 6-3 6-2
semifinal victory over Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic earlier in the
day.

"I wanted to try (and play in the final) because the crowd, they expect you
to play," said Kuerten, who won his first career hard court title here last
year.

"But at some stage, you feel it's too far an effort to go.

And to risk your body."

Kuerten, however, expects to be fit for the U.S. Open, which starts next
Monday.

"I don't feel too much pressure that I have to be okay for New York," Kuerten
said. "

"I think I will have the time to recover. I'm enthusiastic (about the Open)
and with hopes."

Kuerten's injury helped Rafter break his finals' jinx at long last. The
popular Australian had lost three consecutive finals going into the
tournament - at Wimbledon, Montreal and to Kuerten at last week's Tennis
Masters Series-Cincinnati.

"It's a really funny feeling to win like this - it just doesn't feel right,"
said Rafter, who was only on court for 26-minutes.

"It does feel like a bit of a monkey off my back. But it doesn't feel as
satisfying as when both of you play well and then you win."

The 28-year-old said he realised Kuerten was injured before the match
started.

"I knew before I walked on the court he was in trouble," said Rafter after
becoming the first Australian to win the Indianapolis title.

"I watched him when he was playing Goran in the morning and could see he was
in a little trouble. And then in the locker-room, he was making some noise."

"It's tough when you see someone flailing around like that, looking like a
wounded bull out there, trying to go for all or nothing."

Having played numerous tournaments during the hectic summer season, a tired
Rafter said he might withdraw from next week's Long Island tournament to take
a rest before the U.S. Open.

"You have to put me as a contender (for the U.S. Open)," said the twice U.S.
Open champion.

"But I do realise how good the field is there. But I'm one of the Top 10
guys to win it."

17:41 08-19-01

Rafter wins RCA Championships as Kuerten retires with injury
SportsTicker

INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Patrick Rafter surely will take a title any way he
can get it.

The fifth-seeded Rafter won his first ATP title in nearly 14 months Sunday,
capturing the $800,000 RCA Championships when top seed Gustavo Kuerten of
Brazil retired with an apparent right rib cage injury.

Rafter, who won $115,000, had a 4-2 lead in the opening set when Kuerten
abandoned the bid to defend his title here.

Rafter avoided his sixth straight finals loss. His last ATP title came on
June 25, 2000 at the Heineken Trophy in the Netherlands.

For the second straight week, Kuerten won a rain-delayed match to advance to
a final against Rafter. The reigning French Open champion rallied from one
set down earlier Sunday to defeat 10th seed Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia, 1-6,
6-3, 6-2, in the semifinals.

Last week, Rafter waited as Kuerten defeated Britain's Tim Henman in a Sunday
semifinal. Kuerten won and used the momentum to handle Rafter in straight
sets and win the Tennis Masters Series event at Cincinnati.

That was Rafter's third straight final appearance -- and third straight loss.
The two-time U.S. Open champion was beaten by Ivanisevic in the Wimbledon
final and also fell to Romania's Andrei Pavel last week in Montreal.

Rafter also lost to Pete Sampras at the Wimbledon final in July 2000 and to
Arnaud Clement at the Grand Prix of Tennis at Lyon, France in November.

Rafter improved to 30-7 on hard courts this season as he prepares for the
U.S. Open, the final Grand Slam of the year.

Kuerten has won a career-best six events this year and lost for just the
third time in his last 30 matches. However, his five titles before
Cincinnati came on clay and he is 19-6 on hard courts this year.

Ivanisevic has lost just twice in his last 15 matches, suffering both defeats
at the hands of Kuerten. His other setback came in the third round of the
TMS Cincinnati event.

With the win, Rafter knotted his lifetime series with Kuerten at four wins
apiece.

Finals Spotlight: Patrick Rafter

In case you haven’t heard, RCA Championships finalist Patrick Rafter is going to take a minimum six-month sabbatical from tennis next year.If the break away suits him, the popular Australian claims he might never return to tennis. That remains to be seen and most people close to the game believe that Rafter, a two-time U.S. Open champion, still has a burning desire to win Wimbledon. And the idea of Rafter winning Wimbledon is certainly not far-fetched since he’s reached the final at the All-England Club the last two years. Now according to Rafter the plan for the six-months is to not have a plan at all. What he does know is that he will split his time between being back in Australia and his Northern Hemisphere home in Bermuda. Some of the activities you can expect Rafter will be taking in as he fills his free time away from tennis is golf, soccer and sunning on the beach. Not bashful about his shortcomings, Rafter admits that his attempts to surf have failed, saying “I’ve tried but I’m bloody useless at it, so I’ve given it up.” Despite the fact that Great White sharks love to inhabit the beaches off Australia, Rafter has no fear of the fearsome underwater creature, saying, “Let the sharks live. After all, we’re swimming in their territory so if we get bitten, bad luck. Of course, I’ve never seen a shark, but even if I did I still believe it’s their territory.” One shark Rafter is planning on seeing today will be an eager final opponent and I’m sure he would say to either Gustavo Kuerten or Goran Ivanisevic, “Swim at your own risk!”

By Sandra Harwitt

Steak-and-beer final preparation may
be the secret for Rafter this time

By: Bill Scott

INDIANAPOLIS -- Patrick Rafter was planning to banish any nerves as he aims to fill the gaping hole in his trophy case as he heads into the final of the 800,000-dollar RCA Championships - his fourth of the summer without success.

The fifth-seeded Aussie has not seen a new addition to his prizes since June, 2000, on grass in Holland, when he won his last event. In the interim he';s lost the last two Wimbledon finals plus the last two Masters Series ATP events.

Going into last week's final in Cincinnati against Gustavo Kuerten, Rafter said he needed to take trophy matches more seriously.

As that tactic didn't pay off very well, he's now applying a more casual approach. "I'll have a couple of beers and steak sandwich to prepare - no mental preparation, no special stuff," said the laid-back Australian.

A hacker's mistake at the net on match point ended the finals dream of second-seeded Marat Safin Saturday as he handed the on-form Rafter a trip into another trophy match.

Safin became the first man all week to break the Queenslander's serve - snapping a 28-game streak without an error from the Aussie, set to take a lengthy break from the game starting early next year.

After saving one match point in the third set tie-breaker after two-hour 16 minutes on court, the 21-year-old U.S. Open winner from Russia snuffed an easy volley into the net, a frustrating way to end the afternoon battle. "It was a stupid mistake, I suddenly lost all concentration, I came up there to put it away and I didn't," said Sabin, who absorbed nine aces off the Aussie's hot racket, eight in the third set.

Said Rafter: "It was a shock at the end, but there were just a couple of points in the whole match. It could have gone any way. I'll take a win whenever I can get it."

Rafter will Sunday be trying to buck his losing trend, which began when he lost to Goran Ivanisevic in a classic five-setter at Wimbledon in July. Since then, the two-time U.S. Open winner has missed out of trophys at Toronto (against Andrei Pavel) and last week in Cincinnati versus Gustavo Kuerten.

Ivanisevic and Kuerten, two of the three reigning Grand Slam champions involved in the Indianapolis semis, were playing a night match. But ominous weather reports were calling for a strong storm to arrive before their start time.

Despite failing to duplicate his finals showing of last year, Safin did achieve a great measure of success as he turned his game around in the Midwest. The Russian came in 1-4 on North American hard-courts and can now take a massive confidence boost into his U.S. Open title defence starting Aug. 27.

"I was missing by not much at the net and he played great from the baseline and had good volleys," said Safin. "I missed on some returns, but I thought I played OK.

" Two-time U.S. Open winner Rafter now stands 42 wins, 13 defeats. He will be playing his sixth final since his last title. Nevertheless, the 28-year-old has kept his sense of humour. "Like I've been telling myself, if I hang in there, it will come around - someone will twist an ankle and I'll win."

Rafter said he was impressed by Safin's form in their first-ever match: "I don't think Marat's at the top of his confidence, but he's a great player. He's got big shots off both sides. It's hard to read where they are going."

Rafter in fourth final

From our wire services

19 August 01

News Interactive

INDIANAPOLIS: Australian Patrick Rafter has booked his fourth final in as many tournaments with a three set win over defending US Open champion Marat Safin at the $US800,000 ($1.53 million) RCA men's hardcourt event here.

Fifth seed Rafter upset the second seeded Russian 6-3 5-7 7-6 (9-7) to move into his fourth tournament decider after losing at Wimbledon, Montreal and Cincinnati.

In the final he will play either Croatian Goran Ivanisevic or top seeded Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten.

Rafter and Safin had never played before, and the Australian rated the Russian before Safin launched his US Open defence.

"I don't think he's at the top of his confidence. But he's a great player, he's got big shots off both sides," Rafter said.

"It's hard to read where his shots are going to go. He's got a heavy second serve and it's hard to do anything with it."

Rafter improved his 2001 record to 42 wins, 13 defeats but is still looking for his first title since June 2000.

Nevertheless, he has retained his trademark sense of humour.

"Like I've been telling myself, if I hang in there, it will come around - someone will twist an ankle and I'll win," he said.

Safin said he will take next week off to prepare for his US Open title

Rafter rolls, but sore ankle may trip him up

By Mark Ambrogi
Indianapolis Star
August 18, 2001

Patrick Rafter had a tee time booked for this afternoon.

"I guess I'll have to cancel that. Bloody tennis,' said the Australian, who reached the RCA Championships semifinals by beating Max Mirnyi 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) in Friday's quarterfinals at the Indianapolis Tennis Center.

Despite a tender left ankle and a tired right serving arm, Rafter keeps playing well enough that he isn't giving himself any breaks.

"I'm struggling (physically), but I'm getting through,' said Rafter, who injured his ankle playing soccer in Bermuda after Wimbledon. "I'm enjoying playing the matches and winning. I want to keep going as long as I can. But it's starting to get tough.'

Since the start of Wimbledon, Rafter has won 19 of 22 matches. He lost in the final in his past three tournaments (Wimbledon, Montreal and Cincinnati).

Hardly appears like a man contemplating retirement. Rafter, who turns 29 in December, will take six months off after this year to determine whether he wants to play again.

"I'm not mentally straining myself on the court,' he said. "When you play in a relaxed frame of mind, you play your best tennis. I've been able to do that. When it comes to the U.S. Open, my approach will be more intense. We'll see if my tennis is as good.'

Rafter is the only player who has yet to lose his serve in the tourney.

"The court and (softer Wilson) balls are perfect for my style,' he said. "I don't hit the ball necessarily that hard. I try to position it.'

The combination is suiting 10th-seeded Goran Ivanisevic, too. He has a tournament-high 69 aces in his four matches. Ivanisevic advanced to today's semifinals by beating Morocco's Younes El Aynaoui 7-5, 6-3.

Ivanisevic, who beat Rafter in a five-set Wimbledon final in July, has captured 13 of his past 14 matches.

The Croatian, who turns 30 next month, is now 3-0 against El Aynaoui, his best friend on the tour.

Ivanisevic delivered 15 aces and didn't face a break point.

"I was serving well and there at no time I felt like I was in danger of losing the serve,' he said.

Tonight, Ivanisevic faces top-seeded Gustavo Kuerten. The Brazilian whipped Ivanisevic 6-2, 6-1 in the third round at Cincinnati last week.

"I can't play worse than I play in Cincinnati. It was a night match and I didn't see anything,' said Ivanisevic, who hopes to fare better under the lights tonight.

If he can get by Kuerten, he will be closer to another career goal.

"I've never won a tournament in the States, so this is my goal to try to win this year,' said Ivanisevic, who is 0-5 in finals on American soil.

One of those title losses was to Pete Sampras in the 1996 RCA final.

"This is a good opportunity,' he said. "The crowd is really behind me and I'm playing the best tennis ever.'

In part because of shoulder problems, Ivanisevic had dropped to No. 129 in the tour entry rankings at year-end 2000.

Ivanisevic was ranked No. 4 at year in '96. But his game and frame of mind has matured since then.

"Sometimes before if my serve doesn't work, I would start to panic too much,' he said. "I would try to hit too many winners.'

Now if he isn't serving well, Ivanisevic finds another way to win. He credits an improved mental approach and confidence from Wimbledon.

"You believe you can hit the shots,' he said. "Three months ago, no way I go for those shots. I just do something different. Now I go for it.'

Ivanisevic, who is 11th in the ATP Champions Race, hopes his season ends with the eight-man Tennis Masters Cup in Sydney, Australia, in November.

But whenever it ends, he will need arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder.

"I'm taking painkillers,' he said. "Right now, it's not bothering me so much.'

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2001

Rafter to meet Safin
Sportal

Pat Rafter has set up a semi-final showdown with second seeded Russian Marat Safin at the RCA Championships in Indianapolis, after ousting Belarusian Max Mirnyi in the quarters.
Fifth seeded Rafter took the match 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) against the unseeded Mirnyi.

Safin has reached the semis at the RCA Championships for the second consecutive year, after recording a strong victory over Swedish eighth seed Thomas Enqvist 7-5, 6-4.

In the other semi-final, Brazilian top seed Gustavo Kuerten will meet Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic.

Kuerten struggled past British sixth seed Tim Henman 3-6, 6-1, 7-5, while Ivanisevic was too good for unseeded Moroccan Younes El Aynaoui 7-5, 6-3.

Rafter has now won 19 of his last 22 matches and, while disappointed with not yet lifting a trophy (he has lost his last three finals), he is pleased with his serve.

"I'm backing it up pretty well, the court and balls help," said the Aussie. "It's perfect for my style. I like to put a bit of work on the serve and these courts are ideal for it."

Rafter denied that he's making things look easy: "I'm struggling, but I'm getting through. I'm enjoying winning the matches, I want to keep going as long as I can, but it's a tough go."

It was the 13th victory in 14 matches for Ivanisevic, whose only loss in the run was to French Open champion Kuerten in the third round of last week's tournament in Cincinnati.

As usual, Ivanisevic's serve was his big weapon. He had 15 aces and lost only eight of 52 points on his serve.

"I was serving very well," Ivanisevic said. "He was always under pressure. ... I was able to stay on the back and was very solid, able to do everything I have to do."

The eighth-seeded Enqvist never broke Safin, who had nine aces with only one double fault while saving eight break points.

"I was confident, serving well, playing smart," said Safin, seeking his first title of 2001.

Last year, he became the first player under 21 to win seven in a season since 1983.

"My confidence is coming back," Safin said. "I feel comfortable on the court. At least I can play tennis."'

Perhaps some of the credit belongs to his current coach, Swede Mats Wilander, who was the last player to win seven events in a single year before turning 21.

"You can't change many things," he said. "I'm just playing a little bit smarter, you have to see the (opponent's) weakest part and attack it."

Until he arrived at the Indianapolis Tennis Center, the defending US Open champion was struggling and failed to win a set in three consecutive matches.

Safin will take next week off to practice and work with Wilander in preparation for the US Open.

"If I play like this, I have a chance," Safin said. "It is very difficult to defend a title in such a big tournament. I still believe I can make a good result. You just have to get by those early matches."

Quarter-final Results
1-Gustavo Kuerten (Bra) bt 6-Tim Henman (Gbr) 3-6 6-1 7-5
5-Patrick Rafter (Aus) bt Max Mirnyi (Blr) 6-3 7-6 (7-3)
10-Goran Ivanisevic (Cro) bt Younes El Aynaoui (Mar) 7-5 6-3
2-Marat Safin (Rus) bt 8-Thomas Enqvist (Swe) 7-5 6-4

Saturday, August 18, 2001 12:40:11 PM AEST

Doctor to the stars?

Lou Noritz wears a name tag billing himself as "ATP Psychologist.'

The ATP stands for American Tennis Psychologists, not the Association of Tennis Professionals.

"I don't want to get sued,' said the 56-year-old retired postal worker from Brooklyn, N.Y.

Noritz happens to be the only member of that organization. The tennis fanatic travels to about 12 tournaments a year and the four Grand Slams to support players. He carries his own top 50 rankings of support. The current No. 1 is Israel's Harel Levy.

"I speak to the players during the match and I inspire them,' he said. "I make them feel important during the match. They trust me.'

Noritz said the players appreciate his effort. "They beg me to support them,' he said.

RCA semifinalist Patrick Rafter is 11th on his support list.

"I've been trying to keep my sanity through the summer and Lou has been there and I've had a bit of a laugh with him,' Rafter said. "He has some funny comments and he loves tennis.'

Friday, Noritz left Indianapolis to attend today's Hamlet Cup qualifying tournament in Long Island.

"I'm dynamite in qualifying,' he said.

Rafter wants to be King of the Road next year
as he gives tennis a break

by: Bill Scott

INDIANAPOLIS -- Patrick Rafter says he'll be on the road and not on the court when the Australian Open is played next January. With those plans set, the fifth seed at the RCA Championships has also been considering some of his travel options for the lengthy break he plans to take from the game.

Ever since his announcement that he'd be putting aside his rackets - he's not sure if the move is temporary or permanent - the 28-year-old has been dropping hints that the six-month respite he revealed seven months ago in Melbourne will actually become a reality.

Last week in Cincinnati, where he lost his third heartbreak final in a row after Wimbledon (against Goran Ivanisevic) and Montreal (Andrei Pavel), the 28-year-old Queenslander said that he'd likely hit the highway during the first Grand Slam fortnight of 2002.

"In the Australian summer, I'll just be driving around Australia. I haven't seen much of it." He confirmed that Wednesday saying: "I've got a mate from Bermuda coming over with his family. We'll just go where he wants to, I don't know, maybe Back of Beyond (the deep Outback)."

Golf is likely to also take a big chunk of the inactive player's time. "I reckon the tennis guys will be jealous of me, getting to play golf during the Open," he said. "I won't be missing the tennis."

While he's still in the game though, Rafter is giving it his all. His short-term goal is to get through to the Aug. 27 start of the Open, which means competing here and next week in Long Island, four events on the trot without a break before the Grand Slam. "They say in the locker room: 'jeez, you're going to drop dead before the U.S. Open. Yeah, maybe. I'm pretty sure I'm not coming back anyway.

"I'm concentrating on this week, but I'm committed to all of the tournament I've entered," said the Queenslander. "If I don't have fitness, I'll have to pull out. But I'm playing well now and I hope to keep it up."

Rafter scored a rapid-fire 6-2, 6-0 over outclassed Czech Michal Tabara to reach the third round. Young gun compatriot Lleyton Hewitt, seeded third to Rafter's fifth, staged a repeat of a Wimbledon win he took in June, beating American Taylor Dent in a battle of talented 20-year-olds 6-2, 7-6 (7-3). The victory boosts Hewitt to 56 this season, best on the ATP.

Two-time U.S. Open champion Rafter is currently playing some of the best tennis of the past few seasons. But the grind of more than a decade in the sport and the constant travelling and training seems to be priming Rafter to follow through on his bid to take time away.

"I committed myself to the U.S. Open," he said. "I generally play my best tennis and have my best results there. For the past four or five years I've done really well in the American summer."

Hewitt tamed the huge serve of Dent, limiting the Australian-American to just five aces on the afternoon. The seed needed a tie-break surge to insure victory. "I got off to a quick start, up a set and a break, said the Aussie winner of three titles this season. "I didn't consolidate well and he came back with a fight. But in the tie-breaker I was able to get out. But I felt pretty much on my serve, I was seeing the ball well."

Hewitt reached the semi-finals here a year ago, a showing he repeated at the Open. "I have good memories of both places. Especially in New York, when I walk into the stadium, I'll hope to start feeling that confidence."

Another pair of seeds were as untroubled as the Aussies on a hot and cloudy Day 3. Number 7 Arnaud Clement of France defeated American Robby Ginepri 6-3, 6-4. Sweden's number 9 Thomas Johansson, a member of the Davis Cup team to play the Australians in Sydney in September, got past Belgian Xavier Malisse 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Two minor seeds were sent out, with Sweden's revitalised Jonas Bjorkman forgetting the chronic bother of his right knee to oust Morocco's number 13 Hicham Arazi 6-4, 6-4. North African compatriot Younes El Aynaoui beat French 14th seed Nicolas Escude 3- 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

Time gentleman, please
By Michael Winkler
How much more can Rafter take? (Allsport)

PAT RAFTER has impeccable timing with a racquet in his hand, but timing his retirement from tennis is a trickier thing altogether. At this point, the Aussie pin-up has only committed himself to taking an extended break from the sport, specifically to drive around his native land (as distinct from his adopted land, Bermuda), but there is a strong possibility that once he leaves he won't return.

If the end of Rafter's fine career is indeed drawing nigh, then he will want to bow out as a winner. Despite playing great tennis over recent months, he has had a string of bridesmaid results: runner-up to Goran Ivanisevic in the Wimbledon final; runner-up to Andrei Pavel in the final of the Montreal Masters; then runner-up to Gustavo Kuerten at the Cincinatti Masters earlier this week.

Of those three near misses, obviously the one that will burn inside Rafter for longest will be the loss to Ivanisevic in that extraordinary Wimbledon final of July 9. The Australian recovered from being down a set, then down two sets to one, to finally succumb 9-7 in the fifth. It was a gutting defeat, following his demise against Pete Sampras in the final of the same event in 2000, when Rafter freely admits he choked. After the Ivanisevic defeat Rafter retreated to Bermuda for a spell to lick his wounds.

He emerged in fine fettle, and has taken some big scalps (including countryman Lleyton Hewitt) in subsequent tournaments. He sits at No4 in the ATP Tour champions' race standings, making this one of his better years. And yet there is a feeling that he is already in wind-down mode; he has parted company with his fitness coach, and is doing a bare minimum of tennis training because he is sick and tired of it. He is maintaining his fitness by playing - and winning - tournament matches.

And so we enter the final leg. On August 27, the Queenslander will begin contesting the US Open for the ninth time. Somewhere amidst the Flushing Meadows cacophony - the criss-crossing of jet planes, the blaring of traffic, and the baying of noisy "Noo Yoikers" in the bleachers - Rafter manages to find inspiration. This is the grand slam tournament that he won in 1997 and 1998, and it carries happy memories. He will go in as one of the players favoured to make the second week, and on current form, there's nothing to suggest he wouldn't contest the final. Whether he can win the thing and bow out on top is another matter entirely.

A source recently confided that Rafter's troublesome shoulder is fundamentally shot, plain old worn out, and that he is keeping going on a mixture of guts and intensive treatment. Australian tennis fans would love to see the well-loved right hander contest the Open at Melbourne Park one more time in January 2002 - but he won't be there. At some point, everyone has to stop. That's what Rafter is about to do. Whether he starts up again at some point in the future is anyone's guess, but the best advice is to enjoy him while you can.