Goran Ivanisevic has pulled off a spectacular 4-6, 7-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 comeback victory over Italy's Filippo Volandri at Wimbledon to set up a third-round showdown with Lleyton Hewitt.
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For almost two hours on Thursday, it had seemed that Ivanisevic would be bidding Wimbledon farewell on court two -- dubbed the graveyard of champions.
But the determined 32-year-old refused to bow out and sealed victory in two hours 32 minutes after Volandri failed to return a booming serve.
As the packed crowd rose to give Ivanisevic a standing ovation, he hurled his racket into the stands and followed that with his shirt before acknowledging the loud cheers with his outstretched arms.
Three times a runner-up at the grasscourt event in the 1990s, Ivanisevic broke his Grand Slam drought by winning the Wimbledon final three years ago as a wildcard.
Since then, he has been plagued by injuries and failed to return to the All England Club until this week.
Although Ivanisevic was in imperious form during his first-round victory over Mikhail Youzhny, it did not take long for Volandri to crack his opponent's resolve on Thursday.
No longer able to depend on his once fearsome serve, Ivanisevic was at Volandri's mercy during the first set as the Italian ran him ragged around the court.
Having been broken in third game, the 415th ranked Croatian served successive double faults to go 5-2 down before losing the set.
Ivanisevic offered hopes of a recovery after saving two set points against him in the second set tiebreak to snatch it 10-8, but was again outfoxed by Volandri in the third.
The crowd did their best to lift their man, but a dejected Ivanisevic could only shake his head ruefully and once again appeared to be struggling with his inner demons.
But then Ivanisevic started to torture the Volandri with an array of spectacular shots and draw level in the fourth.
The turning point came late in the match when Ivanisevic broke Volandri for a 5-4 lead with a thumping crosscourt winner and punched the air in delight as he looked up to the skies.
Two minutes later, a beaming Ivanisevic had sealed a date, probably on Centre Court, with Hewitt.
FEDERER HAS IT EASY
Roger Federer pulverised Alejandro Falla in just 54 breathtaking minutes to reach the third round.
The Swiss top seed and champion allowed his Colombian opponent just 33 points in the entire match as he underlined his status as the man to beat with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-0 win.
In the women's draw, fourth seed Amelie Mauresmo thrashed Jelena Kostanic of Croatia 6-2, 6-3.
Women's seventh seed Jennifer Capriati also advanced. She brushed aside Claudine Schaul of Luxembourg 6-2, 6-2.