ESPN.com - Wimbledon 2001 - Ivanisevic refuses to yield
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Thursday, July 17
Ivanisevic refuses to yield

WIMBLEDON, England -- Rain interrupted the fifth set after Goran Ivanisevic won the fourth set of his rain-interrupted Wimbledon semifinal against Britain's Tim Henman on a tiebreak. Ivanisevic leads 7-5, 6-7 (6), 0-6, 7-6 (5), 3-2 with Henman serving.

The semifinal will resume at 8 a.m. ET Sunday. The women's final between Venus Williams and Justine Henin was postponed until 9 a.m.

The players were called off court on Friday night with sixth-seeded Henman leading by two sets to one and 2-1 in the fourth.

On Saturday Ivanisevic, resuming at 40-30, lashed down an ace to level the set at 2-2.

Henman immediately retaliated, pummelling an ace of his own the next point.

Ivanisevic buried his next two returns in the bottom of the net and Henman punched a firm forehand volley away to again nose into the lead.

Ivanisevic leveled for 3-3. After dumping a feeble backhand volley into the net for 15-30 he whipped two aces past a stranded Henman.

Henman's serve faltered in the next game, missing a series of first serves, but Ivanisevic failed to capitalize.

The left-hander hit two returns long and two into the net as Henman held to 15.

The jitters set into Ivanisevic's serve and he faced a break point after double faulting at deuce. He disputed the call, pleading with the umpire "come on man" but the official refused to overrule.

The dispute seemed to fire Ivanisevic up, and he held after four deuces, cracking down five aces in the game.

Henman served out to love comfortably, losing just one point in his first three service games, to lead 5-4.

Ivanisevic, serving to stay in the match, leveled at 5-5 with some viciously swinging deliveries.

Henman opened the next game with a double fault and fell two break points down when he prodded a forehand volley long.

Henman fought back to deuce but on his first game point Ivanisevic -- on his knees after slipping -- clubbed a forehand pass down the line.

Henman held for 6-5, though, to heap the pressure on Ivanisevic. The three-times finalist responded perfectly, whacking two aces to hold to love and push the match into a tiebreak.

Henman hit a backhand volley for 1-0 then broke for 2-0 when Ivanisevic miss hit a volley wide.

Ivanisevic served for 2-1, Henman hit a service winner for 3-1 then Ivanisevic broke back for 3-2, passing Henman.

He pulled level at 3-3 when Henman swatted a backhand into the tramlines on return and the players changed end.

Ivanisevic took the lead for the first time 4-3 with a deep serve then broke for 5-3 when Henman netted a half volley.

Henman made it 5-4 but Ivanisevic had two serves for the set.

He netted a volley on the first to allow Henman a lifeline before serving an ace for 6-5 and set point.

He made no mistake, clubbing a return back at Henman's toes and the Briton netted the half volley to send the match into a fifth and decisive set.

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