Croatia erupts with joy

SPLIT (CROATIA), JULY 10. Croatia erupted with joy on Monday as people poured into the streets to celebrate Goran Ivanisevic's dramatic win over Australian Pat Rafter in the Wimbledon final.

Shots rang out, mixing with shouts of delight in the player's home town of split on the Adriatic coast, as Ivanisevic clinched victory on his fourth match point to end a nerve- jangling, five- set encounter.

``You're a genius, a natural wonder,'' an old Croatian pop song blared from loudspeakers in numerous cafes, referring to Ivanisevic's statement that he must be a genius to get so far in

the tournament as a player who could only serve, as some critics had claimed. Streets in split and the capital Zagreb were almost empty during the match, and the Prime Minister Mr.Ivica Racan glanced at his watch during a news conference to say: ''good, we have enough time to go and watch tennis''.

The victory brought thousands of people into the streets of Split and a long column of cars drove through the city, honking horns and waving national flags and those of soccer club Hajduk split, of which Ivanisevic is a big fan.

Mr.Racan immediately congratulated the 29-year-old in a telegram, saying Ivanisevic, who had lost three Wimbledon finals in the 1990s, set an example of ``determination, energy and willpower'' for the whole nation. State radio opened its main news programme with a statement that Ivanisevic's victory easily overshadowed the current political crisis, which was brought about by the government's resolve to arrest and hand over Croatian suspects to a U.N. war crimes tribunal.

Split Mayor Ivica Skaric vowed to throw an ''unforgettable welcome party'' on Tuesday, when Ivanisevic is scheduled to return home. Hundreds of Croats in Australia had gathered in Croatian culture clubs across the country to watch the match, State news agency Hina reported. ``Patrick (Rafter) is a great player, but my heart beat for Goran tonight,'' Chery Sorak, an Australian Croat from Sydney, told the agency.

-Reuters.

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