Everybody knows Goran Ivanisevic says more than his prayers. Yesterday's entertaining, petulant, funny, offensive conference was no different as the beaming six foot, two inch Croatian Champion arrived for his media conference.

The fourth set, during which he kicked the net and threw his racquet and threw his racquet after his serve was broken by Pat Rafter, was the only source of his anger. A double-fault had handed his opponent the initiative, and Ivanisevic had disputed both calls - the first for a foot-fault, the second for a serve that was deemed out.

So how did he see it? "First of all, that game I was 30-love up. Hit a great serve, he (Rafter) missed it. First foot-fault all tournament. That ugly, ugly lady. She was really ugly, very serious. I was like kind of scared. Then I hit another second serve. Huge. And that ball was on the line, not even close. And that guy, he looks like a faggot a little bit, you know. This hair all over him. I couldn't believe he did it."

Three-times Wimbledon champion and current BBC and NBC commentator John McEnroe didn't escape Ivanisevic's casual lashings. "I'm very disappointed, the guy who I always looked up to as my idol. Everything that he did was always perfect to me... he came to me six days ago in the locker room. He said, 'man, you playing good. I'm really happy for you. You can do it.' Then after three days, he goes and says I have one shot (a serve), I'm bad... must be he's an idiot."

There the Ivanisevic diatribe finished. The champion looked towards a homecoming that would rival any of those organised for a successful Irish football team. "It is so great to touch the trophy that I don't even care if I don't win another match in my life again. This is it, this is the end of the world.

"It's going to be great. I think tomorrow there is going to be at least 100,000, 150,000 people waiting for me in Split. I don't think anybody has received such a big welcome, ever. So it is one of the biggest days for Croatia, sports-wise," said Ivanisevic.

Rafter, more reflective, looked at the massive serve that so often pulled Ivanisevic out of holes. With Rafter 7-6 up in the fifth set and 30-love up on Ivanisevic's serve, the Croat simply launched the ball to save the game. "It's not much fun down the other end trying to get it back. He was just serving really well when he had to. Put in a couple of really big ones, didn't allow me do much with it. Not much fun.

"Because he put more pressure on my serve, mine was probably more likely to break down than his was," he said.

For Ivanisevic the two weeks have been an ongoing series of dreams mixing with reality. "Last night I didn't sleep. I woke up at 1.30 in the morning. I thought it's 9.30 a.m., I see 1.30. Okay, lets go back to sleep - 3.30 a.m., 4.0 a.m. - I was so nervous. And nobody came, no angels, nobody.

"But you know this is everything for me. My dreams came true. Whatever I do in my life, wherever I go, I'm always going to be Wimbledon champion."

Wimbledon champion in arguably the hottest ever atmosphere on Centre Court for a final. For both players the arena, which was filled with ordinary punters who had camped out all night to get tickets, was dramatic.

"This is just too good. I don't think it's ever going to happen in the history (again). So many Australian fans, so many Croatians, it was like a football match. And it was great," said Ivanisevic.

"It's hard to put it in perspective right now," said Rafter. "It was a good final, an amazing, amazing atmosphere. I don't know if Wimbledon's seen anything like it. I don't think they will again, until Tim (Henman) makes the finals."

Unlike Rafter, who may now retire, there is no doubt that Ivanisevic will return to defend his title. A shoulder operation this year is essential to keep his career going, but on the first Monday of next year he will step out on Centre Court. "Yeah, always wanted to see how it is when you step on court as defending champion. I want to experience that. I don't care if I win or lose but I just want to experience it, go there and be a defending champion on that Monday, first man there."

And how did he win it ? "I took a lot of pain killers this week, but I think I hit more aces."