Awww so .... not sad, but ... kinda sad...you know what I mean. He was such a champ and is such a lovely guy. Aawwww.
- - Nice guy Pat gave it his all - -
In the end, Pat Rafter couldn't quite lift himself for a return to the grinding lifestyle of a professional tennis player.
Instead, the dual US Open champion and two-time Wimbledon finalist has confirmed, after a 13-month absence to recover from stress fractures in his serving arm, that he would officially retire.
"If I couldn't commit to giving 100 per cent to the game, then there would be no point in returning. By the end of 2002, the motivation just wasn't there and my decision was made," Rafter, 30 two weeks ago, said in a statement on Friday.
"I will have regrets that the Wimbledon and Davis Cup trophies are not in my cupboard, but that's sport - you win some, you lose some.
"However, I feel like I can leave the game satisfied with my achievements, knowing that I gave it my all.
"I loved being a professional player, competing with the world's best and making friends all over the world.
"I will certainly miss some aspects of the game in my retirement but, for now, I need to stay home and focus on the new developments in my life."
Rafter and long-time partner Lara Feltham, 34, the new face of fashion label Charlie Brown, celebrated the birth of their first child, Joshua Patrick, last August.
The one-time world No.1 said he hadn't made any decision about his future beyond tennis, and that he wasn't in any hurry to.
Rafter thanked his fans for being patient as he debated his future, and offered a special acknowledgement to coach Tony Roche for being "instrumental in my development as a tennis player and (playing) an integral role in any successes that I achieved".
From his mother Jocelyn, who described her son's career as a "lovely journey" to Prime Minister John Howard, the tributes flooded in when news filtered through that the Australian of the Year had called it quits.
World No.1 Lleyton Hewitt was hoping, as recently as last week when he played golf and tennis with Rafter, that his idol would return to the Davis Cup fold this year, saying today his good mate was "still hitting the ball well enough to chop up a lot of the guys on tour".
"I thought this year would be fantastic, even if he just came back and played doubles," Hewitt said as he took time out from his Australian Open preparations to heap praise on Rafter.
Hewitt said Rafter was the reason he loved Davis Cup so much, after being inspired as Australia's 16-year-old "orange boy" in 1996 by Rafter's fightback from two sets down to clinch a tie against France at White City.
Hewitt said Rafter showed the way for a new generation of Australians after Pat Cash's 1987 Wimbledon triumph and two appearances in Australian Open finals.
"Pat took it to a new level. He made the semis of the French Open on clay, which is his least-favoured surface, and then went on to win the US Open. He showed everyone in Australia, including Mark Philippoussis and myself, that it was possible," he said.
~~~ Aww Patty! Luv him! Best of luck for him with his family life..and hope he returns to tennis in some form in the future.
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