In a game of tennis, there are a number of potential turning points when the tide of a match can flow in the other direction. One recalls John McEnroe’s stunning meltdown in the fourth set of the 1980 Wimbledon final against Björn Borg, a game-changing moment which upturned his momentum and virtually handed victory to his Swedish opponent in the final set, or Rafael Nadal’s final set resurgence against Roger Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon final.

For Patrick Rafter, his turning point came in 1997.

Although he was named the 1993 ATP Newcomer of the Year, Rafter admits he was not all that promising a youngster on the tour. As a youth, he was unsuccessful in his bid to gain entry to the Australian Institute of Sport and the Queenslander was often overshadowed by his flashier compatriot, Mark Philippoussis.

He may have defeated Grad Slam champions André Aggassi and Pete Sampras earlier in his career, but he did not make much of a mark on the world scene, hampered by knee injuries and often without a permanent coach. ‘I was not a great junior and thought about quitting many times because I did not think I was good enough. Somehow, I stuck with it. Some do and some don’t. I do not know why I did,’ he says.

In 1997, however, Rafter finally found his form. Even though clay was never his favourite surface, he somehow powered his way to the semi-finals at the French Open (until he lost to previous champion Sergi Bruguera) and then, in August, muscled his way into the U.S. Open final, defeating British ‘bazooka’ Greg Rusedski in a tight four-set win.

It was only his second tournament victory since he turned professional six years earlier, and four-time U.S. Open victor McEnroe labelled the burgeoning star a ‘one slam wonder’ whilst American rival Sampras later said that he must win another Grand Slam to be considered a ‘champion.’

Rafter responded by successfully defending his title the next year, outmanoeuvring his more powerful counterpart, Philippoussis, in a comfortable final. ‘The first one was a dream come true: something which I thought I would never achieve. So the feeling was the most incredible high you could feel. The second victory was not as intense in feeling, but very rewarding to know it was not just a fluke the first time,’ he says.

Despite his phenomenal success (and later sponsorship deal with Bonds), Rafter was more akin to a pre-McEnroe tennis star, champions like Newcombe and Laver who refused to let the game become about themselves. After both U.S. Open triumphs, Rafter donated half of his prize money to the Starlight Children’s Foundation. At first, he was so overcome with emotion that he wanted to give all of his prize money away until Davis Cup captain Newcombe convinced him to save half. ‘I wanted to make a difference in the lives of these children’ he told reporter Susan Masten. ‘I want them to know what it’s like to be brought up in a caring environment, just as I and my eight brothers and sisters were.’

Rafter credits his family for his humility. Not only did they support him when he contemplated quitting as a junior, but, as a child, Rafter saw his father donate money to the church collection box, even when his parents struggled to support nine children in the mining town, Mount Isa. ‘My father was an incredibly generous man when he had nothing. He is a believer in life (and in God) and was such a great role model. My mum had great values like this as well, and both were incredible influences,’ he says.

In 1999, Rafter and sister Louis announced the beginning of the Cherish the Children foundation. Rafter, frustrated by the wastage and overheads of many charities, felt that his organization could better control his donations by directing his monies into non-Government supported charities. Cherish the Children currently supports the Eat Well Be Active campaign which attempts to reduce the rate of childhood obesity in Australia.

‘You give and hope it helps children either get better physically or they get their lives on track again. We like to help street kids as well as sick kids and have heard of some fantastic results. The people who put in the groundwork are such amazing people and where all the credit should go.’

Rafter is “the name and face” of the foundation, promoting it with the help of his other siblings (his children, Joshua and India, will be exposed to it as they grow older). Pretty good for someone who struggled with feelings of inadequacy as a junior.

‘I never could work out how I got to win so many matches and how I won slams or got to number 1. I never believed in my game and myself. Now, I try to take more self-belief in myself and it is amazing how you get things done.

‘I wish I worked this out when I was playing.’

Andrew Moraitis

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