Wimbledon: 'Someone has to lose': Rafter

"Someone has to lose and I am the loser - again," said a wry Pat Rafter after his defeat in the Wimbledon men's final.

"It was one of those matches that could have gone either way," he added.

"The audience was fantastic and this is what we play tennis for."

His voice cracking, Rafter thanked his "support group" who were watching from the stands.

"This was my dream all my life," said Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, after he won the title in five sets.

Right to the end, the match could have gone either way in what was one of the most closely-contested Centre Court battles of recent years.

"It was so tight. I don't know if this is a dream or not," said an emotional Ivanisevic.