3 players who took the longest to make their Grand Slam breakthrough

#1 Goran Ivanisevic (2001 Wimbledon)

Goran Ivanisevic lifted his only Grand Slam title at 2001 Wimbledon

The tall lefty with a booming serve could have been forgiven for thinking he was not destined to win a Grand Slam title following a trio of Grand Slam final reverses. Ivanisevic made his 48th Grand Slam appearance at Wimbledon 2001.

In the 1992 Wimbledon final against Andre Agassi, Ivanisevic served 37 aces in the final - which was the same number served up by his opponent during the entire tournament. But it was the American who triumphed in a five-set battle between two players looking for their maiden Grand Slam title.

Two years later at Wimbledon, Ivanisevic made his second Grand Slam final and this time the Croat would not win a set. Pete Sampras, who lost to Ivanisevic in the 1992 semifinals, successfully defended his title with a straight-sets win.

In 1998, the pair met again in the title match. Although it turned out to be a sterner affair than their 1994 final clash, it was Ivanisevic again who fell short in five sets.

Three years later, an out of sorts 125th-ranked Ivanisevic was awarded a wildcard for Wimbledon - more as a sort of recognition of the Croat's record at the tournament than for his recent form. Nobody in their wildest dreams, not even Ivanisevic, could have envisaged what lay in store at the end of the fortnight.

Ivanisevic fought back from a two sets to one deficit to down perennial local favorite Tim Henman in a five-set semifinal, to make his first tour-level final in over four years. In the final against two-time Grand Slam champion Pat Rafter, the Croat triumphed 9-7 in the fifth set to become the first wildcard and the lowest ranked player to remain the last man standing at the grasscourt Major.