Goran Ivanišević reveals intense pain and dangerous medication use during 2001 Wimbledon win

Goran Ivanišević, the legendary Croatian tennis player and now coach, has spoken candidly about the immense physical and emotional struggles he faced leading up to and during his improbable 2001 Wimbledon triumph. Ivanišević, who entered the tournament as a wildcard and was ranked outside the top 100, described a period where he could barely hit a ball and was suffering from severe pain.

"I was dying of pain, I couldn't sleep, I would wake up at night with a numb arm, showering..." Ivanišević recounted in a recent interview. To cope, he resorted to taking Vioxx, a pain medication that was later withdrawn from the market due to its dangerous side effects on the heart. He admitted to taking five pills at a time, far exceeding the recommended dose, acknowledging the potential harm but prioritizing his immediate need to compete.

Ivanišević emphasized that professional sports often take a toll on athletes' mental and physical health, stating, "There is no healthy professional athlete in retirement." He reflected on the immense pressure and physical impacts that leave lasting consequences, whether on the body or the mind.

Despite the physical ordeal, Ivanišević identified the most powerful memory from his Wimbledon victory as the moment he reached the player's box and embraced his father. "That's it, that's my Wimbledon," he said. He expressed a deeper understanding of his father's health issues, now as a father himself, acknowledging that he likely contributed to some of his father's coronary problems due to the stress he endured during his career.