Goran Gets His Baggies Wish

Written by: Staff on 21st November 2013

Goran Gets His Baggies Wish

epa02985047 Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia returns the ball to Yvgeny Kafelnikov of Russia during their macth at the gala tournament Tennis Classics in Papp Laszlo Sports Arena in Budapest, Hungary, 29 October 2011. HUNGARY OUT EPA/IMRE FOLDI |

Goran Ivanisevic, star of this year’s Statoil Masters Tennis at the Royal Albert Hall, will finally get to see his beloved West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns after the event organisers arranged for him to travel from the iconic London venue to the West Midlands.

Ivanisevic, who began supporting the Baggies when they were bottom of the Premier League in 2004, will open the the Statoil Masters programme against Greg Rusedski on Wednesday 5th December, and then hot-foot it to see West Brom against Manchester City.

“At last, I am coming to the Hawthorns to see my team!” said Ivanisevic, after being told the order of play for the Statoil Masters Tennis, the annual pre-Christmas event, organised by IMG, and featuring John McEnroe, Pat Rafter and Tim Henman, would allow him enough time to make the trip.

“I have been waiting for this moment for eight years, ever since we stayed up on the last day of the season in 2005 – the Great Escape! Ivanisevic said. “I went to Loftus Road to see us play against QPR two years ago, and we scored in the last few minutes – I was so happy. But I have always wanted to be there at a home match at the Hawthorns, to see our stadium for the first time, and to ‘Boing’ with the guys. I can’t wait! I will play the first match of the tournament against Greg Rusedski on Wednesday afternoon 5th December. Then, me and my friend David – he is the West Brom freak that introduced me to the team – will drive up and be there. It will be the perfect day!

“It is a big test for us against Manchester City. They probably have the best squad in the league, but we went to Old Trafford and beat Manchester United for the first time in more than 30 years, so we can beat anyone. We should have beaten Chelsea last week, too, but the referee screwed us. I think we can do it, and I’ll be there to see it!”

Video:

Why does Goran Ivanisevic support West Bromwich Albion? – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yle2IMRTC3I&list=UU-gepsqW_0XEvcOEe84GdTg

Goran’s first trip to see Albion – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nWat_IcKq4&list=UU-gepsqW_0XEvcOEe84GdTg

Goran ‘scores’ for WBA – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoOCE10UuAs&feature=c4-overview&list=UU-gepsqW_0XEvcOEe84GdTg

Photos:

Goran Ivanisevic and West Bromwich Albion – http://goo.gl/71XklE

The Statoil Masters Tennis is part of the ATP Champions Tour – a circuit of former World Number One tennis players, Grand Slam singles finalists and Davis Cup winners – and is owned and operated by IMG, the global sports, fashion and media company.

VIP hospitality packages are available for The Grand Opening including a champagne reception that will also be attended by tennis legends and celebrities along with a gourmet dinner, to benefit the charity Best Beginnings. A percentage of ticket sales from the tournament will also go to the charity.

McEnroe leads the Legends tournament, with Stefan Edberg, Henri Leconte and Jeremy Bates also taking part. In the ATP Champions Tour event, Rafter and Ivanisevic have been drawn with Greg Rusedski, and Tim Henman, Mark Philippoussis and Fabrice Santoro feature in the other group.

Henman, Rusedski, Philippoussis and the ever-popular Mansour Bahrami will star in a Grand Opening Night with 20% of hospitality sales going to Best Beginnings, the child health charity.

The singles players at the Statoil Masters Tennis have won 25 Grand Slam singles titles between them, four of them have reached No.1 in the world, and eight of them have been on Davis Cup winning teams.

Full order of play:

Wednesday 4th December

At 1pm

Ivanisevic vs. Rusedski

Edberg vs. Leconte

Doubles Exhibition

At 7.30pm

Henman vs. Philippoussis

Bahrami/Rusedski vs. McNamara/Rafter

Thursday 5th December

At 1pm

Bates vs. Leconte