Centre-court comebacks were all the rage in 2001 with Jennifer Capriati and Goran Ivanisevic providing the enduring images of the year.

Ivanisevic’s five-set victory over Pat Rafter at Wimbledon gave the veteran the title he had always dreamed of.

The Croatian was playing only after being awarded a wild-card, but his huge serve and delicate touch helped avenge three previous final defeats in SW19.

Ivanisevic was a popular winner despite accounting for British hopefuls Greg Rusedski and Tim Henman.

Henman had his best chance yet to reach the Wimbledon final, but a series of rain delays halted his progress at crucial times in his semi-final against Ivanisevic.

Capriati’s success was just as emotional with the American beating Martina Hingis to win her first Grand Slam, at the Australian Open in January.

It was a stunning return for a player whose well-documented personal problems looked to have brought an end to her career at the top.

Capriati briefly raised the prospect of a Grand Slam by landing the French Open, but it was the imposing figure of Venus Williams who reigned supreme at Wimbledon.

Williams then made it a double at the US Open beating sister Serena in a family final at Flushing Meadows.

Pete Sampras ended the year without a Grand Slam for the first time since 1992, losing to Lleyton Hewitt in the US Open final.

Hewitt went on to become the youngest year-end number one since rankings began.

Andre Agassi took the Australian Open, and Gustavo Kuerten completed the list of Grand Slam winners at the French Open.

Rusedski and Henman both had respectable seasons, but the highpoint for British tennis came in the Davis Cup with victory over Ecuador avenging last year’s World Group defeat.