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Goran Ivanisevic was finally crowned Wimbledon champion on People's Monday, and greeted his triumph by spreadeagling himself in the middle of Centre Court and bursting into tears.

The three-times runner-up, who needed a wild card even to enter this competition, triumphed 6-3 3-6 6-3 2-6 9-7 amid simply astonishing scenes at the All England Club.

Roared on by colourful supporters who had queued all night for the unreserved extra day seats, Ivanisevic and his vanquished opponent Pat Rafter had traded blow for blow and set for set until the match's amazing conclusion.

Ivanisevic, who had looked on the verge of crumbling after a controversial double-fault on break-point down in the fourth set prompted a furious verbal volley at the umpire, got his chance in the 15th game of the fifth set.

He returned brilliantly on the backhand to break before getting the chance to serve out for the Championship he craved so much.

Those who saw Ivanisevic's three finals in 1992, 1994 and 1998 - two of them five-setters - and who witnessed his drop to 125 in the world, will know that nothing with the Croat is ever that simple.

Despite hammering down a world record number of aces in this tournament, his big serve and his nerve temporarily deserted him, as he went 15-30 down.

He recovered with a second serve ace and fashioned the first of two match points, both of which were agonisingly greeted by double faults.

Rafter saved the third with an excellent lob, but Ivanisevic was not going to miss his moment of destiny, hitting a big second serve on his fourth chance which Rafter could only return into the net.

Ivanisevic dedicated his amazing triumph to his friend Drazen Petrovic, a Croatian basketball superstar who died in a car crash eight years ago.

"This is for you," he said looking skywards after he was handed the famous gold trophy.

"He was my big friend and I hope he is up there watching me," said Ivanisevic of Petrovic, who played in the NBA with New Jersey and Portland and is still fondly remembered for his three-point shooting skills.

The 29-year-old also paid tribute to his father Srdjan, whom he scaled the steps of the Centre Court to embrace at the end along with former Yugoslavian Davis Cup star Nikki Pilic.

Ivanisevic, who lost previous finals in 1992, 1994 and 1998, added: "This is unbelievable but I wanted to win so badly.

"Yet I had to be careful out there because of my father's heart condition. I was afraid his heart might explode."

Rafter, beaten from a set up in last year's final by Pete Sampras, was inconsolable after going down in front a huge contingent of Australian fans who were among the near-14,000 paying £40 a head to watch the delayed final.

Asked if he had the words to describe his disappointment he said: "Yes I do, but I can't say them here.

"I'm the loser again but it could have gone either way out there. It was that kind of a match and all I can do is congratulate Goran."