February (26/02/2002)
Rafter gives strong retirement hint
Source: Associated Press
Publication date: 2002-02-26
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- Two-time U.S. Open champion Pat Rafter has dropped his strongest hint yet that he won't return to tennis when his current break from the game ends.
Appearing late Monday on Australian Broadcasting Corp. television, Rafter dropped the word "retirement" which he has carefully avoided using previously to describe his self-imposed exile from competitive tennis.
"I really don't want to say anything because if I do say something now, next time we have a media conference they'll say 'you said that you weren't going to come back,'" he said when asked about his future. "Put it this way. I am enjoying retirement a lot."
Rafter also said he considered he was fated not to win Wimbledon, the one goal thought capable of luring him back. He lost last year's Wimbledon final to wild card Goran Ivanisevic -- his second successive Wimbledon final defeat.
Coach Tony Roche has said Rafter would have to return to tennis by April is he wants another shot at the title.
But that doesn't appear to be on the agenda for 29-year-old Rafter whose partner Lara Feltham is expecting their first child in July.
"I put a lot of things down to a bit of fate," he said. "Some things are just meant to be and some things just aren't and I consider Wimbledon to be one of those things that will probably elude me."
He said he "choked" against Pete Sampras in the 2000 final, after winning the first set and going 4-2 up in the second set tie-break, because he never expected to get so far so soon after returning from shoulder surgery.
But Rafter said he'd been confident he would beat Goran Ivanisevic in last year's thrilling five-set final.
(07/02/2002)
No more nice guy
Herald Sun
07 Feb 2002
It seems golf, holidays and celebrating impending parenthood haven't been the only things keeping Pat Rafter busy since taking a break from tennis.
A lucrative deal as the face of a $7 million advertising campaign for Lay's chips has seen the tennis star eagerly taking time out from his time off.
He spent three days last month filming two television commercials, set to air on Channel 9 from February 10.
In the 30-second ads, Rafter will shake off his squeaky clean image to play the bad guy.
Following the success of a British campaign with the former England soccer captain and nice guy Gary Lineker, Rafter will act completely out of character by inventing clever ways to steal packs of Lay's from unsuspecting children.
The deal, which may see him paid a substantial amount to star in further Lay's commercials, also includes him being featured on packaging from April for two years.
(03/02/2002)
Rafter homes in down south
Sunday Mail (Brisbane)
3rd Feb 2002"Australian of the Year Pat Rafter has been looking at property on Sydney's northern beaches.
The tennis champion was spotted, without girlfriend Lara Feltham, by locals in Manly's millionaire row, Bower St.
Keiran Perkins and Wayne Gardner have homes there."
(03/02/2002)
Pat's baby bonus
Sunday Mail (Brisbane)
3rd Feb 2002"Offers are pouring in from the glossy mags for exclusive picutres of the baby of Pat Rafter and partner Lara Feltham (small pic of Lara) when it is born in July. An offer of almost $200,000 has already been rejected."
