The Best and the Worst of the British Press
L O N D O N , July 10 -- The "wild man" who staged a stunning victory at the Wimbledon men's tennis final has also pulled off a major coup in British newspapers.
Pictures of Croatia's Goran Ivanisevic dominate the front pages today after his spectacular long-shot victory over Australian Patrick Rafter.
Holding no apparent grudges over his defeat of England's favorite son Tim Henman, the Daily Mail hails Ivanisevic as "The man who proves there is a God." The Mirror tributes: "Wild Thing. You made our hearts sing," calling Ivanisevic the man who put excitement back into Wimbledon.
Never in the 114-year history of the contest has a wild card entry captured the title. As The Guardian points out, Ivanisevic was only the world's 125th ranked player when he came to London, already hampered by injuries.
Three times a runner-up, his win the fourth time around brought Ivanisevic — and even a few "gray beards" in the press box — to tears. The champion says he will return next year to defend his title.
Zinedine Zillionaire
Meanwhile a French athlete earned a rare front-page appearance (for a sports figure) in the Financial Times, but with a whopping price tag.
Real Madrid soccer club yesterday made the 29-year-old Zinedine Zidane the world's most expensive footballer for a record $64.5 million.
The club hopes to cut its debt after spending more than $150 million on new players this year alone with some lucrative property deals.
Law and Order or Racial Understanding?
Trouble is still brewing to the North of England where police clashed with white youths for the third straight night.
A report on racial relations in the area suggests segregation of the white and Asian communities has polarized the two sides enormously, reports The Independent.
The government, however, sees the violent attacks as acts of "thuggery," and authorities seem more determined to promote law and order rather than racial understanding for the short term.
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