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Good grace: we look at the best losers in sport

Pat Rafter and Goran Ivanisevic hug it out. Photo: Getty

Pat Rafter and Goran Ivanisevic hug it out. Photo: Getty

He had every excuse to rage.

A month short of his 34th birthday, Roger Federer was bidding to become the oldest grand slam tennis champion in history.

He had played with supernatural skill on his way to the Wimbledon final, serving like a sniper in his semi win over Andy Murray.

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But, after two hours and 55 minutes of top-shelf tennis, Federer was bested by Novak Djokovic, the world No.1.

As usual, Federer handled it with class, grace and humility.

“Novak played not only good today but the whole two weeks, the whole year, last year and the year before that,” said Federer.

“I had my chances in the first set. I got lucky to win the second, had chances in the third.

“But he was better on the bigger points. He was rock solid, I didn’t play badly myself. That’s how it goes.”

So it may be that Federer is not only the greatest winner in tennis history, but the best loser as well.

He’s won 17 grand slam finals – but been runner-up in another nine.

Occasionally tears spilled but, without fail, he managed to pay tribute to his opponent.

Who else in world sports has lost with such grace?

Lleyton Hewitt, after losing the 2005 Australian Open final to Marat Safin

Lleyton Hewitt and Marat Safin after the 2005 Australian Open final. Photo: Getty

Lleyton Hewitt and Marat Safin after the 2005 Australian Open final. Photo: Getty

Ok, the words ‘Hewitt’ and ‘graceful’ don’t initially strike you as a neat fit, but hear us out.

The Australian Open was the one the gritty South Australian wanted the most.

Three years removed from his last grand slam success at Wimbledon, he was in sensational form en route to the final, knocking off Rafael Nadal, David Nalbandian and Andy Roddick.

But in the final, he ran into world tennis’ most interesting psychiatric study – Marat Safin.

Hewitt raced through the first set 6-1, but Safin steadied and owned the remainder of the match.

Afterwards, Hewitt was generous in his praise.

“I’d like to congratulate Marat on a hell of a tournament, you knocked off the guy (Roger Federer) who’s been virtually impossible to beat so you definitely deserve it,” he said.

“I didn’t feel like I played that badly out there, he was just too good.”

New Zealand, after losing the World Cup Cricket final to Australia, 2015

The Black Caps marched to the World Cup final in outstanding form, unbeaten in the group stage, and they had the air of a team with a sense of destiny.

A lot of the discussion in the lead-up to the MCG decider centred around exorcising the ghosts of the under-arm ball.

But the Kiwis were annihilated, with Mitchell Starc dismissing skipper Brendon McCullum in the first over.

Australia cruised to victory, with Brad Haddin and James Faulkner sledging New Zealand mercilessly.

Nothing like belting each other for 11 rounds to bring the love. Photo: Getty

Nothing like belting each other for 11 rounds to bring the love. Photo: Getty

There was no mention of it post-match by McCullum – the Black Caps taking their licks with a stiff upper lip.

“We ran into an outstanding Australian team which continues to set the pace in world cricket. Congratulations to them, they deserved to win. We were second best today,” he said.

“Australia played better. We gave ourselves the opportunity but ultimately they stepped up and were too good for us.

“It’s not nice running second but sometimes you’ve got to doff your cap to the winner.”

Kostya Tszyu, after losing to Ricky Hatton, 2005

Tszyu turned up at the MEN Arena unbeaten in eight years and fresh off a knockout victory against Sharmba Mitchell.

But Hatton took him to a special kind of hell in the early hours of the Manchester morning, breaking down the old champion and hitting him with a vicious low blow in round nine.

After retiring on his stool at the end of 11 rounds, Tszyu had nothing but respect for the young Englishman.

“Today I lost to the better fighter and there’s no shame for me to say this,” he said.

“I’m a very physical fighter but tonight Ricky was better than me everywhere.”

Pat Rafter, after losing the Wimbledon final to Goran Ivanisevic, 2001

Pat Rafter and Goran Ivanisevic hug it out. Photo: Getty

Pat Rafter and Goran Ivanisevic hug it out. Photo: Getty

The 2001 Wimbledon final was Rafter’s last crack at the Holy Grail, having been runner-up to Pete Sampras the year before.

But he ran into an inspired Goran Ivanisevic, the big Croatian having been a three-time loser in the decider himself.

Rafter gave it his all, but lost 9-7 in a heartbreaking fifth set.

After the match, though, he was able to have a few laughs in his courtside interview.

When asked if he wanted to congratulate Ivanisevic, Rafter mugged: “No, I don’t want to thank Goran.”

But he quickly changed tack.

“Oh congratulations, yes. Mate, it was a great effort from Goran.

“He’s, you know, I am a culprit of writing Goran off a couple of years ago and he’s come and proved to all of us that he’s playing great tennis and he is a deserved winner. Well done, Goran.”

And a couple that go the other way…

Sir Alex Ferguson’s catalogue of sore losing is long and undistinguished. From kicking boots around the change room to dressing down referees, Sir Alex was never happy when things didn’t roll his way.

In 2010, after his Manchester United side were knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich, he branded Bayern “typical Germans” for trying to get Rafael sent off after he brought down Franck Ribery.

Of course, no British player has ever tried to get a member of the opposite team sent off…

And Iron Mike Tyson’s infamy as a sore loser will live forever after his bite to the ear of Evander Holyfield.

It didn’t start out that way though – in his 1990 defeat to Buster Douglas, Tyson was very graceful in defeat.

But that had all changed by his 1997 rematch with Holyfield, and continued a couple of years later when he tried to break Frans Botha’s arm after a few rounds on the clock.

Can you think of any more gracious losers? Let us know in the comments below.

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