Goran Ivanisevic's Wimbledon success was rooted in some home truths his father gave him after he was defaulted for smashing his rackets at the Samsung Open at Brighton last November.

The champion told the 14,000 on Centre Court on Monday and millions watching all over the world on television after the final of his gratitude to Srdjan Ivanisevic, as level-headed as Goran is volatile.

The son knew the father had kept his Championship dream alive by saving his career.

His loyal dad had become unimpressed with the negative actions his 29-year-old son displayed on court, the Brighton episode symptomatic of an apparent kamikaze course.

A few weeks after his visit to the Brighton Centre, his bag replenished with the three rackets (no more, no less) he takes out with him, the Croatian lost in qualifying for the Australian Open. It was rock bottom.

He was spoken of in the past tense as a three-times final loser at the world's greatest Championships, of a top ten player who had slid into three figures on the world ranking list.

His present looked bleak with a string of first round defeats and a shoulder injury that was affecting his physique and his mind.

He joked about giving up and maybe turning out as a footballer for Albion. After all, Hadjuk Split in his homeland wanted him to play for them, so it might have been a viable option had Micky Adams wanted to add the height of the 6ft 4in beanpole to his forward line or back four.

Self deprecating and self destructing, it looked like all his tennis future held was a run into a brick wall. The player he defeated in Monday's epic final, Pat Rafter, had dismissed him. Most experts had.

But Srdjan, of course, understands his son and knew what to say to keep Goran believing that it was his destiny to win the most coveted title in tennis.

In an exclusive interview, the mild-mannered college lecturer told The Argus: "I told Goran you don't want to behave like this (smashing rackets) at tournaments. I asked him 'Do you want to play or quit?'.

"I always believed he could win Wimbledon because I knew he had the ability. He was playing well, but the problem was in his mind. He had to do something, retire or carry on.

"He told me 'Dad, you are right'. Then he set up a few meetings with himself. The Bad Goran talked to the Good Goran. I gave him the subject for discussion and he sorted himself out."

Father, though, never lost faith.

He said: "I hoped, I believed. I didn't know what to think this Wimbledon. It was a case of let's get through the first point, the first round and so on.

"Goran was afraid his shoulder would go and took painkillers during the two weeks, but he was focused, his mind was on the right way round."

It was like Srdjan, who has heart trouble, needing his pills to help numb himself against the roller coaster of emotions he went through courtside.

He was there against doctor's orders.

Srdjan said: "My doctors forbid me to come because it might be very shocking for me. This is not a joke, it is very serious.

"After my trouble started two-and-a-half years ago I came less. But this year I decided to support my son. He was down, nobody believed in him.

"Now I don't feel anything anymore. I'm empty and would like to sleep for two days, but I'm very happy."

The one-man support group would be entitled to an extended slumber, because he also made the meal which fuelled the 29-year-old champion's success.

He said: "It was a cheese, tomato and ham pasta, minestrone soup, a fruit salad and strawberries and cream. Wimbledon's strawberries and cream are the best."

When Ivanisevic disappeared into the crowd to hug his father at the end it was to show his thanks.

Srdjan revealed: "He told me it was 'we' not 'I' who had won Wimbledon."

There is no generation gap.

Dad said: "He is very kind with his parents. Goran the man is like Goran the boy. He has a very simple outlook. He has always been good with the people. He always loves to give rather than take."

But you can forgive Ivanisevic taking the golden Challenge Trophy and for himself and his father to share in the moment.