Faced with House Speaker Newt Gingrich's Republican revolution, however, the"Comeback Kid" proved remarkably adept on defense, successfully portraying the GOP agenda as extreme and out of step with ordinary Americans, especially on the politically explosive issue of reforming Medicare.
He held on for a two sets to one lead and looked set fair for the title that has eluded him three times in the 1990s - but comebackkid Rafter had other ideas.