Over 100,000 people are expected to welcome Goran Ivanisevich, the winner of Monday's Wimbledon final, back to Split on Tuesday evening.

Ivanisevich's incredible victory has dominated the headlines and had the effect of putting a political crisis over the extradition of war criminals to one side.

The sound systems are being set up and already some people are staking positions out on Split's waterfront.

The Wimbledon champion, who flies into Croatia on the private jet of F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, is expected to make a dramatic entry into the city, sailing across the bay from the airport to the main harbour.

Croatian sports stars are also expected to welcome him, as Ivanisevich's victory has seized the whole country's imagination.

His homecoming is being broadcast live on national television, and newspapers are running headlines such as 'Goran the Genius'.

So significant has the impact of his win been, it's bumped the country's political crisis to one side.

Prime Minister Ivica Racan had been fearing huge street protests at the planned extradition of two Croatian war crimes suspects to The Hague. The protestors have now called those demonstrations off.

Racan told reporters shortly after the match: "This was a coincidence sent by providence."