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Jul/15

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You gotta admire Dr. Ivo

ivo

Ivo Karlovic scored one of the biggest wins of his career today at Wimbledon, taking down the two time Wimbledon semifinalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 76 46 76 76.

The 36 year old who is the No. 23 seed, is the oldest man to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals since fellow Croat Niki Pilic in 1976.

You have to admire Karlovic, his career came out of nowhere. Back in 2003, his first year on the ATP Tour, he made the third round at Wimbledon and the US Open. One might have thought Karlovic was a fluke and would fade away but he’s won 278 career singles matches including six singles titles and two more in doubles.

I’ve heard complaints that Karlovic is just a “servebot” but that’s inaccurate and unfair. He’s a great player who knows how to win. Believe me, if Federer or Nadal could win 90% point with their serves, they would. It takes a certain delicate balance of intelligence, bravery, power, athleticism and feel to be able to pump out a lethal serve, especially under pressure points and tiebreaks.

I have great respect for all big servers like Karlovic. But Karlovic is much more than just a server, he can grind it out and pop winners or aggressive shots when needed. It’s always a huge challenge to play Karlovic because of his weapons and because he’s such a fierce competitor who battles on every single point.

Another reason to admire Karlovic is he’s a class and clean competitor, never ever any shenanigans or bad behavior. He’s a model sportsman.

Last year in Washington DC at the CITI Open I went up to the stadium bleachers to watch Karlovic play around dinner time against Steve Johnson. An older couple sat in front of me, they were in their 70s, bu they were cheering Ivo for the whole match. I asked them how they became Ivo fans and they said they saw him play on TV and they just like the way he competes and plays. It was just a simple impression that spoke volumes, one that I will probably never forget.

Ivo is that kind of player who evokes and inspires such respect, from fans all over the world and all different ages.

Next week, Karlovic will face Andy Murray in the round of sixteen, but it will be another major hurdle for the veteran because Murray has dominated their head to head meetings, 5-0.

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14 comments

  • Dan Markowitz · July 4, 2015 at 8:09 pm

    Dr. Ivo is one of the great stories of the tour. The guy has overcome a serious stutter and I think he didn’t even have a coach to take lessons from until he was 13 or older.

    The little I saw of the Tsonga match today, he played Newport grass tennis on the Wimby fine lawns. He chipped his backhand approach and hit some soft touch volleys. His serve is amazing because he doesn’t hit it as hard as Raonic or Groth or Izzie, but the angles and placement are really impressive. I hope this doesn’t mean Dr. Ivo will skip Newport, but he’s such a standup guy–and there’s almost no chance he’s going to beat Murray–that hopefully he’ll have enough time to get himself to Newport and defend his title.

    Another shout out should go to Simon, who beat Monfils in five, 6-2 in the fifth. Simon just out-willed and out-played his countryman. The 30-year-old is looking to return to the Top 10. His top ranking was No. 7 way back in 2008 and now Simon is No. 13 and into the Rd of 16. The Frenchman has only made one slam quarterfinals in Australia and now he’s got Berdych.

    Simon is the opposite of Dr. Ivo. He’s sneaky quick with his whip of a backhand and he just is a very tough out. So Simon and Dr. Ivo, both pulling off the upsets today and Monday should be a fine day at the Big W.

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 4, 2015 at 9:03 pm

    Actually Ivo lost the Newport F last year to Hewitt 76 in the third, he said it was windy that day and it affected his serves and his volleys, so I would guess Ivo will be back to Newport to gran that title which eluded him last year. Superb win today vs. the always dangerous on grass Tsonga. Simon is a marvel, he has mastery of La Monf, now 6-1 head to head. Berdych is too big too strong for Simon.

  • Gaurang · July 5, 2015 at 5:38 am

    Scoop, I think by mistake you mentioned oldest quarterfinalist above, but he hasnt reached the quarterfinals yet!

    I agree, Karlovic is more than just a server. He plays an aggressive baseline play and also volleys.

  • Dan Markowitz · July 5, 2015 at 6:33 am

    Man, we’re making mistakes left and right on this blog. You’re right, Dr. Ivo lost last year. Still got to give a lot of credit to Dr. Ivo, his counterpart, Izzie, just cannot make a deep run in a slam. Do you know in his last 13 slams played, Izzie has gotten past the third round only twice! That’s past the 3rd Round. In his whole career, 28 slams, he’s gotten past the 3 rd four times! That’s extraordinary. A guy like Spadea got past the 3rd Rd in a slam five times. Izzie is behind Spadea in times advancing past the 3rd Round in a slam. The guy is just a hideous slam player.

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 5, 2015 at 8:23 am

    Isner was fresh this time, and he could have won that match vs Cilic but the luck didn’t go his way. Cilic made that awesome scoop drop shot winner down 15-30 on his serve which would have been double BP against him if he missed. And he came up with some big shots and serves to salvage that ten-ten game. Cilic also made some fantastic returns and shots in that final Isner service game. Isner was unlucky to lose that, but that’s Isner tennis, it comes down to a few inches on huge points. I can see Isner getting over this hump and rolling into a major SF but it will require luck and a lot of magical Isner tennis. But he certainly is capable of doing major damage in a major.

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 5, 2015 at 8:24 am

    You are right G I got mixed up, Ivo is oldest to make W round of sixteen since Pilic.

  • Dan Markowitz · July 5, 2015 at 8:33 am

    Scoop, even Courier, the Davis Cup captain, said that Cilic was the better player and deserved to win the match. Here’s why Izzie will never sniff a slam semis, his brain moves as slowly as his feet. In that final game of the match, he double faults twice (indeed, he did prior in the game hit two ridiculous aces at 15-40), in fact, doubles on match point (you just can’t do that. You can’t go for the line on a second serve match point), prior, Izzie approaches on a down the middle Cilic return, cross-court to Cilic’s forehand and gets passed where? Of course, down the line (Izzie moves like a turtle at the net that’s why even with Gimelstob urging him, he serves and volleys less than Arthur Ashe did in the warmups), and then on match point, he hits a first serve in, but it’s called out and of course, Izzie doesn’t challenge the call and double faults on next ball. Izzie’s a mental midget in a giant’s body.

  • Thomas Tung · July 5, 2015 at 12:23 pm

    I like Simon’s style — he hits these mid-to-low pace balls with a bit of depth, which gives his opponents very little to work with, but if you give him pace, he takes the ball early, and uses it against you, and redirects the ball easily and with great placement.

    If Isner could move like Querrey or Anderson, he’d probably have better results in the Slams.

    Ivo places his serve, and uses his angles, better than Big John. Ivo has a horrible topspin backhand, but one of the finest slice backhands on tour: it’ really something to admire.

    Happy 4th of July weekend to all fellow Americans 🙂

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 5, 2015 at 9:04 pm

    Dan, everyone is the better player than Isner but Isner is your ultimate underdog making good. Come on, a guy that tall can’t move or grind but Isner is super gritty and fights like a demon, he’s as tough a competitor as there is on the ATP Tour, he plays with an attitude too, you can see it on his face and when he screams after winning big points or tiebreakers, this guy is your ultimate overachiever, big doofuses aren’t supposed to be in pro tennis, but Isner and Karlovic are tremendous fighters. Sure they have big serves, but their hearts are their biggest weapons, their fighting hearts. I remember I asked Renaldo Snipes what was it that made Larry Holmes so great, expecting him to say Holmes’ jab, but he said it was “his heart.” Same thing applies to Isner and Ivo.

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 5, 2015 at 9:05 pm

    I always enjoy to watch Simon too, he has a nice touch and feel on the ball, it’s just a pleasure to see him rally. He has excellent form and technique too, perfect player to see play, regardless of the results.

  • Dan Markowitz · July 5, 2015 at 9:50 pm

    I like Izzie’s pluck too, but he did not play a smart last game yesterday against Cilic. Double faulting twice, and approaching cross court to Cilic’s backhand. Those kind of brain cramps kept him from staying in that match.

    Does anyone know the draw for the Qualifying Tournament at Newport yet? I want to see the guys Martin gave wild cards to.

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 6, 2015 at 7:33 am

    He goes for it, and under extreme pressure, sure he’s gonna miss, but he definitely made Cilic sweat that out and have to earn it, which Cilic did. Isner never or rarely gives away a match easy, he makes you earn it. Cilic was up to the tricky task. It must be such a nightmare to play Isner, Isner owns a lot of players.

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 6, 2015 at 7:34 am

    Newport qualies won’t be released till later in week.

  • Bryan · July 6, 2015 at 2:52 pm

    Karlovic put up a good fight but fell short going down in 4. So it’s Murray, Stan, Roger and Djoker presuming he rebounds against Andersen. Maybe it’s time to reconfigure the Big 4.

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