TENNIS – Ivo Karlovic upset this year’s US Open champion Marin Cilic with 7-5 2-6 7-6(2) in the first round of the Shanghai Rolex Master, the penultimate Master 1000 Tournament of the year. John Isner, Kevin Anderson and Richard Gasquet also advanced to the second round. Diego Sampaolo
Marin Cilic faced a very tough first round match against Ivo Karlovic in the all-Croatian “derby”. Cilic dropped the first set with 5-7 but he bounced back by breaking twice to take the win in the second set with 6-2. The third set went on serve and came down to the tie-break where Karlovic prevailed with 7-2. Big server Karlovic hit 20 aces and won 85 percent of his first serve points.
Karlovic will meet Yen Hsun Lu who battled past Spaniard Marcel Granollers in three sets with 6-3 6-7(5) 6-2
“I felt drained last week in Beijing in my first tournament after the win at the US Open. This week I am feeling better. Now I am feeling it’s on the spot. At the beginning of the tournaments I am going to have to have to be more focused to go through the first matches. The same happened in New York. I played a bit more rusty in the first few matches. Then afterwards everything was flowing”, said Cilic.
“It’s a gamble with Karlovic. He goes all in or nothing. It’s alway difficult. He was serving really well towards the end of the match. I could not get into his serve. It can happen with Ivo. It’s always tricky.” said Cilic.
Grigor Dimitrov, who is currently ranked 11th in the ATP Race to London and is a contender for a spot for the en-of-season tennis show, got off to a comfortable start with a 6-3 6-3 win over Denis Istomin. The Bulgarian player broke twice and fended off four break points he faced.
Another match decided by the third set saw John Isner winning over Pablo Andujar with 7-6 1-6 6-3. Isner capitalized on the only break point in the fourth game of the third set to clinch the win. The US giant hit 22 aces, won 71 percent of his service points and fended off six of the eight break point chances he faced.
“I am still alive. I am glad I am not on a flight home tomorrow. Playing better away from home is something I am trying to do and I feel like I have done so far”, said Isner
Kevin Anderson fought back from losing the first set 3-6 to win the match against Great Britain James Ward in the third set with 3-6 6-3 6-2. Anderson got a double break to cruise to a 4-0 lead en route to clinching the third set and capitalized on four of his seven break point chances.
The other “derby” of the day was the all-French match between Jeremy Chardy and Richard Gasquet. Chardy was in control of the match in the first set where he took a 3-1 lead. The first set came down to the tie-break. Chardy earned two set points in the breaker but Gasquet edged him with 9-7. Gasquet got a double break at the start of the second set before pulling away to a easy 6-2. Gasquet converted three of his six break points to clinch his 30th match win of the season. Gasquet will face Beijing finalist Tomas Berdych.
US Jack Sock fought back from 0-3 down in the third set to battle past Australian Bernard Tomic with 7-6(4) 6-7(4) 6-4.
Juan Monaco overcame Joao Sousa 6-2 7-6(4). Qualifier Malek Jaziri defeated US Donald Young in straight sets with 7-5 6-4.
