Unseeded Ivo Karlovic beat eighth seed Arnaud Clement 3-6 6-4 6-4 in the final of the Nottingham Open on Saturday to earn the second title of his career.
Karlovic won his first title on grass ahead of Wimbledon, which starts today. In April, the 29-year-old Croat won his first ATP tour title in Houston on clay.
"To tell the truth I didn't really expect to win," Karlovic said. "I came here to play a few matches, I was the last player in the draw."
PHOTO: AP
"I was injured last year for six months and I did not really have very good preparations for this year but so far it is my best year," he said.
Clement had played two matches on Friday -- defeating top-seeded Richard Gasquet, then Jonas Bjorkman -- on an indoor hardcourt because of rain.
His tiredness showed in the second set, when he saved three set points before Karlovic's passing shot forced a deciding set. Karlovic made the decisive break of serve in the 10th game of the final set.
One of Karlovic's 21 aces of the match was clocked at 246kph in the seventh game of the second set. That's only 3.2kph slower than the world record set by Andy Roddick in 2004.
Clement and Karlovic had met three times before, with the Frenchman victorious both times on grass -- in the quarter-finals at Queen's 10 days ago, and also in the first round at Den Bosch, Netherlands, in 2004.
Karlovic faces another Frenchman, Fabrice Santoro, in the first round at Wimbledon.
"I play Santoro in the first round, which is a difficult match for me because he plays similar to Arnaud ... But hopefully I'll go far," Karlovic said.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at