Post by Tone on Aug 18, 2003 19:16:30 GMT
Big Serve Helps Croatian Capture Bronx Classic
By BRANDON LILLY
Dmitri Tursunov knew what he was getting into when he faced Ivo Karlovic in the men's final of the GHI Bronx Classic yesterday at Crotona Park.
Tursunov had lost to the 6-foot-10 Karlovic during the qualifying round at Wimbledon, just days before Karlovic surprised the tennis world by defeating top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt in the first round.
Advertisement
"He's just so big that you have to serve well to beat him," Tursunov, of Russia, said. "I didn't do that today."
Karlovic won his second straight Challenger Circuit tournament with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Tursunov yesterday.
"I'm very happy to win this," said Karlovic, a Croatian who also won the Challenger tournament in Binghamton, N.Y., last weekend. "My confidence was very high all week, and I've been playing very well."
Karlovic said he hoped to continue playing well starting Tuesday, when he begins play in the qualifying tournament for the United States Open. Tursunov will also try to qualify for the Open, which begins Aug. 25 at the National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
It quickly became apparent that Karlovic would have to beat himself to lose the match. Tursunov had no answer for Karlovic's serve, especially his first serve. During the first set, Karlovic lost only four points when his first serve was in, and he broke Tursunov in the third game.
After Karlovic cruised in the first set, his dominance on serve began to desert him. He double-faulted three times in his first service game of the second set. Tursunov won that game but was unable to hold serve in the next one. Karlovic then held serve to tie the set at 2-2.
In the sixth game of the set, with Tursunov leading by 3-2, Karlovic fought off four break points and eventually won on a passing shot down the line. Tursunov did not win another game.
"I thought I made a lot of great shots in that game, but he made some great shots, too," Tursunov said. "It was definitely frustrating."
By BRANDON LILLY
Dmitri Tursunov knew what he was getting into when he faced Ivo Karlovic in the men's final of the GHI Bronx Classic yesterday at Crotona Park.
Tursunov had lost to the 6-foot-10 Karlovic during the qualifying round at Wimbledon, just days before Karlovic surprised the tennis world by defeating top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt in the first round.
Advertisement
"He's just so big that you have to serve well to beat him," Tursunov, of Russia, said. "I didn't do that today."
Karlovic won his second straight Challenger Circuit tournament with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Tursunov yesterday.
"I'm very happy to win this," said Karlovic, a Croatian who also won the Challenger tournament in Binghamton, N.Y., last weekend. "My confidence was very high all week, and I've been playing very well."
Karlovic said he hoped to continue playing well starting Tuesday, when he begins play in the qualifying tournament for the United States Open. Tursunov will also try to qualify for the Open, which begins Aug. 25 at the National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
It quickly became apparent that Karlovic would have to beat himself to lose the match. Tursunov had no answer for Karlovic's serve, especially his first serve. During the first set, Karlovic lost only four points when his first serve was in, and he broke Tursunov in the third game.
After Karlovic cruised in the first set, his dominance on serve began to desert him. He double-faulted three times in his first service game of the second set. Tursunov won that game but was unable to hold serve in the next one. Karlovic then held serve to tie the set at 2-2.
In the sixth game of the set, with Tursunov leading by 3-2, Karlovic fought off four break points and eventually won on a passing shot down the line. Tursunov did not win another game.
"I thought I made a lot of great shots in that game, but he made some great shots, too," Tursunov said. "It was definitely frustrating."