After their singles victories yesterday, Marin Cilic and Ivo Karlovic teamed up to play doubles against Nicolas Lapentti and Giovanni Lapentti in Varazdin, Croatia. The Croatian twin towers proved too much for the Brothers Lapentti and surpassed the Ecuadorian team 7-6(3) 6-3 7-5 to clinch a quarterfinal spot.

The Croatians now wait for the winner of the Serbia-USA tie. Serbia and the US are still duking it out in Belgrade. The US managed to win doubles today to keep hope alive. Novak Djokovic looks to secure Serbia’s first Davis Cup quarterfinal berth on his racket tomorrow.

Saturday’s Results
R3 – M Cilic (CRO)/I. Karlovic (CRO) def. G. Lapentti (ECU)/N. Lapentti (ECU) 7-6(3) 6-3 7-5

(Image: AP)

Ernests Gulbis won his first title of his career. Gulbis is actually a peer of Novak Djokovic but has struggled due to lack of focus and training. The 21 year old went through a hot mess period, but it now looks like the Latvian could be looking forward to a new era.

This fall, Gulbis hired Hernan Gumy, who was Marat Safin’s last coach and turned the Russian champion around after he lost focus. The current world no. 72 had never been past the quarterfinals of a tournament until last week in Memphis where he made it to the semifinals.

Gulbis was able to mount another impressive run this week in Delray Beach. He made it to the final without dropping a set. Despite drawing the always-troublesome Ivo Karlovic, he made easy work of the Croat with a 6-2 6-3 victory to secure the first title of his career.

Hopefully, Hernan can continue to turn the Latvian’s career around. It would be a shame if Gulbis did not live up to his potential.

(Image: AP)

Marin Cilic defeated the always problematic Ivo “MC” Karlovic 7-6(6) 6-4. Karlovic rained down 24 aces on his compatriot, but the 21 year old was able to get the upper hand in the tiebreak and then obtain a break in the second set.

The world no. 10 will play Austrian Jurgen Melzer in the semifinal. Cilic leads their head-to-head 3-1, but Melzer won their last meeting in Vienna where he had the home field advantage. The tables will be turned on the Austrian tomorrow.

On the other side of the draw, German Michael Berrer upset fourth-seed Viktor Troicki in straight sets. He will advance to play Philipp Petzschner in an all-German semifinal. Petzschner rallied to beat Lukas Lacko, who just came off his upset of second-seed Ivan Ljubicic yesterday. Berrer and Petzschner have never played in ATP competition, but Petzschner does lead their head-to-head 2-1 on the challenger circuit.

Friday’s Results
Singles Quarterfinals
1 Marin Cilic (CRO) def. 7 Ivo Karlovic (CRO) 7-6(6) 6-4
3 Jurgen Melzer (AUT) vs Ilya Marchenko (UKR)
Michael Berrer (GER) def. 4 Viktor Troicki (SRB) 6-4 6-3
Philipp Petzschner (GER) def. Lukas Lacko (SVK) 6-7(1) 6-2 6-2

Doubles Semifinals
A. Clement (FRA)/O. Rochus (BEL) def. B. Becker (GER)/R. Schuettler (GER) 6-3 1-6 10-3

Saturday's Matches
Singles Semifinals
1 Marin Cilic (CRO) vs. 3 Jurgen Melzer (AUT)
Michael Berrer (GER) vs. Philipp Petzschner (GER)

Doubles Semifinals
3 M. Damm (CZE)/F. Polasek (SVK) vs. J. Melzer (AUT)/P. Petzschner (GER)

Saturday’s Order of Play

(Image: PBZ Zagreb Indoors)

Top-seed Marin Cilic made a rather impressive premiere in his 6-2 6-2 rout of Czech Jan Hajek after just 56 minutes of work. Seventh-seed Ivo Karlovic advanced after just 38 minutes when his opponent, Croat Antonio Veic retired with an ankle injury.

Ivan Ljubicic was not so lucky. The second-seed had to put in a little more work in his meeting with Arnaud Clement. He beat the French veteran 7-6(4) 6-3 after 96 minutes of play.

Wednesday's Results
Singles First Round
1 Marin Cilic (CRO) def. Jan Hajek (CZE) 6-2 6-2
2 Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) def. Arnaud Clement (FRA) 7-6(4) 6-3
7 Ivo Karlovic (CRO) def. WC Antonio Veic (CRO) 4-5 RET. (left ankle)

Singles Second Round
3 Jurgen Melzer (AUT) def. Oliver Rochus (BEL) 6-2 6-3
4 Viktor Troicki (SRB) def. Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) 7-5 7-5
Ilya Marchenko (UKR) def. WC Ivan Dodig (CRO) 6-4 6-2

Doubles First Round
3 M. Damm (CZE)/F. Polasek (SVK) def. J. Levinsky (CZE)/M. Zverev (GER) 6-7(4) 6-3 10-8
B. Becker (GER)/R. Schuettler (GER) def. WC M. Draganja (CRO)/L. Zovko (CRO) 7-6(7) 26 10-4
M. Kohlmann (GER)/A. Peya (AUT) def. J Murray (GBR) / J Murray (GBR) 2-6 7-6(1) 10-7

Thursday’s Order of Play

(Image: Reuters)

Rafael Nadal had the large task of meeting Ivo Karlovic, the biggest server on the tour, in the round of 16. The 6’10” Croat had already taken out Radek Stepanek and Ivan Ljubicic in earlier rounds. The Spaniard had some problems returning serve this week. These factors could have been a problematic for the returning champ.

Nadal instead turned up the heat on his serve and was able to hold serve. The Spaniard stayed with the Croat and eventually took advantage of any openings. Nadal eventually triumphed over Karlovic 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-4 after 2 hours and 36 minutes of play. Now, the world no. 2 will face Andy Murray, who beat John Isner, probably the second-best server on tour.

Nadal is currently 7-2 over the Scotsman. The two players have not played since last year in Monaco, but that was before Nadal's physical troubles. Since his return to the tour in Montreal, the Spaniard is 1-9 against top ten players. This week, Nadal has done just enough to win. Murray, on the other hand, has all the skills to win a grand slam but has yet to do so. We shall see if Nadal is ready to ratchet his play up enough to surpass the Scotsman or if Murray can finally cross the threshold to win his first grand slam.

(Image: AP/Andy Wong)

Rafael Nadal had a sluggish start in his Thursday evening match with German Philipp Kohlschreiber but was able to still able to get into a groove by the second set. The Spaniard jumped out to a two-set lead over the 26 year old.

It looked like another straight-set win for the returning champion until he lost his opening serve in the third set. Kohlschreiber somehow took control of the set causing Nadal to fall out of sorts. Errors uncharacteristically crept into the second-seeds game, and the German managed to keep his tournament hopes alive and win the third set.

They traded breaks in the fourth set but then Nadal stepped up his game in the last two games to win the fourth set and the match. It was not pretty, but he did manage to get pass Kohlschreiber 6-4 6-2 2-6 7-5.

Nadal will play Croat Ivo Karlovic, who played at the same time and length in his third-round match with Ivan Ljubicic, in the round of 16. The Mallorcan leads their head-to-head 2-0. The two players have never met on a hardcourt surface before. Dr. Ivo and his giant serve spell trouble on Saturday.

Friday’s Results

Saturday’s Order of Play

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(Image: AFP/Getty Images/Torsten Blackwood)

On Monday, Ivo “Dr. Ivo or MC Ivo” Karlovic took out 13-seed Radek Stepanek. The Czech became the first casualty of the Australian Open. The opening day was a rather harmless when compared to day two of the tournament.


Tuesday was a fragile day for seeded players. Twenty-third-seed Juan Carlos Ferrero and 25-seed Sam Querrey lost their Aussie debuts. A big stunner was 16-seed Tommy Robredo’s exit. The Spaniard is usually so consistent. Perhaps the biggest stunner of them all was eighth-seed Robin Soderling.

Columbian Santiago Giraldo (pic. left) took out Tommy Robredo. The world no. 114 did not qualify at last year’s US Open, but he was able to surpass handily the Spaniard on 6-4 6-2 6-2. Giraldo now advances Pole Lukaz Kubot in second round.

Robin Soderling lost to world no. 113 Marcel Granollers (pic. right) of Spain. The Spaniard rallied to eventually kneecap Soderling 5-7 2-6 6-4 6-4 6-2. The 23 year old will meet Columbian Alejandro Fallo in the next round.

Soderling’s departure now opens his quarter of the draw and gives Spaniard Nicolas Almagro a good shot at the round of 16. The 26 seed has never made it to the round of 16 in a grand slam on hardcourt. He did make it to the quarterfinals at Roland Garros in 2008, which is his best grand slam result to date.

Tuesday’s Results

Wednesday’s Order of Play

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(Images: AP/Andrew Brownbill, AP/Shuji Kajiyama)

Radek Stapenek and Ivo Karlovic ended up battling it out in an 5 hour and 59 minute-marathon match. Stepanek rallied after losing the first set 6-7(5) 7-6(5) 7-6(6) 6-7(2) 16-14.

The Czech withstood 78 aces from Karlovic. Of the 78 games played, there were only three breaks of serve. His second and deciding break of the match came in game the 29th game of the final set. This single match was longer than Spain's first two matches with Israel.

Stepanek’s epic win gives the Czech Republic a 1-0 lead. A loss like this could be hard for Team Croatia to rebound, but Marin Cilic, who plays next, has been playing well of late.

(Image: Darko Bandic/AP)

Fernando Verdasco poses for Hola! Magazine. Let’s hope all the topless action helps him prepare for the US Open Series. (Socialite Life)

Karlovic is a Croatian MC and has the song to prove it. While his single is magnificent -- for all the wrong reasons -- on its own, Djokovic may team up with the tennis ace to make a hip-hop single. It could be double the magnificence (Blic)

Rafael Nadal maybe iffy for Montreal (Open Court)

Mario Ancic’s mononucleosis continues to sideline the Croat. He and Nalbandian (hip) will miss the US Open this year (Tennis)

Rafael Nadal regrets playing in the Madrid Masters Series because it led to a lack of preparation for the French Open (Rafael Nadal)

Richard Gasquet wins a spot in the 10 Best Bad Excuses. The tennis genius has now been slapped with a defamation lawsuit (Fox Sports, TimesOnline)

Marat Safin thinks tennis has become too professional (Tennistalk)

Andre Agassi will replace Novak Djokovic in an exhibition with Marat Safin on Aug 28 (WSJ)

Tipsarevic is upset over allegations about his integrity. Curious betting patterns caused scrutiny after a Tipsarevic-Hernandez match in Stuttgart on July 15 (Blic)

Rafael Nadal purchased a house in DR. From the press release, it looks more like the Spaniard lent his name to a development project (Daily Commercial News)

Gilles Simon, Radek Stepanek and Fernando Verdasco were all upset today. All faced dangerous players, but ultimately they all allowed their opponents to get the better of them and ended up being sent home.

Simon was stunned by Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-6(4) 6-3 6-2. The Frenchman had been playing better lately, but he allowed the Spaniard outplay him for a berth in the quarterfinals.

Stepanek was in the drivers seat for much of his match with Lleyton Hewitt. The Czech was up two sets, but the veteran Aussie managed to turn his fortunes around. He rallied to stun Stepanek 4-6 2-6 6-1 6-2 6-2 in just under three hours of play.

Verdasco was undone by Ivo Karlovic, who has yet to be broken in the entire tournament. The Croat's serve continued its steamroll. He rained down 35 aces on Verdasco. Karlovic ended up upsetting the Spaniard 7-6(5) 6-7(4) 6-3 7-6(9).

(Images: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images, AP, AP)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was upset by Ivo Karlovic 7-6(5) 6-7(5) 7-5 7-6(5). Karlovic is always trouble since he is equipped with a huge serve. Unfortunately for Tsonga, Karlovic rained down 46 aces onto the Frenchman. The big Croat will now face another Spaniard, Fernando Verdasco.

Tommy Robredo was stunned by Dudi Sela. Sela skirted by the Spaniard 7-6(8) 7-5 2-6 7-5. The Israeli now gets to meet Novak Djokovic in the round of 16.

(Images: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images, Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images)

A pastry shop in Barcelona makes a life-size sculpture of Nadal out of chocolate cake in time for Easter in the video above (Rafael Nadal)
Roger Federer gets married (Roger Federer)
Tommy Robredo organizes a wheelchair tennis tournament in honor of a friend (Tommy Robredo)
Ernest Gulbis parts ways with his coach (Importance of Being Ernest)
Richard Gasquet pulls out of Monte Carlo due to a shoulder injury (Reuters)
Federer take a last-minute wildcard for Monte Carlo (CBS)
Davis Cup venues announced (ESPN)
Ivo Karlovic will make a hip-hop album (Croatian Times)
Marat Safin's sister will be the women's number one (BBC)