ATP Roland Garros: Ivo Karlovic writes history. Khachanov, Edmund advance
In the battle of the veterans, Ivo Karlovic and Feliciano Lopez have competed in the oldest match in combined age Roland Garros, with Karlovic scoring a 7-6, 7-5, 6-7, 7-5 triumph in three hours and six minutes. Thus, Ivo became the first 40-year-old with a Grand Slam win since Jimmy Connors in 1992 and the oldest one at Roland Garros since 1973 to write new age records in the ATP book of records. Karlovic blasted 35 aces, saving five out of six break points and stealing Lopez's serve twice to cross the finish line first and secure the 52nd Grand Slam victory. Thanks to unreturned serves, both players had more winners than unforced errors and it was the Spaniard who had the better ratio, firing 60 winners and just 20 unforced errors while Karlovic sprayed more than 40.
Ivo claimed the opening set tie break 7-4 after no deuces or break points, fending off four break points in set number two before stealing Feliciano's serve in game 12 to move two sets to love in front. The Spaniard saved two match points in the third set tie break at 5-6 and 6-7, taking it 9-7 to prolong the match and drama ahead of another entertaining set in front of the packed crowd at Court 6. The deciding set was just around the corner when Lopez forged a 5-2 lead but Ivo was not to be denied, rattling off five straight games and closing the match with breaks in games nine and 11. The 30th seed Dusan Lajovic delivered his 14th Grand Slam win, beating the Brazilian qualifier Thiago Monteiro 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in two hours and five minutes, repelling six out of seven break points and creating eight opportunities on the return, dictating the pace in the rallies and earning the positive result with 29 winners and 23 unforced errors.
In the encounter that was halted on Monday evening due to darkness at 5-5 in the decider, Kyle Edmund prevailed against Jeremy Chardy 7-6, 5-7, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 in four hours and two minutes for the first success after five straight losses. The Briton won just one point more than the Frenchman and took both games in their short trip to the court today to book the place in the second round, celebrating the 21st Grand Slam victory. The 18th seed Roberto Bautista Agut ousted Steve Johnson 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in an hour and 42 minutes after a rock-solid performance that saw him losing just 15 points behind the initial shot, never facing a break point. On the other hand, the American couldn't match those numbers in his games, giving serve away four times and never standing a chance against far superior clay-courter.
Jordan Thompson grabbed the fifth Grand Slam win, toppling a lucky loser Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 in two hours and eight minutes. The youngster broke the Aussie twice but needed more to keep himself in contention, dropping 45% of the points in his games and getting broken five times to propel Jordan through, fighting well in set number three and wasting a set point at 5-4. Martin Klizan overcame two sets to love deficit to prevail 3-6, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 over Mikhail Kukushkin in three hours and 46 minutes. The 10th seed Karen Khachanov took down Cedric-Marcel Stebe 6-1, 6-1, 6-4 in an hour and 37 minutes, saving all five break points and presenting six breaks from ten chances to secure only the 11th win of the season that hasn't gone his way so far.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2W8VNjm
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