SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE IN HALLE TENNIS IS AMAZEBALLS, FEDERER TO PLAY KARLOVIC AND SEPPI TO PLAY NISHIKORI

Written by: Staff on 19th June 2015

SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE IN HALLE TENNIS IS AMAZEBALLS, FEDERER TO PLAY KARLOVIC AND SEPPI TO PLAY NISHIKORI

Andreas Seppi of Italy in action during the quarter final match against Gael Monfils of France at the ATP tennis tournament in Halle, Germany, 19 June 2015. EPA/MAJA HITIJ |

Reservations For Four Near Gerry Weber Sportspark

By Cheryl Jones

Ivo Karlovic of Croatia serves the ball to Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic during their quarter final match at the ATP tennis tournament in Halle, Germany, 19 June 2015. EPA/MAJA HITIJ

Predictions from yesterday aside, I am humbled to admit that there might be more to Ivo Karlovic’s game than his superior serve. The man truly is an ace-machine. Today in Halle, Germany, at the Gerry Weber Open, the 6’11” tall Croatian fellow managed a staggering 45 aces in a match where he faced Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic. Mind you, Berdych is no slouch in the ace department and he pulled out 7 of them from his shot-making repertoire during the match that really seemed to pass quickly, but actually took two hours and eleven minutes. The first set was a mere 37 minutes in duration. The Croat giant served twelve aces that were each well over a hundred miles an hour becoming the focal point of a crowded stadium filled with spectators who were gaping in awe at the demonstration that was unfolding.

It must have been more than disheartening – actually verging on humiliating – for the Czech player who is twenty-nine and ranked sixth in the Emirates Rankings. On paper, the Croat player was the underdog. (Karlovic is thirty-six years old and ranked twenty-seventh in the standing line-up.) In the fourth game of that first set, Berdych could have stayed in the locker room. He didn’t touch a ball. The serves sailed to their intended spots as if they possessed a homing device. Momentum was likely the heading on Karlovic’s game plan. The more aces he put in play, the fewer other shots he needed to chase down. He moved flawlessly from side to side on his service games; there was seldom a doubt that his shots would be on target, and from the moment the ball left the racquet surface, it remained on its planned trajectory. It was better than a clinic. It could have been a movie requiring only one take.

Earlier in the week Karlovic took on a teenage German player who has a baby face and stands six foot six. That cherubic appearing young man was Alexander Zverev. He is eighteen, half the Croat’s age, but youth clearly didn’t have an edge in the match. After Karlovic lost the first set, 7-6, he never looked back and actually seemed to relax as he moved into the next round with a 6-3, 6-3 showing – and that time it was with twenty-one aces. The Semifinals are up next and he will face Roger Federer, the Swiss maestro who holds seven titles at the Gerry Weber Open and is favored to win once again.

Today, Federer eliminated the last German who remained in the running in Halle. Florian Mayer was making his fourth Quarterfinal showing and his eighth appearance at the venue that has not been a haven for German winners. Since its inaugural tournament in 1993, only six times have German players been honored as champions here. The first was Michael Stich in 1994; followed by Nicholas Kiefer in 1999; David Prinosil in 2000; Tommy Haas won twice – once in 2009 and again in 2012; and just before Haas’ second win, Philipp Kohlschreiber took the title in 2011. Federer’s 6-0, 7-6 win today didn’t disappoint the predominantly German crowd. They enjoy watching the Swiss man perform on center stage and he will have to show up tomorrow with a little more than his usual spectacular game, if he wants to stand up against the human ace machine, Ivo Karlovic.

Roger Federer of Switzerland in action during the quarter final match against Florian Mayer of Germany in the ATP tennis tournament in Halle, Germany, 19 June 2015. EPA/MAJA HITIJ

The other Semifinal will feature Kei Nishikori who as I predicted sent the Polish contender, Jerzy Janowicz back to the drawing board after today’s match. Nishikori was circumspect in his after match interview. The 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 score was evidence of attentiveness issues that Nishikori spoke of, “I think I lost some concentration in the second set.” It was fairly obvious that was the case, but the Japanese star who came to Bollettieri’s Academy in Bradenton, Florida as a teenager was thoughtful when he said, “I think finally in the third set I started to concentrate again and I started hitting more (forehands).” The refocusing worked and he will once again be featured in the Semifinals at the Gerry Weber Open.

Last year, it was Federer that eliminated his chances to appear in the final. This year, he will face Italian, Andreas Seppi for a new chance to make it to the final. He defeated Gael Monfils 6-1, 1-0, Retired. (Monfils fell in the first set and seemed to be nursing a painful knee the remainder of the time he spent in contention.)

This is Seppi’s first Semifinal appearance in Halle. Earlier in the week, Tommy Haas lost out to the hard-hitting Italian, who is ranked forty-fifth on the Emirates listings and is the second most highly ranked player from his country, right behind the volatile Fabio Fognini. Seppi will have his hands full with Nishikori who won’t be as rested, but has far more experience in the latter rounds of tournaments.

Tune in tomorrow for the continuing adventures of players who will likely be making a difference in one of the four grand slams of the year – Wimbledon. Sunday’s featured match at the Gerry Weber Open will see the twenty-third champion crowned. Will it be an Italian, a Croat, a representative of Japan or once again the man from Switzerland who not only is a crowd favorite, but at 14 championships, holds the record for most wins on grass in the Open Era?

Topics: Andreas Seppi, Atp World Tour, Cheryl Jones, Gerry Weber Open, Grass tennis, Halle, Ivo Karlovic, Kei Nishikori, Roger Federer

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10sBalls_com says:

June 19, 2015 at 4:14 pm

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE IN #HALLE #TENNIS IS #AMAZEBALLS, @rogerfederer TO PLAY #KARLOVIC AND #SEPPI TO PLAY #NISHIKORI- http://t.co/3o9tOCYFVh
giuliannomolina says:

June 19, 2015 at 5:57 pm

RT @TennisNewsOne: SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE IN HALLE TENNIS IS AMAZEBALLS, FEDERER TO PLAY KARLOVIC AND SEPPI TO PLAY NISHIKORI http://t.co/eCT0…