Title rivals Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal breezed into the third round yesterday but the world No.2 has already played 10 stressful sets and spent more than seven hours on court against two players ranked outside the top 100. The world No 2 delivered in emphatic fashion, crushing the giant Croatian 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 in an hour and 56 minutes to earn a meeting on Sunday with the victor of today’s later meeting between John Isner and Teymuraz Gabashvili.
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As an indication of his struggles, Wednesday was the first time since the US Open in 2005 that Murray had played two successive five-set matches at the Slams. Of greater concern – certainly to Murray and to fans of his and of tennis – is how he gets out of this first week with his game intact.
Not long after surviving the threat of an embarrassing second-round defeat by the gifted but unheralded Frenchman Mathias Bourgue, Murray reflected on how baby Sophia and his wife, Kim, are keeping him sane in a fevered environment.
He finished things with the second – Karlovic’s wide return prompting a cry of “Yes!” from Murray and a punch of the air.
Murray is on a roll!
Murray got off to a fast start by racing to a 5-0 lead in the opener.
The world number two refused to wilt though and secured a crucial break at 2-1 in the fourth to send the contest into a fifth set.
After such a fraught and exhausting start to the tournament, Murray was planning an easy day with the family yesterday.
These points are beginning to follow a very similar pattern, with Murray prowling the baseline and Karlovic constantly on the lookout to come closer into the net.
For the Karlovic game is built on his extraordinary height and consequent serving prowess, so rallies are short, but he can also take the game out of an opponent’s hands. Geeing himself up with a “C’mon!” or two, the Scot promptly won the next four points to take the game and proceeded to serve out for the set.
Speaking on court, Murray admitted to being slightly chipper after avoiding another marathon encounter. Now Murray serves for the set.
Even given how tricky Karlovic can be, it must have come as a welcome relief to face the big serving Croatian after two very tricky matches that had been alarmingly hard work for the Brit.
The 29-year-old mysteriously lost his way in the second set against Bourgue, having looked completely in control, but he made sure he stayed pumped up this time, roaring as he recovered from 0-30 to hold for 5-3. He’s looking more comfortable than his earlier games, and is also not hampered by the bad weather that plagued him earlier.
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But after needing to play on three consecutive days, the new father sought to clear his head by taking time out with wife Kim and new baby Sophia. In his first two rounds at Roland Garros, he’s held 48 of 50 service games (96%). Though he didn’t truly humiliate Karlovic with it he nevertheless forced a tame reply, which he easily dispatched to take a 3-1 lead.
