Murray was rocking, but saved three break points at the start of the fourth set and gradually seized back control to prevail 6-2, 2-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in three hours 34 minutes. What’s more, they had never played on clay, and while Murray’s record on the red stuff this year was outstanding, Karlovic’s was far from it: he had lost in the first round of eight of his nine tournaments this year, with his scant two match-wins in Istanbul against much lower ranked players. Obviously if the serve is going well, and if you’re getting good looks on returns against Ivo, then there is a good chance moving forward that I will be getting good looks on other players’ serves. He was left awaiting the victor of the match between another giant, John Isner, and the big-hitting Georgian Teymuraz Gabashvili.
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“He’s the best newcomer, so it will be an incredible match for me”, said the Frenchman, who defeated fellow former Roland Garros boys champion Bjorn Fratangelo of the United States on Wednesday to reach the last 32.
“Now I will get to spend a bit of time with the family, which is always nice”.
He has taken heart from fellow 37-year-old Radek Stepanek’s epic struggle against Murray in round one. He’s still in the draw, even though it’s not ideal, and hopefully he can use the rest day to recover as best he can.
Meanwhile, Australian Samantha Stosur edged out last year’s runner-up Lucie Safarova 6-3, 6-7 (0), 7-5 to reach the fourth round.
“It’s the only time when being old is okay”, 27th seed Karlovic, who has boomed down 72 aces in two rounds, said of his milestone victory. “So, yeah, I like”.
Murray will be aware that the only time he has failed to make it to the semi-finals of a Grand Slam in the past five slams was against another big server, South African Kevin Anderson, at last year’s US Open.
Andy Murray was relieved to get through another tough encounter at the start of his French Open campaign as he came from behind to beat Mathias Bourgue.
Amelie Mauresmo and Murray split ways just a few weeks ago on May 9, and rumors over the reasons have been circling ever since. “I just tried to fight through”.
Raonic said he will have tests on the aching left hip that led him to ask for painkillers during his match on Court 1.
Before long the Scot, jabbing his returns back to the feet of the advancing Croatian, had surged to 5-0 and it was to be his easiest set of the tournament so far, lasting 26 minutes.
It was a welcome victory for Bedene, who is still considering whether to appeal against a ruling preventing him from playing for his adopted country in the Davis Cup. His reward is to face world No 1 Novak Djokovic on Saturday.
“If you look at the first two matches, for sure I’m not playing my best tennis, but I know I have my best tennis in me”, the 31-year-old, who faces Frenchman Jeremy Chardy next, said.
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Murray, meanwhile, expressed surprise but not total shock following Rafael Nadal’s withdrawal because of a wrist injury.
