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8/2/08 4:08 PM | David Cox
It's man versus machine in the first of the Cincinnati semis. Maybe an unflattering and slightly unfair way to describe Karlovic but when he regularly racks up 20+ aces per match his opponents can be forgiven for thinking he's not actually human
In terms of game style Murray and Karlovic are polar opposites, one of the best returners in men's tennis versus indisputably the best server. It's thrown up some classic duels in the past, first in the 2007 San Jose final when Murray came from a break down in the 3rd to win 6-7(3), 6-4, 7-6(2) and then a thriller in the desert in the spring Murray needing all his determination and mental strength to come through 7-6(7), 6-7(3), 6-3 in Indian Wells
Earlier this year Murray named Karlovic as the opponent he least likes to play and it's not hard to see why. The Croat has fired 81 aces in the tournament so far and served Federer off the court in round 3 to win 7-6, 3-6, 7-6. It's unfair to the off-court work Karlovic has put in to label him as just a big serve. His groundstroke game has improved immensely and the forehand is now a real weapon. With virtually every service game almost guaranteed, he's free to let rip on his opponent's serves and 1 break means goodbye to the set.
If his record in the slams wasn't so bemusingly poor he'd surely have been higher than his current best of no 18. Whoever wins today will have made their first masters series final. While it's Karlovic's first appearance in the last 4, Murray is a serial semi-finalist (this is his 5th) though in the past he's always been the underdog at this stage losing to Djokovic (twice), Gasquet and Nadal (last week).
This will be Murray's best chance so far to make a really big final and he could be the first British man to play in the Cincinnati showpiece. Tim Henman got very close against Kuerten in the semis a few years back. He's returned well against 3 big servers this week and if he serves as well as in the 2nd half of his match with Moya he has a good shot.
The fast bouncy courts of Cincinnati suit Karlovic down to the ground but Murray does make him play a 2nd shot more consistently than almost any other player and has such amazing hands on the passing shots and lobs that I'm backing him to nick a couple of tiebreaks and win this in 3
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