Ivo Karlovic Upsets Top Seed Novak Djokovic in Doha

Ivo Karlovic Upsets Top Seed Novak Djokovic in Doha

  • Posted: Jan 08, 2015

Karlovic Ivo Karlovic Upsets Top Seed Novak Djokovic in Doha

 

In keeping up with the wacky week one results, top seed Novak Djokovic was downed by Ivo Karlovic in the quarter-final round of the Qatar Exxon Mobil Open, thus ending his win streak from last September.

In their first meeting in over seven years, the towering Croatian rallied from a set down to defeat Djokovic 6-7(2), 7-6(6), 6-4 in the Serb’s third match at the tournament. Karlovic hit 21 aces and 49 winners to reach the semi-final stage of the tournament.

“It was unbelievable,” said Karlovic in his on-court interview following the match. “When I arrived here, I didn’t expect that one. He wasn’t able to show his full range because it was windy. I just focused on my game and in the end I was a little luckier.”

Karlovic appeared to only get stronger as the match went on, as he struck 20 winners in the second set and eventually pressured Djokovic enough to snatch a late break and close the match out in 2 hours and 16 minutes.

This is Karlovic’s second ever win over a No. 1 player, as he defeated Roger Federer at the 2008 Western and Southern Open and has now managed a second win seven years later. He will next face David Ferrer, who dispatched Dustin Brown in straight sets to reach the semi-final round of the tournament.

“I think the (windy) conditions favoured me,” said Ferrer. “Dustin has a very good serve and with the wind it was more difficult for him than me. Fortunately I could win playing solid, because I cannot do too much with the wind.”