Clever Agassi tames power of giant foe Karlovic at U.S. Open
NEW YORK — Size doesn't matter in tennis.
Neither does age.
Andre Agassi stood 11 inches shorter than 6-foot-10 Croatian Ivo Karlovic yesterday, spun serves about 50 mph slower and logged far fewer miles on court.
The ace count went to Karlovic 30-5 as he clocked serves consistently between 130 mph and 142 mph, but the second-round victory at the U.S. Open went to Agassi 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-4).
At 35, nine years older than the gangling giant across the net, Agassi came up bigger on the big points to continue his run for one more Grand Slam title in his 20th visit to the Open. His wife, Steffi Graf, and 3-year-old son Jaden watched at courtside.
"Listen to that," Agassi said as the standing crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium cheered his victory. "How does that get old? Thanks, guys."
Agassi, seeded No. 7, couldn't equal Karlovic's power and didn't care. Rather, he settled for cleverness and steadiness, taking advantage of the Croatian's weak backhand and awkward lateral movement. No one on the tour likes to play against the No. 56-ranked Karlovic, Agassi had said before playing him for the first time, because his serves come down from an unfamiliar trajectory, as if fired from the roof. Agassi felt the same way after winning.
"It's an incredible serve," said Agassi. "I'm trying to figure out where it is I would need to stand on the court to have the same trajectory. It's not a function of how fast it is because a lot of guys can serve it 135-plus. The trajectory is the main issue because you're lunging, but then it's up. You're sort of diving, but then you can't reach it, even if you dive perfectly and on cue."
Agassi swung and swished at some serves and stared helplessly as many others sped by. Each time he walked calmly to the other side, waiting for the ones he could get a racket on, trying to get Karlovic to play on different terms in rallies. There Agassi had the advantage.
"If I was coaching him, I'd fine him $100 every time he hit a groundstroke," Agassi said. "In his most difficult moments, he was more awkward than I anticipated."
The first-set tiebreak turned in just such a moment, when Agassi drilled a forehand that Karlovic volleyed wide to give Agassi a minibreak at 5-4. Agassi kept taking aim at Karlovic's backhand and watched him hit two straight unforced errors off that side to lose the set.
Agassi had to go to five set points in the second set before he won it with a deep forehand that Karlovic swatted long. In the third set, serving with a 5-4 lead in the tiebreak, Agassi hit six straight shots at Karlovic's backhand, then ripped a winner to his open forehand side to set up match point. Again, Agassi picked on Karlovic's backhand, hitting three shots to that side and watching Karlovic dump the last one into the net.
Agassi has played the U.S. Open more than any man in the Open era except Jimmy Connors, who competed here 22 times. Agassi's win against Karlovic was his 73rd at the Open, tying him with Ivan Lendl for second in the Open era behind Connors' 98.
"I always enjoyed watching him as a kid," Karlovic said of Agassi. "He is a legend."
Luxembourg's Gilles Muller, who ousted Andy Roddick in the first round, lost 6-1, 6-1, 6-4 to American Robby Ginepri.
Sebastien Grosjean beat No. 14 Thomas Johansson 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, and No. 19 Tommy Robredo knocked out former French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten 5-7, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, 6-2.
James Blake set up a third-round match against No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal by beating Igor Andreev 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 in a night match.
In women's matches, No. 2 Lindsay Davenport, No. 3 Amelie Mauresmo, No. 6 Elena Dementieva, No. 7 Justine Henin-Hardenne, No. 12 Mary Pierce and No. 13 Anastasia Myskina all won in straight sets.