After two rather mediocre years ATP-Oldie Ivo Karlovic alias “Dr. Ivo” wants to attack again!
The man has it with age records – even last weekend: Ivo Karlovic had made it to the final of the ATP Challenger Tournament in Monterrey and was the oldest player to ever reach a final on the Challenger Tour.
With a combined 76 years and 1 month, the final between Davis Ferrer (36 years and 6 months) and Karlovic (39 years and 7 months) was also the oldest final in Challenger history, which “youngster” Ferrer finally won with 6:3, 6:4.
For serve giant Karlovic, however, a success, in the new world ranking the former number 14 went up again, this week from rank 137 to 117. And the Croatian wants even more – because he wants to play, as long as he wins matches, as he told.
“At the beginning of the year I had some motivation problems,” Dr. Ivo confessed to the ATP during the course of the week. “But that’s behind me. I hope to do well on the Challenger Tour in the coming weeks and to be on top of the rankings. To get into the main field of the Australian Open – that’s my goal.” Karlovic would need a ranking of 100th place by the beginning of December.
The 2.11 metre tall Karlovic experienced a rare moment in Monterrey when he met the world’s biggest basketball player with the 2.31 metre long Mamadou N’Diaye.
“It was crazy, I felt normal,” says Karlovic. “It was weird shaking hands because mine felt so small. But in a world where everyone else is so small, it was great.”