Ivo Karlovic

Began playing tennis at age six...Tallest player (6’10”, 2.08m) to rank in Top 100 in history of ATP Rankings (since 1973)...Father, Vlado, works as a meteorologist; mother, Gordana, works in agriculture...Has one older sister, Anna, who used to play when she was younger...Hobbies include playing basketball and going to movies... Member of Croatia Davis Cup team since 2000 when he debuted against Ireland, winning dead rubber... Appeared in starting line-up for first time in 2002 against Argentina in Buenos Aires, losing to Chela in second rubber and to Gaudio in fifth and decisive rubber...Wife, Alsi (married Mar. 29, 2005), is Jamaican; daughter, Jada Valentina (born Sept. 16, 2011)…Coached by countryman Mirko Pehar (since March 2011).

Karlovic DEUCE Feature (Aug. 2007)
Karlovic DEUCE Feature (Nov. 2008)
Karlovic DEUCE Feature (Jan. 2012)

2011 -- The Croat came back from injury previous season to finish in Top 100 for 9th year in a row…Dropped to No. 239 on Mar. 7 (lowest since Nov. 5, 2001) and worked his way up Top 75...Best ATP World Tour result was SF in Houston (l. to eventual champ Sweeting) as a qualifier and QF in Doha (l. to Davydenko) and at Indian Wells (l. to Nadal in 3rd set TB)...In 1R Davis Cup tie vs. Germany, lost decisive 5th rubber to Petzschner…Hit a record 156mph (251kph) serve...In October, won back-to-back California Challenger titles in Sacramento (d. Blake) and Tiburon (d. Querrey)...

2010 -- The Croatian finished in Top 75 for seventh time in past eight years (except ’06) despite missing last six months with an Achilles injury…Played last event in Madrid* in mid-May and underwent surgery to repair torn left Achilles on July 22…Began first two months with 13-5 mark, reaching QFs in Doha, Zagreb and Memphis, along with final in Delray Beach (l. to Gulbis)…Also reached 4th RD at Australian Open (l. to Nadal)…Snapped 11-match losing streak in five sets (d. Stepanek in 1st RD)…Will have protected ranking of No. 44 for nine months or nine tournaments once he returns in ‘11.

2009 -- The Croat finished in Top 40 for third straight year, highlighted by SF in Belgrade and three straight QF showings at Queen’s (l. to Roddick), Wimbledon (l. to Federer) and Washington (l. to Roddick)…Helped his country to Davis Cup SF (l. to Czech Republic) and lost to Stepanek in an epic five hour and 59 minute battle (67 76 76 67 16-14) in opening rubber in which he set a record for most aces in a match (78)…The 82 games was joint-longest in Davis Cup play since tie-break was introduced in 1989…At Roland Garros, fell in first round in five sets to Hewitt, firing a tournament record 55 aces...During his grass court run, served 208 aces and held 105 consecutive service game before falling to Federer…In Davis Cup QF vs. Blake, posted his first career five-set win after 11 losses...Led Ricoh ATP MatchFacts in aces (890) for third straight year and led in service games won (92%) and first serve points won (85%)…Went 10-15 on hard, 7-2 on grass and 6-6 on clay.

2008 -- The No. 2 Croat (behind No. 22 Cilic) finished in Top 25 for second straight season with one ATP title and QF or better in four other tournaments...Rebounded from a 12-14 start through May to finish with a 19-12 record...In February, reached SF in Rotterdam (l. to Llodra) and did not win back-to-back matches again until May with 3rd RD showings at AMS Rome (l. to Federer) and AMS Hamburg (l. to Djokovic)...On grass in June, reached QF at Queen's (l. to Nadal in three TBs) and repeated title in Nottingham (d. Verdasco, saving one M.P.)...In August, advanced to first AMS SF in Cincinnati (d. No. 1 Federer, l. to Murray) and followed with 3rd RD in New Haven and US Open (l. to Querrey)...In Davis Cup playoff tie, beat Brazil's Alves and Bellucci...In final five weeks, went 3-5 with QF at AMS Madrid (d. Djokovic, l. to Simon)...Played in most tie-breaks (30-31) and had 5-4 record in third set tie-break matches...Went 2-4 vs. Top 10 foes and compiled marks of 19-15 on hard, 7-2 on grass and 5-8 on clay...Led Ricoh ATP MatchFacts with 961 aces and first serve points won (81%)...Earned a career-high $738,601.

2007 -- Won a career-best 43 matches and three ATP titles -- Houston (d. Zabaleta), Nottingham (d. Clement) and Stockholm (d. T. Johansson) -- on as many surfaces while finishing in Top 25 for first time...Joined No. 1 Roger Federer as only players during year to win at least three titles on three different surfaces (clay, grass, hard)...Also runner-up in San Jose (l. to Murray)...Led ATP circuit in aces (1,318), second-most since 1991, and a 20.6 average...Also leader in service games won with a record 94%, break points saved (75%) and first serve points won (84%) and No. 3 in first serve percentage (69%)...Played in most tie-breaks, compiling a 37-30 mark (went 8-3 in matches decided in a third set tie-break)...Five losses during year came without losing serve....Also advanced to SF in Washington (l. to Roddick) and New Haven (l. to Fish)...Finished with 15-5 mark, reaching QF in Bangkok, SF in Tokyo and Basel while winning title in Stockholm...Went 4-6 vs. Top 10 opponents with three losses to Federer.

2006 -- Advanced to SF in Las Vegas (l. to Blake) and QF in Zagreb, Barcelona (d. No. 6 Davydenko) and Munich...Member of winning Croatian team at ATP World Team Championship (1-1 in singles, 2-1 in doubles)...Suffered a left knee injury on June 10 in 1st RD qualifying at Queen's and went 1-5 the rest of year...Finished No. 5 in aces (647) and led with 18 aces per match...Won first ATP doubles title in Memphis (w/Haggard)...

2005 -- Part of Davis Cup championship team (d. Slovakia)...Finished No. 4 in aces (730) and led circuit with 18.8 aces per match...Reached first ATP final at Queen's (l. to Roddick)...At Wimbledon, fired an All England Club record 51 aces and ATP co-leader (w/J. Johansson) in his 1st RD five-set loss to Bracciali...Reached his first AMS QF in Madrid (l. to Nalbandian)...

2004 -- Led ATP circuit in average aces (21.1) and most tie-breaks during year (57) with a 28-29 record...Won one Challenger title... Reached a Grand Slam best 4th RD at Wimbledon (l. to Federer)...At Athens Olympics, reached 3rd RD (l. to Moya)...

2003 -- Averaged an ATP-best 17.6 aces per match...Reached 3rd RD in debuts at Wimbledon (d. defending champ Hewitt for first Slam win) and US Open...Won two Challenger titles...

2002 -- Won a Futures title and reached one Challenger final...

2001 -- Won one Futures and one Challenger title...

2000 -- Reached QF at Prague Challenger...