[女王]Final Preview: Roddick Aiming for Title No. 3
By Barry Newcombe
Ivo Karlovic v Andy Roddick: First Meeting
In the previous 26 Stella Artois championships only two
players, John McEnroe and Lleyton Hewitt, have won the
title for three years in succession. Andy Roddick intends
to join that elite group in today's final. Ivo Karlovic
intends to stop him.
Roddick now holds a 30-7 record for the year and in terms
of the Stella Artois has to look all the way back to the
first round in 2001 when he was last beaten at Queen's Club
(by the Russian Mikhail Youzhny). Karlovic, 26, is making
his first appearance in a final in 48 ATP tour level events.
Roddick has to be counted in the top three in the world on
grass after winning here twice and making the last four and
then the final at Wimbledon in the past two years. And now
he has the chance to stand alongside McEnroe and Hewitt at
the Stella Artois--"That would be huge, "he says. "I came
in here a couple of years ago not ever having played that
well on grass. To be going for a third, that's great. To
join names like that (McEnroe and Hewitt) is pretty cool,
too. "
Karlovic first played singles on grass in this tournament
in 2002. In three years he won three matches. This time
came the breakthrough. "I like grass, "he says, "because
it suits my game. With my serve I always have an advantage
and it's easier than rallying from the baseline."
Apart from standing 6ft 10ins and wearing size 14 shoes,
which makes him the tallest player ever to be ranked in
the top 100, Karlovic gained instant fame when he defeated
the defending champion Lleyton Hewitt in the first round at
Wimbledon in 2003.
He had come through the qualifying tournament, with a heavy
beard, and was thus dubbed the bearded giant. But he was
clean shaven by the time he faced Hewitt and overcame the
considerable challenge the champion presented. Only a couple
of weeks earlier Karlovic had been fined around ￡2000 for
breaking the rules at Surbiton. His coach had to persuade
him to try to qualify for the Stella Artois. He did. So that
was a big turning point as well.
Karlovic, like that great favourite Goran Ivanisevic, is a
Croatian and if they run into each other before the final
Karlovic might seek a little guidance on what lies ahead in
the final. Because few know the demands as well as Goran.
Certainly Karlovic faces an uphill struggle. But he has not
lost a tie break here(he has played five)and if he is classed
as an underdog he knows how to bite. "It's going to be a lot
of serving, "says Roddick, "and then there's going to be a
couple of moments here and there that are going to be extremely
tense. You have to be there and stay the course and be mentally
ready if you do get a chance and try to take it."
Roddick knows the territory at the Stella Artois extremely
well. Victory today would give him another focal point in
his career and, unquestionably, he is well equipped to win.
The fascination will be in seeing whether Karlovic and his
unique combination of physique and skills worry him.
Verdict: Roddick to lift the Stella Artois trophy for the third time
=====================
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